New England’s first Best Buy Outlet now open at Westgate Mall in Brockton, MA

NEREJ
New England’s first Best Buy Outlet is now open at Westgate Mall. A concept from Best Buy, Best Buy Outlet offers shoppers deeply discounted prices on appliances, TVs, computers, and more, with inventory regularly updated. Best Buy Outlet shoppers can save up to 40% on clearance and open box products. . . . more

Acella Construction completes first Saladworks Franchise in Mass.

NEREJ
Acella Construction Corp., completed the first Saladworks franchise in Massachusetts, located in Woburn Village at 296 Mishawum Rd. . . . more

Fat Brands to acquire Global Franchise Group for $442.5M

Restaurant Dive

Fat Brands has agreed to acquire Global Franchise Group, owner of QSR brands Round Table Pizza, Great American Cookies, Hot Dog on a Stick, Marble Slab Creamery and Pretzelmaker, for $442.5 million from Serruya Private Equity and Lion Capital, according to a press release. . . . more

Report: Store closures decline for the first time in 2021

Retail Dive
For the first time in 2021, store closures have declined year over year, according to an emailed report from Coresight Research. . . . more

Bed Bath & Beyond adds new employee benefit programs; to close on Thanksgiving

CSA

Bed Bath & Beyond is expanding the benefits it offers employees amid a labor crunch that is hitting retail and restaurant chains particularly hard. . . . more

P.F. Chang’s to open 50-plus take-out locations

CSA

P.F. Chang’s has big plans for its new format amid ongoing demand for take-out. . . . more

Office Depot guarantees 30-minute in-store, curbside pickup

CSA

Office Depot and Office Max stores have improved their fulfillment times. . . . more

Red Robin to add 120 Donatos locations this year

CSA

Red Robin is adding Donatos pizza to approximately 120 restaurants by the end of this year, which would bring the partnership that began in 2018 into more than 200 locations. . . . more

The restaurant renaissance is coming. Here's what the industry should expect.

CSA
After over a year of lockdowns, reopenings and more lockdowns due to the ongoing global pandemic, the United States seems to be stabilizing thanks to an improving vaccine supply and distribution. . . . more

At Home takes over former J.C. Penney site at Maryland mall

CSA

Heritage Partners has announced the lease of the entire 96,000-sq.-ft. former J.C. Penney site at its Woodmore Towne Centre in Glenarden, Maryland. . . . more

Five Below expands same-day delivery to 1,100 stores

CSA

Five Below is moving forward with a successful pilot of the Instacart on-demand delivery platform. . . . more

Rite Aid narrows Q1 loss; retail pharmacy revenue rises 5.5%

CSA

Rite Aid narrowed its loss in the first quarter amid strong pharmacy sales, but its total revenue fell short of Wall Street expectations. . . . more

Watertown Mall Associates LP sells Watertown Mall for $130 million - Alexandria Real Estate Equities acquires 260,867 s/f shopping center

NEREJ
JLL Capital Markets has closed the $130 million sale of Watertown Mall, a 260,867 s/f shopping center situated on 17.8 acres. . . . more

Ahold Delhaize USA moves closer to full self-distribution

Supermarket News

At the halfway point of a three-year supply chain transformation, Ahold Delhaize USA expects more than 85% of its distribution network to be self-managed by the close of 2022. . . . more

39% of restaurants can't afford June rent, report finds

Restaurant Dive

Thirty-nine percent of restaurants were unable to cover their rent payment for the month of June, according to a report from Alignable. . . . more

Chipotle drives interest in loyalty program with racing video game

Restaurant Dive

Chipotle is launching a racing video game to celebrate a new update to its loyalty program, per a company press release. The update is called Rewards Exchange and gives members of Chipotle Rewards more options on which to spend their loyalty points. . . . more

Gov. Baker Proposes Waiving Massachusetts Sales Tax For All Of August And September

CSA
Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker on Wednesday announced a proposal that would waive the state’s sales tax for the months of August and September. . . . more

Giant launches Local Produce Boxes program

Supermarket News

Giant Food has begun selling boxes of locally sourced fruit and vegetables online for on-demand delivery. . . . more

McDonald’s to offer its first national loyalty program

CSA

McDonald’s is getting ready to launch its first-ever national rewards program. . . . more

