News

New York — UNIQLO will open its first stores in Texas in Houston and Dallas, and extend its West Coast presence, including new cities San Diego and Sacramento, Calif., this fall/winter. In total, the brand will open 11 new stores across Texas and California, a significant portion of the 20+ new store openings planned for North America in 2024. The upcoming openings will build on UNIQLO’s ambitious store growth plan to reach 200 stores in North America by 2027. “We are thrilled to be coming to Texas,” says Yoshihide Shindo, …

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New York City — Just Salad, the fast-casual restaurant chain with a mission to make everyday health and sustainability possible, has appointed Andrew Marsallo as the company’s director of real estate. He will be responsible for managing Just Salad’s rapidly growing real estate pipeline, with a particular focus on the chain’s growth in both existing and new markets. Marsallo joins the company from Shake Shack. “We are thrilled to welcome Andrew Marsallo to the Just Salad team as our new director of real estate,” says Nick Kenner, founder and CEO …

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Commerce, Calif. — 99 Cents Only Stores LLC plans to close all 371 of its stores and wind down its business operations. The company has entered into an agreement with Hilco Global to liquidate all merchandise and dispose of fixtures, furnishings and equipment at the stores. Sales under this agreement began on April 5. 99 Cents Only was founded in 1982 as a deep-discount retailer where every item cost less than a dollar. The company is headquartered in the southeast Los Angeles suburb of Commerce, and currently operates stores in …

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Bentonville, Ark. — HFA Architecture + Engineering has hired veteran financial leader Lisa Hess (CMA, CSCA) as its new chief financial officer. She joins HFA from her prior role as CFO of Mackie Wolf Zientz & Mann, P.C., a mortgage banking law firm. Based in HFA’s Fort Worth, Texas, office, Hess brings more than 18 years of finance, accounting and management experience in sectors such as engineering, construction, law and technology. “Lisa boasts extraordinary management, organizational, analytical and problem-solving skills, and she is passionate about embracing change and positioning for …

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Red Bank, N.J. — SMG Holdings LLC, a pioneering provider of integrated facility management solutions, has launched SMG HVAC, a specialized division dedicated to serving the HVAC needs of multi-site retailers across North America. With an eye toward the evolving demands within the retail sector, SMG HVAC has been crafted to offer tailored HVAC services that prioritize energy efficiency, indoor air quality and seamless operations for retail chains. “The establishment of SMG HVAC marks a significant milestone in our journey,” says Shannon Prato, CEO of SMG Holdings LLC. “We understand …

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New York City – BurgerFi® is reopening in the heart of New York City on April 4 with the unveiling of its highly-anticipated Better Burger Lab™ on the Upper East Side. The Better Burger Lab is the first of its kind for the brand, bringing guests a delicious and unique experience where they can taste-test products — and provide feedback — that will not be available elsewhere. “We know, as a brand, that guests are looking for unique dining experiences, which means we need to go where the guest is …

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Minneapolis — Restaurant Technologies broke its own sustainability record by recycling and converting more than 314 million pounds of used cooking oil (UCO) into renewable diesel or biodiesel in 2023, breaking the record set in 2022 by 25 million pounds. The company continues to help its 40,000 customers nationwide be more sustainable and reach their Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) goals to create a cleaner, more livable planet. With the support of renewable energy partners such as Chevron Renewable Energy Group, Restaurant Technologies converts 100% of UCO collected into renewable diesel …

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Miami — Re-Bath, the nation’s largest complete bathroom remodeling franchise, has signed a franchise agreement in Florida that will cover Miami and all surrounding communities in Dade County. Re-Bath currently has 11 locations operating in Florida and is set to venture into even more new markets within the state, and throughout the East Coast. The over 100-unit chain plans to surpass 150 locations in 2024. “There is tremendous potential for growth in Florida, and my team and I are committed to bringing Re-Bath’s exceptional services to Miami and the surrounding …

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Tampa, Fla. — Pups Pub, a popular off-leash, indoor and outdoor dog sports bar with two locations in Florida, is launching a strategic franchise initiative, signaling a bold move toward expansive growth on a national scale. Leading the pack in dog bars, Pups Pub is set to quickly gain a strong foothold nationally. In support of the brand’s franchise development efforts, the company has teamed up with Franchise Well, the nation’s leading franchise consulting franchise practice led by industry veteran Dr. Ben Litalien, CFE. Along with company founders Alex Wright …

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Canton, Mass. — Destination XL Group, Inc., the leading retailer specializing in men’s Big + Tall apparel, has partnered with Beta Agency, a renowned commercial real estate brokerage known for its expert advisory services, to grow the company’s footprint in prime locations that resonate with the brand’s Big & Tall audience. With this partnership, DXL plans to open nine new stores in 2024. “Our partnership with Beta Agency is a game-changer for DXL, enabling us to accelerate our retail footprint buildout with a data-driven approach to retail location strategy,” says …

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