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Von Maur Department Stores Opens First Location in North Dakota

by Katie Lee

Fargo, N.D. — Von Maur Department Stores opened its newest location at West Acres Mall in Fargo, N.D., on April 5, 2025. The 90,000-square-foot store is the company’s first in North Dakota and its 39th overall. The store opening continues the family-owned company’s national growth strategy. This past fall, Von Maur opened its first location in Pennsylvania at South Hills Village in Pittsburgh. The company is also undergoing a multi-phased, $100 million renovation of its existing stores over the next several years. “We are thrilled to officially open our doors …

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Smalls Sliders Names New CEO

by Katie Lee

Atlanta — Smalls Sliders has appointed seasoned restaurant and hospitality executive Charles Watson as its new chief executive officer. In his new role, Watson will prioritize franchisee success while accelerating the brand’s impressive expansion. Watson brings nearly three decades of experience driving substantial growth, most recently as chief executive officer for Tropical Smoothie Cafe, where he expanded the brand to over 1,500 locations nationwide and tripled systemwide revenue to $1.42 billion. Prior to his CEO role, Watson led franchise growth and brand development strategies for multiple brands at Wyndham Hotels …

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Levin Management Promotes Portfolio Manager to Director of Operations

by Katie Lee

North Plainfield, N.J. — Levin Management Corporation (LMC) has promoted Denise Ciaravino to director of operations. The move recognizes her exceptional leadership and longstanding contributions to the firm’s property management department, according to Erika Morasco, vice president of property management.   Ciaravino’s promotion marks her second career advancement at LMC in 4 years. She joined the commercial real estate services firm as a property manager in 2006 and steadily rose through the ranks, most recently serving as portfolio manager. “Denise is a true asset to the property management team, and we …

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Fatburger to Open 30 Units in France Over Next 3 Years

by Katie Lee

Los Angeles — FAT (Fresh. Authentic. Tasty.) Brands Inc., parent company of Fatburger and 17 other restaurant concepts, has formed a new partnership with the group behind Big M CIE, to expand Fatburger across France, opening 30 units over the next 3 years with five new units set to open in 2026. “Since opening our first location nearly 3 years ago in Sarcelles, we have been looking for the right strategic opportunities to continue our expansion in France,” says Taylor Wiederhorn, chief development officer of FAT Brands. “Mehdi Bella and …

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Prime Markets Brings Simbe’s Inventory Robot to Stores in Saudi Arabia

by Katie Lee

San Francisco — Simbe has partnered with Universal Cold Store (Prime Markets), a leading grocery retail chain in Saudi Arabia, with the introduction of its autonomous robot, Tally. This first-of-its-kind implementation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is expected to enhance inventory management, improve pricing accuracy and elevate the customer experience across select Prime Markets locations, establishing them as pioneers in retail technology adoption within the region. Traditionally, store teams spend up to 30 hours per week manually taking inventory, a tedious task that’s inherently prone to human error. Recent …

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construction and designfranchise developmentNewsrestaurants

Church’s Texas Chicken and Texas Chicken Plan 900 New Units in Europe and Beyond

by Katie Lee

Atlanta — Church’s Texas Chicken® and Texas Chicken™, one of the largest quick-service chicken restaurant brands in the world, continues its international expansion into Europe while strengthening its presence in key global markets. The company has recently signed multiple development agreements, including one in Germany. With additional deals in other parts of Europe, this marks a significant milestone in the company’s growth strategy. Building on this momentum, the company is setting its sights on the UK, France, Italy and Spain. “We are experiencing tremendous growth both domestically and internationally, with …

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construction and designNewsretailers

Big Lots Stores to Reopen Under New Ownership

by Katie Lee

Henderson, N.C. — Henderson, North Carolina-based Variety Wholesalers has announced the first wave of reopenings for its newly obtained Big Lots locations. After Ohio-based Big Lots filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in September 2024, Variety Wholesalers acquired 219 Big Lots stores. Beginning April 10, nine stores will reopen across six states including Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. The remodeled stores will feature a selection of closeout deals, new merchandise categories, apparel and electronics. Variety Wholesalers will reopen the remaining acquired locations in subsequent waves. Approximately 55 …

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Hooters Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, Plans to Remain Open

by Katie Lee

Atlanta — HOA Restaurant Group, parent company of restaurant chain Hooters, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, entering into a Restructuring Support Agreement (RSA) that will facilitate the continued operation of the company’s restaurants under new ownership. A partnership between two existing Hooters franchises, Hooters Inc. and Hoot Owl Restaurants, reached an agreement with Hooters of America (HOA), to acquire more than 100 HOA-owned Hooters restaurants, which, when added with the franchisees’ existing holdings, will account for approximately 70% of Hooters’ domestic locations. Upon completion of the Chapter 11 …

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construction and designfranchise developmentNewsretailers

Batteries Plus Brings First Franchise Deal to Hawaii

by Katie Lee

Honolulu — Batteries Plus, the nation’s leading specialty battery retailer, is making its debut in Hawaii with a multi-unit franchise agreement. Local entrepreneur Pierre Parranto has signed on to open four stores across Hawaii’s four largest islands, starting with a location in Honolulu on Oahu. “As a business owner, I was a customer in need and I was actively searching for a dependable battery supplier when I came across Batteries Plus,” says Parranto. “The franchise model immediately stood out; it offers a strong support system and fills a critical need …

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construction and designfranchise developmentNewsrestaurants

Dutch Bros Coffee Aims to Double Store Count to 2,029 Locations by 2029

by Katie Lee

Grants Pass, Ore. — A little over a month after unveiling its 1,000th retail location, drive-thru coffee chain Dutch Bros Inc. is expanding its operations with goals to reach 2,029 shops by 2029. Originating in 1992 as a pushcart by the railroad tracks in downtown Grants Pass, Dutch Bros opened its first franchise in 2000. Dutch Bros Coffee now has a significant presence in the Pacific Northwest and is expanding with more locations across the United States, moving eastward to Florida, Texas, Oklahoma and Georgia. Looking further out, Dutch Bros …

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