Lexington, Ky. — Fazoli’s, America’s largest fast-casual Italian chain, has signed a lease agreement for the first restaurant in Sioux Falls, S.D., located at 4224 West Empire Place across from the Empire Shopping Gallery. The new restaurant, which will be owned and operated by SD Faz I, LLC, is slated to open summer 2017.
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Seattle — On December 24, 2016, REI’s newest distribution center, located in Goodyear, Ariz., achieved LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum certification — the highest level in the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) green building rating system — making it the first distribution center in the U.S. to achieve both LEED Platinum certification and Net Zero Energy.
Canton, Mass. — New Orleans Saints Quarterback Drew Brees, in partnership with existing franchisee Vik Patel, has signed an agreement to develop up to 69 new Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Shreveport, Monroe and Alexandria, La., over the coming years. The first location under the new partnership is planned to open in 2017, and the group will also co-own five existing Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants in Louisiana.
Owings Mills, Md. — EMG, an engineering, environmental, capital planning and project management consulting company based in Maryland and Arizona, has named Nestor Benavides as chief executive officer and promoted Ron Stupi to president. Chris Varney will move up to executive vice president of sales. Former CEO Claude Limoges will now serve as chairman of the board.
Moorestown, N.J. and Montpellier, France — Destination Maternity and Orchestra Prémaman S.A. plan to merge, creating a leading global provider of maternity apparel, children’s wear and baby hard goods. The transaction, which was unanimously approved by both boards of directors, creates an estimated $1.1 billion company with 1,800 retail locations.
Atlanta — In its largest acquisition to date for Atlanta-based GPS Hospitality, the rapidly growing franchisee group will expand its national footprint into five new states with the acquisition of 194 BURGER KING® restaurants. The acquisition will extend GPS Hospitality’s reach into Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas and Florida.
Philadelphia — CDI Studio One, the architecture division of L.R. Kimball – a CDI Company, has completed the new office complex/operation center for Sheetz, Inc., the $7.2 billion, family-owned and operated convenience store giant. Located on the Sheetz corporate campus midway between Harrisburg and Pittsburgh, the project includes a 115,000-square-foot modern headquarters and operation Center and an adjacent 13,000-square-foot daycare center.
Dallas — Pollo Campero, the world’s largest Latin Chicken restaurant brand, has inked a deal to open the first Pollo Campero restaurant in Tennessee. Campero has signed franchisee Sosa Properties, LLC, giving it the rights to open the first Pollo Campero franchise in Nashville.