Survey: Less retail thieves caught but more dollars recovered in 2021

CSA
Shoplifting apprehensions decreased 16.2% in 2021, but the total amount of dollars recovered from shoplifters and dishonest employees — including apprehended and non-apprehended individuals — jumped 30.7%. . . . more

Out of COVID, Restaurants Race to Franchising Sector

QSR
Once a restaurant brand becomes well-established on a local or regional level, the natural next step for many is to dive into franchising. . . . more

Metaverse is the Next Frontier for Restaurants

QSR
For fast food and casual-dining brands looking to stay ahead of the curve, it’s time to explore how the metaverse fits into their customer engagement strategy. . . . more

Taking the Nation by Storm - Ziggi’s Coffee Opens 50th Location

Franchising.com
Ziggi’s Coffee has opened its 50th location just six short years after embarking on their journey as a franchise company. . . . more

Camping World To Expand In Eleven Markets By End Of 2022

SGB Media
Camping World Holdings, Inc. announced plans for the continued expansion of its RV sales and service network through the completion of eleven new dealership locations in seven states by the end of 2022. . . . more

Dollar General piloting self-checkout-only stores

Retail Dive
Dollar General recently started piloting self-checkout as the sole way to make purchases at select stores, Chief Operating Officer Jeff Owen said Thursday during the discount retailer’s first-quarter earnings call. . . . more

Ulta Beauty Q1 sales surge 21%; raises outlook

CSA
Ulta Beauty reported strong results for its first quarter with better-than-expected sales and earnings growth, supported by double-digit comparable sales growth across all major categories. . . . more

Dollar Tree profit jumps 43.2%; details new investments

CSA
Dollar Tree got off to a strong start in its first quarter, with record quarterly earnings and solid sales. . . . more

Survey: 65% of consumers prefer local restaurants over chains

Restaurant Dive
More consumers are opting to dine in-person amid fewer COVID-19 restrictions, while 29% plan to decrease their delivery app usage in the coming months, according to a survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers from Next Insurance emailed to Restaurant Dive. . . . more

Subway Shifts U.S. Development Plans

QSR
Subway is pushing a multi-year transformation journey, and the next step is a shift in U.S. development strategy. . . . more

Wealthy shoppers are splurging at Macy's. Low-income shoppers are pulling back at Walmart

CNN Business
Decades-high inflation is leading to a split in American consumers' behavior. . . . more

First Look: Amazon’s first-ever physical clothing store opens

CSA
Amazon Style is officially open. . . . more

Pacsun opens virtual store at metaverse festival

CSA
Pacsun keeps moving forward in its metaverse commerce efforts. . . . more

Apple raising starting pay to $22 an hour for U.S. workers

CSA
Apple is hiking wages as the company faces a still-tight labor market, inflation and a fledgling union drive. . . . more

With work, travel and occasions back on, customers have returned to Nordstrom

Retail Dive
Beating expectations, Nordstrom’s Q1 net sales rose 18.7% year over year to $3.5 billion, with full-line sales up 23.5% and off-price Rack sales up 10.3%. . . . more

ICSC’s May show makes big return

CSA
It's back! COVID-stymied retail real estate association ICSC got back into the show business in Las Vegas last December with an event that was a success though attendance ebbed at just 10,000. But this week’s show, back in its usual late May dates, is brimming with a closer-to-normal crowd. . . . more

Report: New company to relaunch Bon-Ton, other regional department store banners

CSA
An array of now-closed department store banners may be in for a second life. . . . more

Nordstrom Q1 results surprise

CSA
Nordstrom provided an unexpected bright spot during what has been a largely disappointing earnings season so far. . . . more

Kohl’s to open 100 small-format stores during next four years

CSA
Kohl’s Corp. is thinking smaller to grow bigger. . . . more

Parent company of The Athlete’s Foot acquires Shoe City

CSA
The Arklyz Group has added another retail brand to its portfolio. . . . more

FAT Brands Scoops Up Nestlé Toll House Café in Latest Deal

QSR
FAT Brands CEO Andy Wiederhorn said earlier in May the company would follow one of the busiest M&A years on record by using 2022 to “digest those acquisitions while capitalizing on the synergies they present.” . . . more

Asian grocery start-up Weee draws shoppers with tradition, tech and a dash of Hollywood

CNBC Business
Online grocery start-up Weee specializes in hard-to-find foods from Asian and Hispanic cuisines. . . . more

