retail & restaurant facility business

— By Hayden Spiess —   Wild Birds Unlimited offers backyard bird feeding retail for an increasingly diverse customer base, with a growing flock of franchised locations.     Jim Carpenter’s aspirations were not always avian in nature. The founder and CEO of Wild Birds Unlimited originally had his sights set on medical school. However, in 1981 he pivoted, opening the first Wild Birds Unlimited store in Indianapolis, driven by a passion for nature and birding. This same passion unites Wild Bird Unlimited store owners, managers and customers across the …

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— Interview with Eduardo Luz —   Panera puts on a show with several new design formats catering to the needs of an increasingly digital and off-premise guest.   If variety is the spice of life, the many evolving iterations of Panera these days is keeping its real estate and construction game pretty hot. Currently boasting more than 2,100 bakery-cafes (in 48 states and Ontario, Canada), Panera operates under the Panera Bread® or Saint Louis Bread Co.® names; roughly half of these cafes are company-owned. Never a brand to sit …

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— Interview with Brittany Hunter —   R&R: Where are you based, and how long has the company been in business? Brittany Hunter: LGC headquarters are based in Indianapolis, Indiana. We have been in business since May of 2003. R&R: What is your name and title, and how long have you been with the company? Hunter: My name is Brittany Hunter, and I am executive vice president of client relations. I started with LGC on March 11, 2011. R&R: What trades/services do you offer retailers and restaurants? Hunter: LGC is …

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— By Katie Lee —   Kohl’s expands with smaller-format stores, including Sephora in-store shops; launches new digital conveniences; and reduces its environmental impact.     Kohl’s is going big …by strategically going small. While some traditional discount department stores might bring to mind giant power centers with huge parking fields, Kohl’s is betting on the trend that a smaller footprint can better meet the demands of today’s savvy shopper. Just because the physical space is smaller doesn’t mean big things aren’t happening. With more than 1,100 stores across the …

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— Interview with Eric Shomof —   After a slowdown in franchising due to the pandemic, Los Angeles-based The Dolly Llama views 2022 as the “year of growth.”     The Dolly Llama is synonymous with L.A. It’s funky and hip and Instagrammable…sports a really cool name…and offers a cool, unique vibe — and even cooler desserts. With delectable culinary influences that range from France and Belgium to Hong Kong, the one-of-a-kind concept can’t be pinned down to any one region — even in L.A. This year, The Dolly Llama …

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— Interview with Jeff Crivello — Famous Dave’s expands its first line-service model and even adds a drive-thru as it grows through ghost kitchens, virtual brands, dual concepts, and strategic acquisitions of complementary brands.   Nearly 30 years after the first Famous Dave’s opened in Hayward, Wisconsin, BBQ Holdings, Inc. continues to innovate and invigorate. Testing new prototype designs — including its first drive-thru model — and acquiring complementary brands are just two of the ways in which Famous Dave’s propels its impressive growth trajectory. In mid-March, Retail & Restaurant …

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— Interview with Angie Adams —   R&R: Where are you based and how long has the company been in business? Angie Adams: Our corporate headquarters is located in Houston, Texas. Linron Company has been in business since 1993, 28 years. R&R: What is your name and title, and how long have you been with the company? Adams: My name is Angie Adams, I am the executive vice president of sales & marketing and have been with Linron Company since 2014 (7 years). R&R: What trades/services do you offer retailers …

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— By Katie Lee —   KFC eyes 2022 with a new, urban-oriented evolution of its prototype design, focused on customer convenience and digital efficiency.     When Retail & Restaurant Facility Business last featured KFC on its cover, the year was 2018 and a new design called ‘American Showman’ was rolling out, marking a new era of expansion for KFC following 10 years of downsizing. At the time, the company’s U.S. development goal was to become a 5,000-unit franchise once more. Now, 3 years and a global pandemic later, …

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— By Katie Lee —   Powering through the pandemic, Batteries Plus continues to see a boost in business through multi-unit franchising.     It goes without saying just how challenging the past 18 months have been for retailers, but Batteries Plus continues to power through. The Hartland, Wisconsin-based franchisor of 700+ stores stayed open, remained fully stocked, and offered stability and support infrastructure for its franchisees throughout the pandemic. Now with a renewed focus on signing multi-unit operators, Batteries Plus plans to open 30 new stores this year and …

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— Interview with Neil Gill —   As the leader in dog daycare, Dogtopia is on track to open 50 new locations this year through robust retail franchising and a business model that focuses on overall wellness — for the dogs and their humans.     As the saying goes, “Pets are people too.” And lucky are the dogs who get to experience day care at Phoenix-based Dogtopia, which currently operates 166 locations across 35 U.S. states and five Canadian provinces. During the height of the pandemic in 2020, when …

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