MAC debuts new retail concept

CSA

MAC Cosmetics’ new travel store concept is designed for busy travelers — and sustainability. . . . more

Big Lots in big category expansion

CSA

Big Lots is doubling down on apparel. . . . more

First Look: The newest Apple store is a stunner

CSA

Apple is opening a store in the historic Tower Theater in downtown Los Angeles. . . . more

Adobe: First day of Prime Day tops Thanksgiving

CSA

Total online sales in the U.S. exceeded $5.6 billion during the first day of Amazon Prime Day. . . . more

Batteries Plus Promotes Joe Malmuth to VP of Franchise Development and Relations Amidst Substantial System-Wide Growth

Franchising.com
In response to the 30-plus store openings and the signing of 55 new franchise agreements thus far in 2021, Batteries Plus announced today the promotion of one of its key leaders, Joe Malmuth, to Vice President of Franchise Development and Relations. . . . more

Amazon Prime Day hoists overall U.S. online sales

Supermarket News

Amazon’s annual Prime Day sales event, which kicked off Monday, stands to give a sizable boost to online retail sales growth this year, according to FTI Consulting. . . . more

Popeyes launches its first loyalty program

Restaurant Dive

Popeyes has launched its first-ever loyalty program, called Popeyes Rewards, which provides exclusive access to deals, celebrations, swag and the chance to earn and redeem points from menu purchases, according to a press release emailed to Restaurant Dive. . . . more

Luby's sells Fuddruckers for $18.5M

Restuarnat Dive
Luby's, Inc. has entered into an agreement to sell its Fuddruckers franchise business operations to Black Titan Franchise Systems, a newly formed affiliate of Nicholas Perkins, according to a press release. Fuddruckers currently has 92 locations operating in the U.S.  . . . more

URW gives Broward Mall back to its lender

CSA

The Westfield Broward Mall in Plantation, Fla., once one of the most popular shopping destinations in the state, has been abandoned by Unibail Rodamco Westfield. . . . more

L Brands reveals name for spun-off Victoria’s Secret

CSA

The separation of Bath & Body Works and Victoria’s Secret into  two independent public businesses has started. . . . more

Walmart, Amazon, Home Depot, Old Navy among 50 ‘most patriotic’ brands

CSA

A retail giant ranks as the country’s second most patriotic brand. . . . more

On The Border Spurs Franchise Growth Across the Country with Execution of Two New Deals

Restuarant News.com
On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina is getting ready to bring its bold, border-style Mex and ice-cold margaritas to the most northern and southern ends of the country! . . . more

Walgreens launches same-day delivery via Uber Eats

Supermarket News

Adding another on-demand delivery option, Walgreens has expanded its partnership with Uber to offer non-prescription products directly on the Uber Eats platform. . . . more

CVS to change key loyalty benefit for the first time in 20 years

Retail Dive

CVS pharmacy will now pay back 2% in ExtraBucks rewards to members of its ExtraCare Rewards loyalty program after almost every transaction instead of every quarter, the first changes to the program's core benefit in 20 years. . . . more

Study: Father’s Day spending will rise 16%

CSA
There should be a lot of glad dads on Fathers’ Day this year, especially those with millennial children. . . . more

Check out Target’s ‘before’ and ‘after’ store remodel photos

CSA
Target Corp. is on track to give top-to-bottom makeovers to about 150 stores this year, with everything from modern fixtures and updated lighting to enhanced experiences and the latest in health and safety. . . . more

At Home amends sale terms

CSA
At Home Group Inc. will receive another dollar per share in a restated merger agreement with private equity firm Hellman & Friedman LLC. . . . more

Neiman Marcus plans to invest more than $500 million in digital tech

CSA

Neiman Marcus Group is kicking off a three-year intensive digital investment strategy with the purchase of a machine learning (ML) platform. . . . more

Check out Google’s first-ever permanent store

CSA

Customers can get up close and personal with the latest Google devices and services at the tech giant’s first-ever physical store. . . . more

Life after lockdown: 5 tips for retailers on planning ahead

Supermarket News
We are at an exciting and somewhat perplexing moment: we’re all tiptoeing back into so-called normal life after an abnormal year. . . . more

