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Brilliant Earth Unveils New Showroom in NYC’s Nolita Neighborhood

by Katie Lee

San Francisco — Brilliant Earth Group, Inc., an innovative, global leader in ethically sourced fine jewelry, is opening its first street-level showroom in New York City. The showroom is located at 255 Elizabeth St. in Nolita and expands the company’s retail footprint to 4 locations in the New York metropolitan area and 39 overall. The inviting floorplan includes a jewelry try-on bar, offering customers a hands-on and engaging holiday shopping experience and includes dedicated private spaces for the company’s signature one-on-one bridal and fine jewelry appointments. “We are committed to …

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construction and designNewspeopleroofingvendors

Duro-Last® Names New Vice President of Operations

by Katie Lee

Saginaw, Mich. — Duro-Last, a member of Holcim Building Envelope, has appointed Chris Warner as its new vice president of operations. With more than 20 years of experience in operational leadership and a strong background in lean manufacturing and strategic process optimization, Warner will be instrumental in enhancing Duro-Last’s operational excellence and advancing its commitment to safety and superior customer service. “I am honored to join Duro-Last and contribute to the legacy of excellence that has made the company a trusted leader in commercial roofing,” says Warner. “Duro-Last’s reputation for …

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franchise developmentNewspeoplerestaurants

L&L Hawaiian Barbecue Names Director of Franchisee Communications

by Katie Lee

Honolulu — L&L Hawaiian Barbecue has appointed Kyler Kokubun as director of franchisee communications. In this role, Kokubun will focus on enhancing the relationship between the franchisor and franchisees, supporting franchisee operations and aligning marketing strategies with the brand’s vision. Kokubun brings nearly 15 years of experience in marketing, customer service and community engagement from his previous tenure at Consolidated Theatres, Hawaii’s oldest and largest movie theatre chain, where he was promoted from service associate to marketing and events manager for all locations across Hawaii. He has been instrumental in …

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Newsproperty managementretailers

Westfield Montgomery Welcomes 6 New National Retailers

by Katie Lee

Bethesda, Md. — Westfield Montgomery is welcoming six new highly sought after fashion brands. Tory Burch, Abercrombie & Fitch and Carter’s will open this November followed by UNIQLO opening in mid-2025. These additions are the latest in a series of new tenants for Westfield Montgomery in 2024. Most recently, J. Crew moved into a sleek new space. JD Sports, a leading retailer of fashionable sportswear and sneakers, opened in late September. Swiss chocolatier Läderach opened in summer 2024. “We’re excited to expand our upscale retail offerings at Westfield Montgomery for …

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kitchen equipmentNewsProduct Spotlightrestaurantssoftware/technologyvendors

Checkmate Raises $10 Million to Scale Restaurant Voice AI and Kiosk Solutions

by Katie Lee

New York City — Checkmate, a leader in AI-powered ordering solutions for enterprise restaurants, has secured $10 million in Series B funding led by Tiger Global. The round will enable Checkmate to accelerate the adoption of its voice AI and kiosk technologies across the industry. Checkmate has already developed expertise in integrating digital orders into restaurant point-of-sale (POS) systems. This foundation serves as a critical advantage in entering these new business segments. Checkmate offers best-in-class phone ordering and drive-thru AI solutions to some of the country’s largest brands, all seamlessly …

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franchise developmentNewsrestaurants

Cousins Maine Lobster Opens 75th Unit

by Katie Lee

South Portland, Me. — Cousins Maine Lobster opened its 75th unit in early November, located in Jacksonville, Fla. The brand, which launched in April 2012 by real-life cousins Jim Tselikis and Sabin Lomac, now has 4 restaurants and 71 food trucks with reach across more than 30 states. In addition to celebrating 75 units, the brand is also welcoming new franchisees to the system, business partners Mandy Ottesen and Damon Cole. From their initial training in Maine to the opening of their first truck, they’ve been able to launch their …

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Newspeopleretailers

Grocery Outlet Holding Corp. Announces CEO Transition

by Katie Lee

Emeryville, Calif. — Grocery Outlet Holding Corp. has announced that Eric Lindberg, current chairman of the board, has been appointed interim president and CEO, effective immediately. Lindberg replaces RJ Sheedy, who has stepped down from his position and resigned from the board. The board has engaged a leading global executive search firm to begin the process of identifying a permanent CEO. With more than three decades of leadership experience at the company, Lindberg is a Grocery Outlet veteran with a deep knowledge of its operations and strategy. He previously served …

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franchise developmentNewspeoplerestaurants

Tropical Smoothie Cafe Names New CEO

by Katie Lee

Atlanta — Tropical Smoothie Cafe has named Max Wetzel as its new chief executive officer. He succeeds Charles Watson, who is stepping down after more than 16 years with Tropical Smoothie Cafe, including the past 6 years as CEO. “I am so proud of what our support center team members and franchisees have accomplished during my time at Tropical Smoothie Cafe,” says Watson. “I am confident Tropical Smoothie Cafe is well positioned to build on our many achievements to date and to advance its rapid growth, and I remain invested …

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construction and designexterior services/landscapingNewsrestaurantsretailers

RH Opens 60,000-Square-Foot RH Raleigh, The Gallery at North Hills

by Katie Lee

Corte Madera, Calif. — RH has opened RH Raleigh, The Gallery at North Hills, an immersive retail experience in Raleigh, N.C., integrating luxury home furnishings collections from RH Interiors, Contemporary, Modern and Outdoor with rare art, antiques and artifacts from across the globe. RH Raleigh also features a dramatic, glass-encased rooftop restaurant. “We believe great architecture amplifies and renders our product and brand more valuable,” says Gary Friedman, RH chairman & chief executive officer. “We either find great historical architecture and re-adapt it, or we build it. RH Raleigh is …

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Newspeoplerestaurants

Red Lobster Appoints Chief Operating Officer

by Katie Lee

Orlando, Fla. — Red Lobster® has appointed Larry Konecny as chief operating officer (COO). In this role, Konecny will lead the operational strategy for Red Lobster’s 545 restaurants across the United States and Canada. Reporting directly to CEO Damola Adamolekun, he will drive initiatives to deliver elevated food quality, customer service and operational efficiency, while fostering a culture rooted in teamwork and excellence. “Larry brings an exceptional combination of operational expertise, a passion for developing high-performing teams, and a genuine understanding of what it takes to build strong restaurant brands,” …

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