Boston — Effective Jan. 22, 2019, G. Scott Uzzell will become president & CEO of Converse, Inc., according to parent company NIKE, Inc. Uzzell comes to Converse from The Coca-Cola Company where he most recently served as president, venturing & emerging brands group (VEB).
News
Los Angeles — Chop Stop, a California-based QSR chopped salad concept known for its fresh, customizable chopped salads and other health-oriented menu options, has signed 16 new franchise agreements in three states. The deals will result in the first-ever Chop Stop franchises in Texas and Nevada. By the end of 2019, Chop Stop expects to have a total of 23 units open.
New York City — Luxury handbag authority Rebag has opened its third retail location in New York City and fifth brick-and-mortar location in the U.S., opening its first mall location inside the Westfield World Trade Center mall just in time for holiday shopping.
Minneapolis — Restaurant Technologies, the leading provider of cooking oil management and exhaust cleaning solutions, is providing its Total Oil Management solution to more than 1,500 new grocery and convenience store (c-store) units since the start of 2018, bringing the company’s total customer roster of foodservice providers across a range of segments to more than 27,000 locations nationwide.
New York City — Payless, a trusted name in footwear and accessories for over 60 years, recently opened its first ever holiday pop-up location in New York City. The temporary store, which opened just before Thanksgiving, is located at 136 W. 42nd Ave., between Times Square and Bryant Park.
Lexington, Ky. — Fazoli’s, an elevated QSR Italian chain, has signed a multi-unit deal with new franchisee Impact Hospitality Group. In addition to acquiring two existing locations in Columbia, S.C., the group also plans to develop five additional restaurants in and around the Columbia area over the next few years, with the first location slated to open in 2019.
Los Angeles — Formerly The Promenade at Howard Hughes Center in Los Angeles, HHLA is undergoing a $30 million renovation spearheaded by developer and operator The Festival Companies. The project is slated for completion in 2019. The sprawling landmark destination will introduce a morning-to-late-night dining, entertainment and shopping experience all within one thriving cultural hub.
New York City — ShopKeep, the top-rated tablet-to-cloud payments and point-of-sale platform chosen by over 25,000 independent retailers and restaurants, has closed a $65 million round of equity and debt financing. The round was led by Tribeca Venture Partners and included all of ShopKeep’s existing major investors. ShopKeep also welcomes First Data Corporation, a leader in payment processing services, and Salesforce Ventures, Salesforce’s global corporate investment group. The debt financing portion of the round was provided by ORIX Growth Capital and Square 1 Bank, a division of Pacific Western Bank.