Rite Aid promotes industry veteran to chief retail officer

CSA

Andre Persaud is assuming a c-level position at Rite Aid. . . . more

DoorDash ‘goes to the dogs’ in partnership with PetSmart

CSA

A leading specialty pet retailer is further expanding the reach of DoorDash into the pet supply vertical. . . . more

27% of U.S. shopping centers are found in California, Texas, and Florida

CSA

There are 115,049 shopping centers in the United States and 27% of them can be found in its three most populous states: California, Texas, and Florida. . . . more

Survey: Americans are ready to spend on some fun

CSA

As vaccinations increase, U.S. consumers are preparing themselves to enjoy the upcoming summer. . . . more

Level99 opens in Natick with a taproom, beer hall, and interactive challenges

Boston.com

At Level99, the floor is lava. At least, it is in one of the entertainment venue’s interactive rooms, where guests swing on ropes over shimmering LED lava. . . . more

J.P. Licks Ice Cream Chain Sued For Unpaid Rent During Pandemic

CBS Boston
A popular Boston ice cream chain is being sued for unpaid rent during the pandemic. . . . more

Best Buy joins Target, Walmart in closing stores on Thanksgiving Day

CSA

It’s still early in the game but retailers’ plans for holiday 2021 are starting to take shape — and they are looking similar to last year. . . . more

Brookfield latches on to new gaming concept; planning 1,000 locations in five years

CSA

Electric Gamebox, a multi-player video game experience developed in the U.K., will be opening 100 locations in the U.S. in the next two years—many of them in Brookfield properties. . . . more

Kohl’s hopes to wow customers with June sales extravaganza

CSA

There are now at least four major retailers running late June sales extravaganzas that directly compete with the upcoming Amazon Prime Day event. . . . more

Coming this summer – pay your bills in cash at Walmart

CSA

Walmart is expanding its growing portfolio of financial services. . . . more

Major US mall owner files for bankruptcy

WHDH
Washington Prime Group, a major mall owner of more than 100 locations across the United States, filed for bankruptcy, citing pandemic-related shutdowns. . . . more

DivcoWest Brings REI Neighborhood Store to Cambridge Crossing

Boston Real Estate Times
DivcoWest announced it will welcome specialty outdoor retailer REI Co-op to Cambridge Crossing (CX), the new 43-acre neighborhood at the intersection of Cambridge, Somerville, and Boston. . . . more

Footwear Prices Are Going Up — Here’s What to Expect in the Months Ahead

Footwear News

It’s official: Prices are rising, and it’s likely they’ll remain higher than usual in the months to come. . . . more

U.S. online sales forecast revised upward

CSA

E-commerce is on track to surpass 20% of total U.S. retail sales by 2024. . . . more

Alex and Ani files for bankruptcy

CSA

Alex and Ani is looking for a buyer. . . . more

J. Jill rebounds from pandemic doldrums with 42% sales growth

Retail Dive

As it lapped last year's pandemic closures, J. Jill's first-quarter sales grew about 42% year over year to $129.1 million. . . . more

GameStop fills CEO, CFO spots with former Amazon execs

Retail Dive

GameStop filled two of its most important open C-suite positions with Amazon veterans as the company works toward a digital makeover and reported first-quarter sales growth of about 25%. . . . more

Jack in the Box Reveals its Restaurant of the Future

QSR
Before Darin Harris began his tenure as Jack in the Box CEO in June 2020, the construction design team examined how to create the most efficient kitchen possible to maximize volume and develop an engine that enabled the brand to fit on smaller sites. . . . more

Showcase Cinemas North in Worcester has officially closed

Spectrum News
Showcase Cinemas Worcester North is officially closed, according to National Amusements. . . . more

Dunham’s Sports Plans To Open 11 New Stores In Back Half Of 2021

Plain Vanilla Shell

Dunham’s Sports recently announced plans to open 11 new stores in the back half of 2021, bringing the company’s total store count to over 250. . . . more

In the Past Year, Francesca’s Faced COVID, a Bankruptcy and New Ownership — Here’s How Its Business Is Faring Now

Footwear News

Calling the past year unprecedented is no understatement for Francesca’s. . . . more

Chuck E. Cheese will hire 5K employees this summer

Restaurant Dive

Chuck E. Cheese plans to hire 5,000 employees this summer across its 460 locations in 47 states, according to a press release. . . . more

As pandemic wanes, dollar stores regain lost ground, grab new sales

Retail Dive

Dollar stores — those that stayed open as essential retailers — were among the primary beneficiaries of 2020’s topsy-turvy selling environment. Many core and new customers used Dollar General and Family Dollar to stock up and took advantage of their general merchandise assortments to consolidate shopping trips. . . . more

Is the never-ending Sears saga finally reaching its closing chapters?