Tupelo Honey's Sweet Ascent is Just Getting Started

FSR
Tupelo Honey chief operating officer Caroline Skinner is watching a movement unfold. . . . more

Noodles & Company gamifies mobile rewards to boost loyalty

Restaurant Dive
Ahead of a fresh brand positioning campaign this month, Noodles & Company increased sales by engaging customers with a mobile-based approach that supported the restaurant chain’s aim for boosting loyalty. . . . more

REI hires chief supply chain officer as it expands distribution footprint

Retail Dive
REI hired Sylvia Wilks as its first senior vice president, chief supply chain officer, the co-op announced this week. . . . more

Target, CVS pilot reusable bag program

CSA

Shoppers at select Target and CVS stores can now check out reusable bags at in-store kiosks and return them for fresh ones during their next shopping trip. . . . more

Albertsons checks out smart carts

CSA

Albertsons Cos. is entering an in-store technology space containing heavyweights including Amazon and Kroger. . . . more

The Children’s Place has tough Q1, will shutter stores

CSA

The first quarter of fiscal 2022 was not fun and games for the largest pure-play children’s specialty apparel retailer in North America. . . . more

The Site Selection Process Has Changed

Franchising.com
Site selection, like everything else in the restaurant industry (and world), has completely changed since the start of the pandemic. Gone are the days of building brand-new, massive restaurants adjacent to entertainment centers for the best results. Now, second-generation, smaller sites chosen using state-of-the-art data are the way of the future and leading to higher-volume restaurants. . . . more

Bath & Body Works outlook on profit growth turns negative as inflation wears on

CSA
Bath & Body Works slashed its profit estimates for the year as inflation eats into its business, with management now estimating a decline in income from operations of up to 15.7% compared to last year. . . . more

2 top Kohl’s executives to depart as the retailer gets closer to a sale

CSA
Kohl’s Chief Marketing Officer Greg Revelle will depart the company June 1. Chief Merchandising Officer Doug Howe’s departure is effective immediately, per a Securities and Exchange Commission filing. As the company searches for their replacements, Christie Raymond, who leads customer insights, analytics and engagement, and longtime Kohl’s merchant Ronald Murray will step in, CEO Michelle Gass told analysts Thursday.. . . more

Chicken Salad Chick entering new market; opening 50-plus stores in 2022

CSA.com
Chicken Salad Chick continues its national expansion.The fast-growing, chicken salad restaurant chain has signed a five-unit franchise agreement for New Mexico . . . more

Ear piercing is the next fun retail trend

RetailDive.com
You don’t have to go to the mall anymore to get your ears pierced. While teenagers in the past may have gotten theirs pierced at the mall, the service seems to be one that a number of big-box retailers think holds promise. . . . more

Container Store to open 70-plus stores during next five years

CSA.com
The Container Store is returning to brick-and-mortar growth.With a goal of doubling its sales to $2 billion by fiscal 2027 . . . more

David’s Bridal acquires custom wedding dress startup Anomalie

RetailDive.com
David’s Bridal on Tuesday announced that it has acquired the assets of custom wedding dress company Anomalie . . . more

Target Q1 earnings plunge amid ‘unusually high costs

CSA
Target Corp. racked up its 20th consecutive quarter of sales growth but its bottom line took a big hit as freight and transportation costs came in much higher than expected. . . . more

Retailers pledge to address racial profiling, unfair treatment of store customers

RetailDive.com
In an effort to reduce unfair treatment of customers based on their race, 17 major companies have signed on to “the Mitigate Racial Bias in Retail Charter,” devised this year by the organization Open to All and beauty retailer Sephora. . . . more

Schlotzsky's debuts new prototype with no indoor seating

CSA
Schlotzsky'shas opened a format dedicated entirely to off-premise access.
The fast-casual restaurant franchise opened its first “Design 1000” restaurant, in Oklahoma City. . . . more

Exclusive: Paris Baguette chief development officer talks expansion

CSA
A bakery/café that was founded in 1988 in South Korea, where it operates some 3,600 locations, is ramping up expansion in the United States. . . . more

Warby Parker on track to open 40 stores this year; takes Omicron hit

CSA.com
Warby Parker continues to expand its brick-and-mortar presence.
The digitally native eyewear retailer opened eight new stores, bringing its store count to 169 locations.. . . more

Anthropologie sets up shop — at the Jersey shore

CSA
Anthropologie is beaching it for the summer. The Reeds at Shelter Haven, a luxury boutique hotel in Stone Harbor, N.J., is once again partnering with the apparel and home goods retailer to open Anthropologie at The Reeds. The pop-up will feature a curated selection of beach favorites inspired by the coastal locale.. . . more

