Lexington, Ky. — As A&W celebrates its centennial, the company is preparing for its next century with the recent opening of a new national learning center and prototype restaurant in Richmond, Ky. A&W, which was acquired by its franchisees from YUM! Brands in 2011, has welcomed more than 70 U.S. locations under the new leadership; a dozen more are in various stages of development. Located less than a half-hour from A&W’s headquarters, the Richmond restaurant is the first freestanding “Gen19” prototype that takes a holistic approach to guest engagement. The …
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Raleigh, N.C. — Golden Corral, the nation’s largest grill-buffet chain, has launched an incentive for franchisees to remodel their current restaurants to the Golden Corral brand’s new Gateway design package. The comprehensive incentive program will support franchise owners with a reinvestment credit, a local marketing credit, and a people hiring and training credit. Currently, the company plans to remodel 60 franchise restaurants in 2020. Golden Corral first introduced the new Gateway restaurant design in December 2017, featuring a contemporary appearance with oversized windows, stacked stone fireplaces, redesigned buffet service areas, …
Canton, Mass. — Destination XL Group, Inc., a leading omni-channel specialty retailer of men’s Big + Tall clothing and shoes, has added Ujjwal Dhoot to its team as chief digital officer, effective December 16, 2019. He will report to Erica Thompson, chief marketing officer. Prior to joining DXL, Dhoot held senior marketing positions with FSAstore.com, Charming Charlie and PetCareRx.com. At DXL, he will be responsible for all digital initiatives, including building the brand digitally, driving traffic to stores, mobile commerce, e-commerce, and the company’s overarching digital marketing strategy. “We are …
Conshohocken, Pa. — Saladworks, a leading entrée salad franchise in the fast-casual space, has partnered with the United States Air Force to develop Saladworks restaurants on U.S. bases. “A couple of years ago, we embarked on a revamp of our military base food and beverage platform,” says Mike Baker, chief of strategy and innovation at the Air Force Services Center. “What we have attempted to do with this new model is really modernize our food and beverage options. A younger, more socially aware demographic is in service now, with millennials …
Miramar, Fla. — Konover South LLC, in partnership with Master Development Partners of Dania Beach, Fla., will break ground on its upscale 56,600-square-foot Miramar Park Place retail center in Miramar, Fla., west of Hollywood, in the first quarter of 2020. The center is slated to include a Flanigan’s Restaurant and Liquors, Pediatric Associates, a national coffee chain, plus neighborhood services when opened in the second quarter of 2021. “Konover South is excited to bring Miramar Park Place to this thriving community in partnership with Robert Shapiro and Terry Salzman of …
Atlanta — Hemingway’s, a Tampa, Fla.-based Cuban restaurant and winner of “Best Cuban Sandwich,” is opening a second location in Atlanta. Slated to open in spring 2020, the new outpost will be located inside Krog Street Market, a 30,000-square-foot food hall and market destination tucked in the Inman Park neighborhood, right off the Belt Line’s Eastside Trail. “I have wanted to expand Hemingway’s for some time, and I couldn’t be more excited to bring our food to Atlanta,” says Felicia (“Phe”) Lacalle, chef and owner. “As soon as you set …
Paris and New York City — LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE (LVMH), the world’s leading luxury group, and Tiffany & Co., the global luxury jeweler, have entered into a definitive agreement whereby LVMH will acquire Tiffany for $135 per share in cash, in a transaction with an equity value of approximately €14.7 billion or $16.2 billion. The transaction is expected to close in the middle of 2020. For more than 180 years, Tiffany has been synonymous with elegance, innovative design, fine craftsmanship and creative excellence. Founded in 1837 when …
Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. — Waters Edge Wineries®, an innovative urban winery system, has signed a franchise agreement to open a Waters Edge Winery & Bistro in Sarasota, Fla. This new location will join 11 others already operating throughout California, Colorado, Ohio, Oklahoma and Texas. Local entrepreneurs Michael Hayja, Dr. Sean Castellucci and Christopher McKenna of Artisan Vinification, LLC, will own and manage the location in Sarasota, which is expected to open in spring 2020. “We are excited to debut our brand in the Sunshine State, and with the support of …
Boca Raton, Fla. — Joseph T. Lower, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Office Depot, Inc., intends to leave the company on January 10, 2020. He will assume the role of chief financial officer at AutoNation, Inc. “We are grateful to Joe for his leadership over the past 2 years in advancing our transformation efforts and wish him every success in the future,” says Gerry Smith, Office Depot’s chief executive officer. “Joe is supported by an outstanding finance organization that will continue to serve the company and its …
Chicago — Starbucks Coffee Co. has opened its Reserve Roastery in downtown Chicago. The 35,000-square-foot, five-story roastery opened to the public on November 15, 2019 and is the largest Starbucks location. The store is located on the Magnificent Mile in a space formerly occupied by Crate & Barrel. All of the coffee beans roasted at the facility are served and sold on site. There are three coffee bars at the roastery. Baristas make classic espresso beverages at the coffee bar on the main floor. An experiential bar can be found …