Target completes 1,000th store remodel — here’s what it means

CSA
Target Corp. has hit an important milestone in its ongoing effort to update its store and customer experience. . . . more

Sweetgreen launches digital feature to reward customers for meeting goals

Restaurant Dive
Sweetgreen on Monday added Rewards and Challenges, a digital experience within its app and website that offers customers rewards for meeting challenges the company sets, the company said in a press release. . . . more

Qdoba launches first virtual brand

Restaurant Dive
Qdoba is launching its first virtual brand, Pure Gold by Qdoba, which is only available on third-party apps, the company said Tuesday. . . . more

Chipotle Wants to be Clear: It Isn’t Opening Drive-Thrus

QSR
Chipotle’s digital order-ahead pickup windows are far from a case study at this point. . . . more

Kelly’s Roast Beef Plans Growth in Florida, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire

QSR
Since 1951, Kelly’s Roast Beef has been a household name in Boston and throughout the Northeast. . . . more

Giant Co. continues Philadelphia expansion

CSA
The Giant Company is adding to its presence in Philadelphia. . . . more

Five (very) early holiday shopping predictions from Salesforce

CSA
Physical stores will drive growth across all channels during the 2022 holiday shopping season. . . . more

New Hampshire liquor stores limit hours amid workforce crunch

WMUR9
The New Hampshire Liquor Commission is temporarily adjusting store hours at some locations because of staffing shortages. . . . more

Amazon to offer new in-store perk for Prime members

CSA
Members of the Amazon Prime paid loyalty program will soon have another exclusive discount. . . . more

New Skechers store is its largest yet on the East Coast

CSA
Skechers has gone big in New Jersey. . . . more

Common Craft opens at Burlington Mall

NEREJ
According to the Burlington Mall, a Simon center, Common Craft, a first-of-kind dining venue has opened. . . . more

Wawa Will Grow in Central Pennsylvania

CSP
Wawa Inc. plans to further expand its footprint in central Pennsylvania along the Susquehanna River, the company said. . . . more

Chicken Salad Chick inks franchise deals as it targets 500 units by 2025

Restaurant Dive
Chicken Salad Chick has ramped up development across Texas, signing two franchise agreements that will bring 16 new restaurants, with eight designated for Austin and another eight for San Antonio over the next few years, according to a press release. . . . more

Little Caesars' Development Journey Takes Aggressive Turn

QSR
Even though Little Caesars has a presence in all 50 states, Craig Sherwood, vice president of U.S. development, says there’s plenty of whitespace ripe for expansion—to the tune of more than 1,000 locations in the next five to 10 years. . . . more

Olive Garden’s parent company Darden beats earnings estimates as sales jump

CNBC Business
Darden Restaurants’ quarterly earnings and revenue beat analysts’ expectations, shaking off inflationary pressures as diners returned to LongHorn Steakhouse and The Capital Grille. . . . more

Chipotle restaurant in Maine files petition for union election

CNBC Business
A Chipotle Mexican Grill location in Augusta, Maine, filed a petition for a union election on Wednesday, becoming the first of the burrito chain’s restaurants to join the recent organizing push sweeping across the nation. . . . more

Chick-fil-A pilots express drive-thru lanes

Restaurant Dive
Chick-fil-A is testing an express drive-thru lane in about 60 restaurants nationwide and could expand to other locations in 2023, depending on the results of this pilot, the company said Wednesday. . . . more

Nordstrom leans on off-price Rack for growth and profit

Retail Dive
After reportedly mulling a spinoff of its off-price Rack business, Nordstrom is now pinning its growth ambitions on it, CEO Erik Nordstrom said during the Telsey Advisory Group fireside chat on Tuesday. . . . more

Office Depot parent company reaches decision on sale, split

CSA
The ODP Corp. has reviewed the alternatives and set a firm course for its consumer business. . . . more

GNC’s food delivery service goes national

CSA
GNC is expanding its meal delivery service in a big way. . . . more

Advance Auto Parts expands into new West Coast market

CSA
A leading aftermarket auto parts retailer is operating 22 new stores in a major California metro area. . . . more

Amazon names new CEO of consumer business

CSA
The title is slightly different, but Amazon has found a replacement for Dave Clark. . . . more