PREIT’s Joe Coradino on 21st Century Malls

CSA
When Joe Coradino took the helm of big mall owner PREIT nearly a decade ago, he set a line at an average sales per sq. ft. of at least $500 per center. If a property fell below, it’s future opportunity was evaluated and properties with a weak outlook were disposed. In March of this year, following two years of limited social interaction and month of closed doors a, PREIT’s portfolio-wide sales per sq. ft. average hit $618, a record high for the company. . . . more

Whole Foods Market expanding in NYC

CSA
Whole Foods Market continues to expand in the Big Apple — and in cities in general.
The grocer will open a 54,000-sq.-ft. store in Manhattan’s NoMad (North of Madison Square Park) neighborhood on June 1. . . . more

Framebridge opens second Boston-area store in brick-and-mortar push

BBJ
Like other online retailers that have opened physical stores, Framebridge had lots data about where its customers live to help figure out where it should locate stores.That insight led Framebridge to Boston as one of its first markets in its so-called clicks-to-bricks expansion.. . . more

South American retailer buying majority stake in The Fresh Market for $675 million

CSA

The Fresh Market Holdings is being acquired in a deal that marks its new owner’s entry into the U.S. market. . . . more

Robots in Restaurants—No Longer Just a Fantasy

QSR
Are the days numbered when it comes to blaming order mix-ups on human error? . . more

Wendy's Holds Steady in Face of Historic Inflation

QSR
Inflation and higher prices are hardly a Wendy’s-specific story. . . more

Grocery Outlet posts 10.5% net sales gain for Q1

Supermarket News
After cycling pandemic-related gains a year ago, Grocery Outlet Holding Corp. got back on the sales growth track in the fiscal 2022 first quarter. . . more

Best Buy just launched a $200 home pick-up recycling program. Is it necessary?

Retail Dive

Best Buy wants to keep electronics out of landfills — for a price. . . . more

Canadian retailer Showcase to open 27 U.S. stores by end of summer

CSA

A specialty retailer and product developer that bills itself as “Home of the Hottest Trends” is expanding its U.S. footprint. . . . more

Mango opens NYC flagship; details U.S. expansion through 2024

CSA

Mango is accelerating its U.S. expansion, starting with a Big Apple flagship. . . . more

Five Below to make its outlet center debut

CSA

Five Below is expanding into the outlet channel. . . . more

Walgreens replaced some fridge doors with screens. And some shoppers absolutely hate it

CNN Business
Walgreens and other retailers have swapped out the clear fridge and freezer doors at thousands of stores, instead adding opaque doors with iPad-like screens showing what's inside. Some customers really, really aren't into it. . . more

Why every Costco product is called 'Kirkland Signature'

CNN Business
Costco's Kirkland Signature brand is perhaps America's weirdest private label. You can put Kirkland Signature AA batteries alongside Kirkland Signature cashews in your shopping cart. . . more

Ahold Delhaize U.S. comparable sales rise 4.1% in first quarter

Super Market News

Global food retailer Ahold Delhaize got off to a solid start in fiscal 2022 with first-quarter net and comparable sales gains atop prior-year growth in the United States, its largest business unit. . . . more

Sally Beauty updates mobile app to offer 2-hour delivery with DoorDash

Retail Dive

To better serve online shoppers, Sally Beauty is expanding its DoorDash partnership to provide a two-hour delivery option via its mobile app, CEO Denise Paulonis said during the company’s second quarter earnings call earlier this month, per a Seeking Alpha transcript. . . . more

Best Buy to double outlet store count; four upcoming locations announced

CSA

Best Buy is going after shoppers looking for a bargain. . . . more

Jeff Edison: Why America Loves Grocery

CSA

Convenience, proximity, and resilience. Those are the three great reasons why grocery-anchored centers lift neighborhoods and co-tenants, according to Jeff Edison. . . . more

Clean Juice Signs 200th Store

QSR
Clean Juice, the first and only national USDA-certified organic juice bar franchise, and quick-service restaurant announced the signing of the brand’s 200th unit in less than seven years of franchising. . . . more

Wing Zone, Wavemaker Labs launch automated restaurant pilot

Restaurant Dive
Wavemaker Labs on Tuesday announced the launch of Wing Zone Labs in collaboration with chicken wing concept Wing Zone. . . . more

