Retail:


Home Depot, after pulling out of a long-planned store project in San Francisco, is looking once again at opening its first location inside the city.  The home improvement retailer has filed an application with the city to build a 120,000-sq.-ft. store on 7.9 acres in the Bayview section.  The company estimates it could have the store built and opened in 14 months if it receives approval.  Four years ago, Home Depot won approval from the San Franciscoboard of supervisors to open a new location on Bayshore Boulevard after a decade of clashing with community groups and local businesses, including independent hardware store owners. But the company dropped the project after a corporate decision to cut back on new store openings.  Lowe’smoved into the site, a former Goodman’s Lumber, instead. 
Lowe’s is moving ahead with its Canadian expansion, planning a new store for Blairmore, a city near Saskatoon.  This will be the company’s second store in Saskatchewan
Menards is looking to open as many as six stores in the Kansas Citymetro area in the next few years.  Kansas City officials said the home improvement chain has submitted initial plans for a 162,340-sq.-ft. store accompanied by eight pad sites for a large retail center that Menards would develop on vacant property.  Sources familiar with Menards’ plans said the company is actively considering locations in Liberty, Lee’s Summit, Grandview, Independence,and Overland Park.  The Kansas City metro area already has 17 Home Depot stores and 12 Lowe’s locations.

Menards plans to open a new superstore in Port Huron, Mich., putting the home-improvement retailer right on the U.S.-Canadian border. The Port Huron Area School Districtis selling the Wisconsin-based retailer a former middle school property for $3.4 million; the deal is expected to close in November.  The new store will be built as a 240,000 sq. ft. unit.  He added that the company anticipates serving Canadian as well as U.S.customers.  Some of the issues that still need to be resolved are the environmental impact of the store, rezoning the property and working with the Michigan Department of Transportation because of the site’s proximity to the expressway.

Dollar General plans to open approximately 80 stores in new markets, including California, Nevada, Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

7-Eleven plans to open 15 to 20 c-stores this year in the Jacksonville, FL market and 80 stores by 2015.
7-Eleven, which has been expanding in Maryland for several years, could open as many as 50 new stores during the next several months.
Fresh Encounter, Inc. is seeking new site locations throughout its existing markets of OH and IN during the next 18 months. The supermarkets occupy spaces of 9,000 sq. ft. to 36,000 sq. ft. in freestanding locations, strip centers and downtown areas.
Roundy’s Supermarkets, Inc.’s Copps Food Store locations occupy spaces of 45,000 sq. ft. to 70,000 sq. ft. in freestanding locations and strip centers.  Roundy’s is looking for new site locations throughout the existing market of WI during the coming 18 months.  Typical leases run 20 years.  Specific improvements are required.  Preferred cotenants include general merchandise retailers.  Major competitors include Walmart.  A land area of six acres is required for freestanding locations.  
Thorntons Inc. announced its expansion into the Florida regional metro market of Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater. The first location is set to open spring of 2013 in Clearwater. Thorntons‘ strategic plan for the region is to add 15 to 20 Tampa-St. Petersburg Clearwater area stores in the next three years. 

Rite Aid announced for the upcoming fiscal year capital expenditures are expected to be approximately $300 million, which includes increasing the number of wellness store remodels and prescription file buys. 

Restaurant:

5 & Diner Franchise Corp. is actively seeking franchisees for the following areas: Philadelphia Tri-State Area for 5-10 new locations; Trenton/Princeton/Brunswick for 3-5 new locations; Edison/New Brunswick/Piscataway/Somerville for 3-5 new locations; Northern New Jersey for 5-10 new locations; Toms River for 1-2 new locations and Freehold for 1-2 new locations.
Baskin-Robbinsis seeking franchisees across Canada, focusing initially on AB, BC, and ON. B-R is also projecting more than 20 restaurant in CA over the next several years and is seeking franchisees for the expansion.
Carrols Restaurant Group will remo
del about 450 Burger King locations over the next 3.5 years.
Daphne’s California Greek management is ready to franchise across the country; the company hopes to open 50 locations over the next three years.
Del Taco is planning to open more than 40 restaurant in the Houston market.
Dickey’s Barbecue Pit opened its first location in WA and is searching for additional sites in the state. The company is also searching for sites in the Atlanta market and in the San Francisco Bay area.
Dunkin’ Donutsannounced a franchise agreement for nine restaurants in Omaha and Lincoln NE; the first will open in 2012 and the remainder by 2017. Franchisees are sought for western NE as well as Springfield and Joplin MO.
Noodles & Co. is opening eight locations throughout the Washington DC area this year.
Stevi B’s Pizza signed an agreement for four locations in north AL.
Togo’s Eateries announced a $15 million fund to fuel development in 2012 and beyond.
Woody’s Bar-B-Qopened its first Atlantic Canada location in NS; the company already had locations in BC and ON.