Chicago — Jeffrey K. Hoffmann, a veteran banking executive who has provided strategic advice and capital solutions to operators of some of the biggest restaurant brands in North America, has joined A&G Real Estate Partners as a senior managing director and head of the firm’s fast-growing restaurant division. “Jeff is a trusted strategic partner with broad experience and extensive relationships in the restaurant business,” says Andy Graiser, co-president of Melville, N.Y.-based A&G. “He brings strong leadership to our deep bench of experts in this industry. We are very excited to …
News
FRCH NELSON Teams Up with American Girl to Design In-Store Experiences for the Holidays
by Katie Lee
Cincinnati — American Girl unveiled two new in-store experiences this month in its New York City flagship store on Rockefeller Plaza. Award-winning retail design firm FRCH NELSON partnered with the brand to envision both experiences that will be open throughout the holiday season. Girls can now experience a day in the life of one of American Girl’s most popular dolls, Julie. The pop-up called “Julie’s Groovy World” immerses guests in her 1970s world. The in-store activation encourages interactive play between girl and doll and brings Julie’s message of girl empowerment …
Spartanburg, S.C. — Eggs Up Grill has appointed Todd Owen as its new vice president of franchise development. Owen brings a rich background in successful franchise development, leading sales and business development with brands that included Qdoba Mexican Eats, spearheading growth from 60 to more than 600 locations. “We selected Todd after a thorough and extensive search of the industry’s top talent in franchise development,” says Ricky Richardson, CEO of Eggs Up Grill. “We’re thrilled to welcome Todd to the Eggs Up Grill team and know that he will make …
Hartford, Conn.— Express Kitchens is in expansion mode, opening more locations and tweaking the store lineup to include retail showroom in and around Boston. By the end of 2019, Express Kitchens will open three new retail stores followed by five new showrooms in the year 2020. In addition, the company has taken a big step toward fulfilling its environmental stewardship commitment by implementing renewable energy practices to its business operations. The successful installation and functioning of solar panels to its Hartford, Conn., offices is an initiative that reflects company’s holistic …
Krystal to Sell 100-150 Corporate Restaurants to Franchisees as Part of Brand Revitalization
by Katie Lee
Atlanta — The Krystal Company plans to refranchise approximately 100-150 company-owned restaurants to well-capitalized multi-unit operators as part of its ongoing business and fleet revitalization. To that end, Krystal has engaged The Cypress Group, a specialized investment banking firm, to manage the refranchising initiative. Restaurants in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee will be refranchised. “We’re ready for the next step in the brand transformation that began when I came on board in 2018,” says Paul Macaluso, Krystal’s president and CEO. “We’ve seen great success with the new restaurant prototype, remodels and …
Littleton, Colo. – Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh has debuted its fresh new prototype in the southwest Denver suburb of Littleton. The restaurant is the first new ground-up buildout of a GARBANZO restaurant to open in the Denver metro area since 2014, and it’s the company’s first new prototype in Denver. The new GARBANZO restaurant exudes a bright, open and fresh aesthetic for the brand. It features a stand-alone bakery area where guests will be able to see their pitas being kneaded, placed in the oven and puffed to perfection right before …
Plano, Texas — JCPenney recently unveiled its brand-new store, a completely reimagined format just outside of Dallas in Hurst, Texas, that represents the company’s strategy to put the customer at the center of its business. As a brand-defining store, it is experiential at its core, and a direct result of what today’s shoppers want from a retailer. The store is built around data and insights learned from more than a year of extensive customer research. “Our customers are at the heart of everything we do,” says JCPenney’s chief executive officer, …
Minneapolis — Moe’s Southwest Grill®, a fast-casual restaurant franchise that serves southwestern food, opened its first restaurant in the state of Minnesota on October 18. The restaurant is located between Terminals E and F in the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport. The new location is owned and operated by existing multi-unit franchisee HMS Host, the world’s largest provider of food and beverage services for travelers. The Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport location marks the fourth Moe’s Southwest Grill opening for the group, and the first since 2013. Other Moe’s non-traditional restaurants owned by HMS …
New York City — Authentic Brands Group (ABG), a global brand owner, marketing and entertainment company, has emerged as the successful bidder to purchase the intellectual property of Barneys New York (Barneys). Through this acquisition, which closed on November 1, ABG will enhance its luxury footprint and further establish its position as a leader in contemporary fashion. “We are thrilled that our offer for Barneys has been accepted,” says Jamie Salter, founder, chairman and CEO of Authentic Brands Group. “Barneys is one of the most recognizable and iconic names in …
Philadelphia — Global commercial real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield has welcomed food, beverage and hospitality industry veteran Chef Michael Traud, J.D., Ed.D., to its national Specialty F&B, Entertainment & Hospitality Consulting team. In his new role as specialty food & beverage project management director, Traud will focus on food hall development, operations and programming, strategic restaurant curation, and music and special events procurement for real estate owner and investor clients across the U.S. He will be based in Philadelphia and will work directly with consulting team leaders Phil …