Ikea to invest more than $3B in stores

Retail Dive

Ingka Group, Ikea’s largest franchisee, on Monday announced it would invest more than 3 billion euros, or about $3.2 billion at press time, in its stores. . . . more

Simon Property Group ‘focused internally’ as short-term leases rise

Retail Dive
Simon Property Group on Monday reported strong momentum in leasing and sales during its first quarter, in an environment and business model with elevated volatility. . . . more

DSW debuts store of the future design

CSA

DSW is reimagining its store design with a new, smaller-size concept that puts the spotlight on its owned brands. . . . more

Water lifestyle brand launching aggressive store expansion

CSA

Bote is looking to make a splash in brick-and-mortar. . . . more

Carl’s, Hardee’s parent investing $500 million in physical, digital transformations

CSA

CKE Restaurants Holdings is investing in a “fresh start.” . . . more

Amazon Go Begins Suburban Expansion

CStore Decisions
Amazon Go’s newest location recently opened in Mill Creek, Wash., outside of Seattle, according to the Seattle Times. The 6,150-square-foot c-store is Amazon Go’s first suburban location and features over 1,300 products. . . more

Shake Shack's Development Dreams Heat Up

QSR

In recent months, a number of quick-service chains re-evaluated their whitespace and came back with more ambitious development benchmarks. . . . more

Starbucks eyes providing a ‘third place’ – in the metaverse

CSA

Starbucks Corp. intends to utilize Web 3.0 technologies to establish a strong foothold in the emerging metaverse. . . . more

Party City loss widens amid elevated costs; ‘headwinds’ to continue

CSA
Party City Holdco Inc. reported a bigger-than-expected first-quarter loss as supply chain and inflationary challenges took a bite out of its bottom line. . . more

Target offers in-store finger nail painting — by a robot

CSA

Target Corp. is testing a new type of beauty service. . . . more

Is QDOBA on the Verge of a Massive Breakthrough?

QSR
Jim Sullivan, chief development officer at QDOBA, says his brand is a sleeping giant. The Mexican fast-casual franchisor lays claim to being the largest of its kind, with 740 units, and yet still has a lot of room for growth. . . more

Subway's Sales Inch Up On The Strength Of Its New Menu

Restaurant Business
Subway had been working on a menu overhaul for two years when its new platform, “Eat Fresh Refresh,” launched last July. It all began with the bread. . . more

90% of new Starbucks stores will have drive-thrus

Retail Dive

Starbucks will accelerate its new store growth, outfitting 90% of new stores with a drive-thru, interim CEO Howard Schultz said Tuesday during an earnings call. . . . more

CycleBar Opens 250th Studio

Franchising.com
CycleBar announced today it has opened its 250th studio. . . . more

Malden’s Gaming District puts its downtown in play

Boston Globe
When James Cobalt first moved to Malden 12 years ago, he was just a guy that liked games and stunts. . . . more

Mace and Grady of KeyPoint Partners handle 7,000 s/f lease to LocalWorks

NEREJ
KeyPoint Partners (KPP) negotiated a lease with LocalWorks at 626 Massachusetts Ave. Vice presidents of leasing Don Mace and Rob Grady represented Cambridge Savings Bank in the transaction. . . . more

Mothers Day Spending Will Reach $32 Billion, Here’s What Moms Want

Forbes
Mother’s Day spending is expected to total $31.7 billion this year, up 13% from 2021 according to the annual consumer survey released by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Prosper Insights & Analytics. . . . more

Papa John’s plans to open as many as 1,800 more stores by 2025

Restaurant Business
Papa John’s on Thursday raised its projections for global unit growth, saying it expects to open as many as 1,800 net new restaurants worldwide over the next four years as franchisees ramp up development following strong sales growth. . . more

Inside Starbucks' Billion-Dollar Plan to Catch Up After COVID

QSR
Companies spend hundreds of millions to have one of the problems facing Starbucks, CEO Howard Schultz said. . . . more

Sweetgreen's New Restaurant Concept Goes Fully Digital

QSR

Sweetgreen’s path to 1,000 locations is hardly going to roll in a straight line. In March, the fast casual lifted the curtain on its first drive-thru—a boldly designed “sweetlane” build that featured a round observation window and order-ahead capability. . . . more

Burger King Sheds Light on 'Reclaim the Flame' Comeback Plan

QSR

In February, Tom Curtis, Burger King’s president of U.S. and Canada, unveiled quite the turnaround plan for one of the country’s most recognizable burger brands. . . . more

