News

Raleigh, N.C. — Tompkins Solutions, a leading supply chain consulting and material handling integration firm, has hired Jon Johnson as chief operating officer. In this role, he will be responsible for overseeing daily operations and leading strategy development for end-to-end supply chain services. Johnson brings a wealth of operations consulting experience to Tompkins, with a strong background in distribution, fulfillment, transportation and technology implementations. Prior to joining Tompkins, Johnson held several senior leadership positions with ADVATIX, where he helped solve complex logistics challenges for industry-leading companies across a variety of …

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Westville, N.J. — PrimoHoagies has appointed a new director of business development, Lauren Tesche-Johnson, whose arrival coincides with PrimoHoagies’ exceptional growth over the past few years. After surpassing the 100-location milestone earlier this year and with another 70 new locations actively in development, the beloved hoagie brand is on course to have at least 115 stores open by the end of 2023. In her new role, Tesche-Johnson will be at the forefront of leading expansion initiatives, playing a vital role in helping the brand achieve its goal of surpassing 300 …

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West Palm Beach, Fla. — Retro Fitness, a leader in high-value, low-price fitness, has appointed Larry Strain, CCIM as chief development officer. Strain brings more than 25 years of experience in driving multi-unit development for top-tier franchise growth brands such as Starbucks, McDonald’s and Dunkin’ Donuts. Most recently, he helped lead the successful transition of Potbelly Sandwich Works to a franchise-focused growth model. “Bringing in an industry heavyweight like Larry was a strategic move that adds serious muscle to an already strong management team,” says Andrew Alfano, CEO of Retro …

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Chatham, N.J. — Toastique, a rapidly growing gourmet toast franchise, is wrapping up Q3 with nine new franchise openings — eight of which saw record-breaking grand opening sales. In June, Toastique opened its Chatham, N.J., store, which became the busiest in the system. The brand also opened its first California location in August and had two more openings in July. In total, Toastique now has 20 locations open across the country. “This quarter has been exceptionally strong for us, and we anticipate this momentum to carry into Q4,” says Toastique …

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Emeryville, Calif. — Grocery Outlet Holding Corp., a high-growth, extreme value retailer of quality, name-brand consumables and fresh products, has published its first Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report covering fiscal year 2022. “At Grocery Outlet, our mission of ‘touching lives for the better’ has been core to the business from the start, and fulfilling this purpose has resulted in positive environmental and social impacts throughout our 77-year history. We are proud of the work we have done and we are excited to highlight our ESG strategy through our first …

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Chicago — Pickle Haüs, a new state-of-the-art entertainment venue and eatery, will celebrate its flagship grand opening on Nov. 17, 2023 in Algonquin, Ill. The 41,000-square-foot eatertainment destination will redefine the pickleball experience, combining 12 indoor pickleball courts with an exceptional restaurant, bar, two golf simulators, private event space and an outdoor dining patio.  According to the Pickle Haüs leadership team, the new facility will combine top-notch pickleball courts, a robust food and beverage program with a goal of fostering community and creating exceptional experiences for guests. “At Pickle Haüs, …

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Greensboro, N.C. — Tanger® Outlets, a leading operator of upscale, open-air shopping centers, will open its 37th shopping center, Tanger Outlets Nashville, on October 27. The 290,000-square-foot open-air shopping center, located in southeast Nashville, Tenn., is the first outlet center and one of the few major shopping centers in the United States to break ground and deliver to the market since 2019. The center features a transformational design intended to foster onsite experience and consumer engagement, as well as to facilitate product interaction and pickup. This consumer-informed design and an …

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Raleigh, N.C. — Capital Tacos, a small-town taco shop turned nationally-acclaimed Tex-Mex restaurant franchise, has secured the brand’s first-ever franchise agreement for the state of North Carolina; the first unit will open in spring 2024 in Raleigh. David and Silvia Robertson, the husband-and-wife duo bringing the brand to North Carolina, combine his 25 years of sales leadership experience in the IT market with her background in the operations and quality control of various restaurant brands. The deal is for a single unit, although the Robertsons have each expressed an intention …

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Oakbrook Terrace, Ill. — Graycor has completed the renovation of two DICK’S House of Sport and Golf Galaxy locations in Baybrook and Katy, Texas. These newly redeveloped retail spaces included interior and exterior updates. “Truly a one-of-a-kind destination, DICK’S House of Sport brings customers an experiential retail space like no other,” says Evan Wisthuff, project executive with Graycor Construction Company Inc. “We were honored DICK’S Sporting Goods entrusted Graycor with these conversion projects. We place a high value on teamwork, collaboration and communication — all of which are essential when …

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Los Angeles — FAT (Fresh. Authentic. Tasty.) Brands Inc., parent company of Fatburger, Round Table Pizza and 16 other restaurant concepts, has officially opened its first-ever co-branded Fatburger and Round Table Pizza location near Dallas. Situated in the vibrant Lantana neighborhood, in Bartonville, Texas, the 3,500-square-foot restaurant offers a full-service, full-bar casual dining experience great for game day. It is the first of four co-branded Fatburger and Round Table Pizza locations planned for the greater Dallas area operated by SNM Management Group. “We are beyond thrilled to introduce our first …

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