PetWellClinic Signs Three-Unit Deal to Provide Pet Care in Northeastern Massachusetts

Franchising.com
PetWellClinic, an emerging pet-wellness franchise, has signed a three-unit franchise agreement to open locations in Massachusetts, specifically in the Northeastern part of the state. . . . more

Krispy Kreme adds soft serve ice cream to menu

Restaurant Dive
Krispy Kreme has launched Original Glazed soft serve ice cream available in shakes, cones and cups in 10 U.S. markets, according to a press release. . . . more

Simon opens mall stock to shopper search

CSA
Simon is launching a new customer-facing search platform. . . . more

McDonald’s streamlines mobile payment in U.S.

CSA
McDonald’s is expanding a partnership with a global financial technology platform to maximize the convenience of its U.S. consumer app. . . . more

Woof Gang Bakery Acquired

Pet Business
New York-based investment firm Garnett Station Partners, LLC has acquired the Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming franchise, intending to "turbo-charge the company's growth." . . . more

Dave’s Hot Chicken to Open Nine Locations in Central New Jersey

QSR
Dave’s Hot Chicken announced it has inked a franchise agreement with Noraiz Khan and Kashif Khan to open nine locations throughout Central New Jersey. . . . more

Apple Store in Maryland Makes History by Voting to Unionize

Mac Rumors
As reported by CNBC, employees at the ‌Apple Store‌ in Towson, Maryland voted 65 for and 33 against a call to join the Machinists Union. . . . more

10 ways restaurants are embracing automation

Restaurant Dive
Robots are quickly becoming the new face of labor across the restaurant industry. . . . more

Grocery Outlet opens first store in Maryland

Supermarket News
Fast-growing value grocer enters its eighth state. . . . more

Citi Trends names new finance head

CSA
A seasoned retail financial executive has joined the leadership team at Citi Trends. . . . more

Target takes aim at Prime Day with July sales event

CSA
Once again, Target is getting a one-day jump on the official start of Amazon Prime Day. . . . more

Fleet Feet to acquire Marathon Sports

CSA
Fleet Feet is expanding its footprint in New England. . . . more

First Look: Petco opens small-town, rural store concept

CSA
Petco is testing a new format that features health-and-wellness products and services for farm animals as well as traditional pets. . . . more

Amazon Fresh ramps up expansion with five new stores

Supermarket News
Amazon has shifted into high gear with the expansion of its Amazon Fresh supermarket banner, more than doubling the number of stores a year ago. . . . more

Blaze Pizza Keeps Growing with a Personal Touch

QSR
Imagine you’re working the line. Music is playing as you prepare food—the same track that blares in the background every shift. . . . more

Cumberland Farms Comes to the Gulf Coast

CSP
Convenience-store and fuel retailer EG Group has introduced its Cumberland Farms brand to the Gulf Coast of Florida and Alabama. . . . more

Revlon reportedly preparing for bankruptcy

Retail Dive
Beauty giant Revlon Inc. is preparing a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, which could come as early as next week, according to reports from Reorg, The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg that cited anonymous sources. . . . more

Academy Sports + Outdoors continues store growth

CSA
Academy Sports + Outdoors is entering new markets as part of its store expansion plans. . . . more

A second Amazon Style apparel store is coming — here’s where

CSA
The second Amazon Style store is slated to open in fall 2022. . . . more

Panera Debuts First Digital-Only Restaurant

QSR
Panera announced Friday the opening of its first digital-only restaurant, joining a host of quick-service brands leaning heavily into their growing off-premises programs. . . . more

Little Caesars on Pace to Double its Number of Franchise Deals

QSR
Little Caesars signed numerous multi-unit deals in the United States with a variety of key franchisees in 2021, confirming the brand’s current growth strategy for today’s marketplace and setting the stage for securing new store commitments at double the rate of what was achieved last year. . . . more

Stop & Shop steps up investment in New York City stores

Supermarket News
Stop & Shop aims to make a bigger splash in the Big Apple. . . . more

SoulCycle to sell Sunday II Sunday hair care products

Retail Dive
Adding another company to its retail distribution lineup, athleisure hair care brand Sunday II Sunday will now sell on SoulCycle’s online store and its seasonal outdoor Bridgehampton studio, according to a Thursday press release. . . . more

