Santee, Calif. — BLAIR SIGN PROGRAMS, a leading design/build sign and graphics company, has created a new “Comprehensive Sign Program” developed especially for new urban commercial retail and mixed-use projects. “The new urban realities require a new approach for comprehensive sign programs designed for commercial retail and mixed-use projects. It is no longer enough for a sign program to be only an exposition of static, traditional sign types. Our clients need solutions to the ‘clicks vs. bricks’ challenge in today’s retail environments,” says Scott Blair, founder of Blair Sign Programs. …
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Irvine, Calif. — KTGY Architecture + Planning recently received a “special award of excellence” from the judges of the 2019 Gold Nugget Awards for its rebuilding and restoration of Anaheim White House Restaurant in Anaheim, Calif. The builder was Placa Construction Inc. Following a devastating fire, the KTGY team worked with historic restoration consultants and property owner to rebuild and restore the 1909 Colonial-style mansion and side house. A second architectural team rebuilt the kitchen and interior dining room. Careful consideration had to be made during the process as the …
Ankeny, Iowa — The board of directors of Casey’s General Stores, Inc. has appointed Darren Rebelez, president of IHOP®, as Casey’s next president and chief executive officer (CEO), effective June 24, 2019. Rebelez will also join Casey’s board of directors. He will succeed Casey’s president and CEO, Terry Handley, who will retire from the company and board, after a 38-year career with Casey’s. Rebelez joins Casey’s with over 25 years of business leadership experience focused on operations, marketing and merchandising for large corporations in each of the convenience store, fuel …
Ocala, Fla. — Beverly Hills, Calif.-based Celebrity’s Soul Food has selected Southlake, Texas-based N3 Real Estate and affiliates as its exclusive national developer and master broker for the United States. N3 will be responsible for all aspects of Celebrity’s real estate selection and development process across the country. With 200 units planned within the next 24 months, founders Dr. Fredrick Jacobs (a.k.a. Dr. J, The Counselor) and Taja Jacobs, along with their franchisee partners, will bring soul food cuisine to the nation in a classy and elegant atmosphere that treats …
Plano, Texas — J. C. Penney Company, Inc. has hired Victor Ejarque Lopez, a 25-year veteran of merchandising, product, supply chain and operations, as senior vice president, general merchandise manager for women’s apparel, reporting to Michelle Wlazlo, chief merchandising officer. He will join the company June 10. In this role, he will be responsible for overseeing and developing all of the company’s women’s apparel merchandising strategies and programs. “I am delighted to welcome Victor to our team. His appointment fills a vital component of our merchandising leadership team, and we …
Houston — Russo’s New York Pizzeria, the nation’s only chef-driven New York-style, Italian restaurant and pizzeria franchise concept, announces its latest franchise opportunity: an authentic Italian microbrewery. Conceptualized by Chef Anthony Russo, Russo’s New York Italia Pizza Kitchen & Brewery will open its first location in 2019. The innovative Pizza Kitchen & Brewery will feature Russo’s infamous Italian menu with pizza and pasta-focused dishes, as well as unique craft beers, brewed in-house. The brewery will range from 3,500 to 5,000 square feet; the new design features a full view pizza …
Los Angeles — CBRE, Iron Mountain and Redaptive have won the 2019 Professional Excellence Award conferred by CoreNet Global. The combined team was recognized for accelerating environmental improvements and cost reduction via an innovative Efficiency-as-a Service (EaaS) delivery model. CBRE’s energy managers, in collaboration with Iron Mountain’s Global Real Estate and Sustainability leadership, developed a multi-year energy strategy to improve facility efficiency and sustainability. Within this strategy, Redaptive and CBRE are implementing a unique, portfolio-wide, turnkey solution, backed by transparent measurement and verification reporting. The approach allows Iron Mountain to …
Denver — In late May, Denver-based BluSky Restoration Contractors, LLC merged with St. Louis-based United Services, a full-service disaster restoration company serving commercial and residential clients since 1988. “BluSky and United Services share similar missions and core values that are driven first and foremost by providing best-in-class customer service,” says Kent Stemper, CEO of BluSky. “United Services has a passion for excellence and high ethical standards, which are also primary drivers of BluSky’s success and will be a great fit with our firm, and those were key factors that attracted …
Lake Forest, Calif. — Del Taco Restaurants, Inc., the second largest Mexican-American quick-service restaurant chain by units in the United States, recently commenced the marketing of certain company-operated restaurants across four non-core Western markets. The refranchising of these restaurants is expected to be completed by summer 2020 and is planned to help shift company ownership to approximately 45% of the Del Taco system while stimulating growth in new restaurants and existing restaurant AUVs. Del Taco first announced its Restaurant Portfolio Optimization plan in January 2019 and subsequently retained The Cypress …
San Francisco — A joint venture led by Sansome Pacific, a real estate investment firm based in San Francisco, has acquired 11 locations of outdoor sports retailer Cabela’s for $324.3 million. The transaction was structured as a sale-leaseback with the seller, Bass Pro Shops, which owns the Cabela’s brand. Much like Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s is known for its sprawling retail campuses. The 11-property portfolio spans 1.6 million square feet on 227 acres of land. Bass Pro Shops is based in Springfield, Mo., while Cabela’s is based in Sidney, Neb. …