Rite Aid joins ‘buy now, pay later’ trend

CSA
Rite Aid Corp. is offering online shoppers a new way to make installment payments on purchases. . . more

Shipley Do-Nuts chain ramps up expansion

CSA

Shipley Do-Nuts has Georgia on it mind. . . more

Report: High gas prices are affecting restaurant foot traffic

Restaurant Dive

February restaurant visits fell and diners drove shorter distances to visit QSRs and full-service restaurants due to rising gas prices, a report from Placer.ai shows. . . . more

Toast checks into hotels

Restaurant Dive
Toast has added Toast for Hotel Restaurants, a product aimed at helping hotel restaurant operators streamline their operations, increase revenue and process room charges directly from the point-of-sale.. . . more

Dog Haus Signs 15-Unit Deal to Spread The Absolute Würst Across Maryland

Restaurant News Release
Dog Haus is continuing its rapid growth in 2022 as the award-winning concept sets its sights on aggressive expansion in the Old Line State. . . . more

Tire Discounters Continues to Expand

MTD
Cincinnati, Ohio-based Tire Discounters Inc. has acquired Virginia-based Thompson Tire. The deal, which includes seven retail stores and a commercial tire center, gives Tire Discounters 12 outlets in Virginia. . . more

A third of small retailers can’t pay rent as financial struggles spike again

Retail Dive
The share of small retail businesses that couldn’t make rent rose to 34% in April, up six percentage points from February, according to survey data from Alignable. . . more

Old Navy tops lists of consumers’ favorite ‘fitting’ brands

CSA

U.S. retailers took four of the five top spots in a global survey of the best-fitting brands. . . . more

Check out Whole Foods Market’s new skyscraper store

CSA

Whole Foods Market has unveiled its new Chicago location. . . . more

Ghost Kitchens: Here to Stay or Ready to Disappear?

QSR
Over the past two years, the pandemic has made a major impact on the restaurant industry and how it has operated. . . more

Mighty Squirrel Brewing Co. Opens Biergarten at Arsenal Yards in Watertown

NECN

A brewery in Waltham has debuted a new outdoor space in a growing development a few miles to the east. . . . more

Burger King parent earnings beat estimates as revenue climbs 15%

CNBC Business

Restaurant Brands International on Tuesday reported quarterly earnings and revenue that beat analysts’ expectations, fueled by strong same-store sales growth from Burger King’s overseas restaurants. . . . more

Reef pursues ownership stake in pizza concept

Restaurant Dive
Reef Kitchens is seeking an ownership stake in 800 Degrees Go, a joint venture between restaurant chain 800 Degrees and robotics company Piestro, 800 Degrees Go announced Thursday. . . more

How Domino’s plans to get its US business back on track

Restaurant Dive

2022 is shaping up to be a difficult year for Domino’s U.S. business. Same-store sales fell 3.6%, the sharpest drop in years, due to the impact of inflation and a shortage of delivery drivers. . . . more

At Home expands store footprint

CSA

At Home’s national expansion continues — including in New York City. . . . more

Wave goodbye: Lab, offices proposed for Natick Mall’s Neiman Marcus

BBJ
An affiliate of The Bulfinch Cos. Inc. is seeking to add another floor onto the Neiman Marcus store at the Natick Mall and to convert the property into a lab-and-office building. . . . more

Cinnabon, Carvel to Form Ultimate Sweet Treat Concept

QSR

The love for Cinnabon is strong, says Kristen Hartman, president of special category at Focus Brands. . . . more

Bobby Flay's Burger Concept Looks to Disrupt Franchising Segment

QSR

From television shows to cookbooks and restaurants, Bobby Flay’s name has become an international brand. . . . more

Popeyes at 50 Has Never Looked Better

QSR

Brand president Sami Siddiqui likes to say Popeyes is “50 years young.” While that might sound like something people profess at a weekend barbecue, there’s real weight behind it. . . . more

BJ’s Wholesale sets opening date for new concept

CSA

BJ’s Wholesale Club is going smaller — by almost half. . . . more

First Look: Academy Sports + Outdoors opens its first store in two years

CSA

Academy Sports + Outdoors has restarted its expansion. . . . more

Whole Foods closing six stores nationwide, including Massachusetts location

Boston 25
Whole Foods Market is closing six of its stores across the country, including one location in Massachusetts. . . . more

The top 5 casual dining spots in Massachusetts and New Hamsphire

Boston 25

The weekend ahead is looking perfect to get outside and have some fun. . . . more