Batteries Plus in Florida store expansion

CSA
Batteries Plus has its sights set on Southern Florida. . . . more

Wayfair begins brick-and-mortar expansion

CSA
Wayfair has started to expand in physical retail. . . . more

BJ’s Wholesale Club expanding; to enter its 18th state

CSA
BJ’s Wholesale Club’s ongoing expansion is bringing it into a new market. . . . more

Credit analysts put Kohl’s on notice amid takeover talks

Retail Dive
Echoing other analyst concerns about a Franchise Group takeover of Kohl’s, S&P Global Ratings on Tuesday flagged the retailer for a possible downgrade, reflecting “the potential that we could lower our ratings on Kohl’s by several notches if the acquisition is consummated,” per an emailed press release.
 . . . more

Amazon to hurdle Walmart as biggest U.S. retailer by 2024

Supermarket News
Amazon will surpass Walmart as the largest U.S. retailer by 2024, as the online channel ramps up its share of overall retail sales dollars, CPG market researcher Edge by Ascential predicts. . . . more

Bloomingdale’s to mark milestone anniversary with celebration ‘like no other’

CSA
Bloomingdale's is planning a months-long blowout to mark its 150th anniversary. . . . more

Foxtrot names former Taco Bell executive as president and CFO

Grocery Dive
Foxtrot has named Liz Williams, a former top executive of hairstyling company Drybar and Taco Bell, as president and chief financial officer, the upscale convenience store chain said in an emailed announcement on Monday. . . . more

Zara now charges for some returns. Will other retailers follow?

Retail Dive
Zara may be in the midst of changing the parameters of e-commerce returns for apparel retailers. . . . more

Apple joins buy now, pay later boom

Retail Dive
Apple has joined the buy now, pay later wave. . . . more

Wawa to expand into Tennessee

CSA
Wawa has big growth plans for Music City. . . . more

Tim Hortons U.S. unveils restaurants of the future

CSA
Tim Hortons is launching two next-generation formats in the United States, with both decidedly smaller than its standard location. . . . more

What's Fueling the Pizza Industry's Critical Driver Shortage?

QSR
In the early weeks and months of the pandemic, the quick-serve pizza giants shared a common tailwind. . . . more

Target takes action to become more ‘nimble’

Supermarket News
After higher costs and overstocks led to a disappointing first quarter, Target Corp. has initiated an action plan to “rightsize” its inventory for fiscal 2022 and add more leeway to adapt to changes in customer demand and business conditions. . . . more

Taiyaki NYC and The Dough Club Plan to Open in Cambridge's Harvard Square

Boston Restaurant Talk
It looks like an ice cream shop and a doughnut shop that are both based in New York City may be coming to a storefront in Cambridge. . . . more

Owner of Floramo's Restaurant in Chelsea Takes Over Kitchen at Dockside Restaurant in Wakefield

Boston Restaurant Talk
The owner of a legendary spot for steak tips and ribs just outside of Boston is now serving some of their faves at a restaurant in the northern suburbs. . . . more

Sam’s Club to deliver goods to stores 24/7 with driverless trucks

CSA
Sam’s Club is expanding upon autonomous delivery truck pilot launched by its parent company Walmart. . . . more

Home Depot optimizes customer experience with real-time data

CSA
The Home Depot is supporting its seamless customer experience with centralization of relevant online and offline data. . . . more

Placer.ai: Don’t read too much into spring visit traffic declines

CSA
A new report from a leading source of traffic data at retail centers found a distinct lag in store visits during April, but blamed peaking gas prices, not waning shopper interest. . . . more

Lululemon’s momentum shows no signs of stopping

CSA
Lululemon posted another strong quarter as it successfully navigated the ongoing impacts of COVID-19, supply chain disruptions and inflationary pressures. . . . more

Survey: Consumers reducing summer spend

CSA
Inflation is not halting consumers’ summer spending plans, but is definitely influencing them. . . . more

KFC Leader Kevin Hochman to Become CEO of Chili's

QSR
Industry veteran Kevin Hochman is leaving his post as KFC U.S.' president and chief concept officer to become CEO of Chili's and Maggiano's parent Brinker International. . . . more