Retail Dive

In October 2018, one Sears holding company (with a multitude of subsidiaries) went into bankruptcy. As though by some dark science, an identity split occurred in Chapter 11. . . . more

Staples makes $1 billion bid to buy consumer businesses of Office Depot owner

CSA

Will the third time be the charm for Staples? . . . more

Express narrows loss; to expand smaller-store format

CSA

Express Inc. topped first-quarter expectations and said its second-quarter store sales to date are exceeding 2019 levels on a comparable basis. . . . more

Stop & Shop eyes over 1,000 new hires in metro New York

Supermarket News

Stop & Shop aims to fill more than 1,000 part-time jobs across the metropolitan New York area. . . . more

American Eagle cuts SKUs, speeds delivery with supply chain transformation

Retail Dive
American Eagle Outfitters has improved turn times, thanks to its supply chain transformation that has taken place over the last year. Under its new model, the retailer reduced SKU counts to focus on the "the most productive styles," COO Michael Rempell said on the company's earnings call last week. . . . more

Bed Bath & Beyond adds 3 more private labels to lineup

Retail Dive

Bed Bath & Beyond on Wednesday announced its next round of private labels: kitchen and dining ware brand Our Table, home brand Wild Sage, and storage and organization brand Squared Away. . . . more

Dick’s Sporting Goods’ new store openings include second House of Sport

CSA

Dick’s Sporting Goods continues to expand with new formats and new concepts. . . . more

Container Store shores up leadership with retail vets

CSA

The Container Store has expanded its management team, including adding four new titles: CIO; VP of merchandising; senior director of senior director of environmental, social and governance (ESG); and senior director of diversity, equity and inclusion. . . . more

Walmart to take on Amazon with ‘Deals for Days’ promotion

CSA

The question was never if, but when, Walmart would announce its own June sales extravaganza in the wake of Amazon and Target’s scheduled events. . . . more

Target primes itself for ‘Deal Days’ sales extravaganza

CSA

Target is launching a major online promotion that starts one day earlier than Amazon Prime Day. . . . more

Sweetgreen refreshes brand identity to spotlight sustainability, focus on 'real food'

Restaurant Dive

Fast-casual salad chain Sweetgreen unveiled a new brand identity that tries to "reimagine fast food" with a focus on social issues like climate change, according to a press release. . . . more

Downsizing hurts Nordstrom in Q1

Retail Dive
The effect of Nordstrom's decision last year to close 16 full-line stores was felt during its first quarter, when net sales rose 44% from 2020, but fell 13% from 2019. Year over year, full-line store sales rose 37% and off-price Rack sales rose 59%; compared to 2019, sales at each fell 13%. . . . more

Off-pricers bounce back in Q1

Retail Dive

Some U.S. consumers still have some of the government's pandemic relief money left in their pockets; others have needed the federal boost just to pay their bills. Both kinds of shoppers prize a deal, and are heading to off-price stores to find one. . . . more

Anthropologie opens its first hotel pop-up

CSA

Anthropologie is setting up shop — temporarily — at the Jersey shore. . . . more

Big Lots crushes estimates amid strong sales; opening 50 to 60 stores

CSA

Big Lots Inc. reported better-than-expected sales and earnings for its first quarter despite “significant supply chain and freight headwinds.” . . . more

Ulta Beauty sales soar; earnings, revenue exceed pre-pandemic levels

CSA

Ulta Beauty started the year strong as sales jumped 65%, fueled by rising consumer confidence, stimulus checks, the easing of COVID-19 restrictions and returning store shoppers. . . . more

Warby Parker Founders Explain Why They Are Adding 35 Stores

StockXpo

Last year, the pandemic forced many Warby Parker customers to try shopping online for their eyeglasses. Now, as online sales remain elevated, the eyewear brand is doubling down on its bricks-and-mortar strategy. . . . more