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