Amazon expands Boston tech hub

CSA
Amazon has completed the first of two full-building lease projects in Boston. . . . more

Largest U.S. grocers make Top 25 Global Retailers list

Supermarket News
Seven of the largest U.S. grocery retailers were among the 10 biggest companies in the GlobalData’s Top 25 Global Retailers list. . . . more

Supply chain disruptions, inflation take heavy toll on Joann Q1

CSA
Joann Inc. swung to a surprise first-quarter loss and reported lower sales, challenged by “unprecedented” supply chain disruptions and a “difficult” environment for discretionary categories. . . . more

Check out 7-Eleven’s newest ‘evolution’ store

CSA
Eleven Inc. has opened the latest version of its “evolution” store format, which offers products, services and other features customized to the neighborhood. . . . more

America's last Howard Johnson's restaurant has closed

CBS Boston
The last surviving Howard Johnson's restaurant in America has closed, a few years after New England said goodbye to the iconic chain. . . . more

Former Jimmy John’s CEO Aiming to Grow Genghis Grill

QSR
Gregg Majewski is no stranger to overseeing brands transform into something huge. . . . more

Punch Bowl Social’s founder is ready to launch his next eatertainment brand

Restaurant Dive
Robert Thompson is hungry for eatertainment innovation. The founder and former CEO of Punch Bowl Social launched his first eatertainment business, Buffalo Billiards & Havana Diner Lounge, 25 years ago in Nashville. . . . more

DSW parent company Q1 sales climb; tops Street

CSA
Designer Brands Inc. reported fiscal first-quarter profit and net sales ahead of expectations, with strong growth in its owned brands. . . . more

GameStop Q1 sales increase but loss widens; launching marketplace

CSA
GameStop reported quarterly results that topped analysts’ expectations and said it plans to launch a non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace by the end of its current quarter. . . . more

New mall tenant watch: Actors studios

CSA
Malls with empty spaces have welcomed a wide array of new tenants like medical centers, boat dealerships, and rock-climbing gyms. But Ohio’s Northern Mall has stepped up its act. . . . more

Study: The top five U.S. retailers by 2026 will be…

CSA
E-commerce is shaking up the upper ranks of the top retailers in the United States. . . . more

How Restaurants Can Engage and Personalize with Mobile Wallet

QSR
According to data from PYMNTS, 43 percent of consumers are more inclined to shop with restaurants that offer loyalty program rewards, well ahead of online ordering ability and drive-thru pickup options. . . . more

Chipotle Now Accepts Cryptocurrency

QSR
Chipotle is now accepting cryptocurrency at stores nationwide, potentially giving the movement more legitimacy within the restaurant industry. . . . more

Subway enhances its catering program

Restaurant Dive
Subway has enhanced its catering program with an “easy order” option where guests can choose from pre-selected options; pickup and delivery, regardless of the size of the event; and upgraded packaging, the company announced Tuesday. . . . more

Stores have too much stuff. Get ready for discounts

CNN Business
Some welcome news for shoppers getting squeezed by inflation: promotions on televisions, furniture, clothing, sporting goods and other big-ticket purchases are ramping up. . . . more

Why stores always put candy and soda near the cash register

CNN Business
It's happened to just about everyone who's bored in line waiting to check out at a store: You spot a candy bar, a pack of gum or a soft drink. Unable to resist, you throw it in your cart. . . . more

Build-A-Bear reports record $117.7M in revenue

Retail Dive
After the pandemic slashed its revenue nearly in half two years ago, Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. last week reported record revenue of $117.7 million for Q1 — a 28.4% increase year over year, according to a press release. . . . more

Apparel retailers get squeezed in Q1

Retail Dive
Earlier this year, things were looking up for clothing retailers. . . . more

Farfetch closes $200 million investment in Neiman Marcus Group

CSA
Neiman Marcus Group has a new minority partner with serious digital commerce credentials. . . . more

Check out Wilson Sporting Goods’ new store

CSA
Wilson Sporting Goods is expanding its fledgling physical store footprint. . . . more

Report: Sears Hometown in big store closing move

CSA
Another Sears banner is shrinking. . . . more