Supermarket, Grocery, & C-Store
• 7-Eleven Inc. announced it plans to hire 40,000 new employees this summer.
• Kwik Trip Inc. will open its first location in Michigan in 2022.
• Weis Markets Inc. announced Terry Wallace has been promoted to VP of Supply Chain and Logistics.
Retail
• BJ’s Wholesale Club Inc. will open six new stores in Seabrook, NH, Port Charlotte, FL, Commack, NY, South Fayette and Ross Township, PA, and Lansing, MI.
• Builders FirstSource Inc. announced that it is acquiring Cornerstone Building Alliance.
• Citi Trends Inc. will open at least 30 stores and remodel approximately 20 locations this year. It plans to open at least 100 new stores, remodel at least 150 locations and grow its sales to more than $1 billion by the end of 2023.
• Costello’s Ace Hardware acquired Rankin’s Hardware, a three location True Value Hardware chain in Virginia.
• Dollar General Corp. announced the promotion of Denine Torr to the newly role of VP, Corporate Social Responsibility and Philanthropy.
• Foot Locker Inc. announced it will eliminate its Footaction banner, converting a third of its Footaction stores into other existing banner concepts over the course of the year. The company will close the majority of the remaining Footaction stores as leases expire over the next two years.
• Gap Inc. and Walmart Stores Inc. announced a strategic partnership to introduce Gap Home, a new brand of home essentials available exclusively at Walmart.
• General Nutrition Centers, Inc. has appointed Alan Chester as Chief Supply Chain Officer.
• Scheels Sports is renovating and expanding a former Nordstrom location for its first-ever store in Arizona. The new 220,000 sq. ft. location will open in Chandler in fall 2023.
• US LBM Holdings, LLC announced that it has reached an agreement to acquire American Construction Source.
• Vitamin Shoppe Industries announced that it will partner with business owners to operate franchise stores across the United States. The first franchised Vitamin Shoppe stores are expected to open later this year.
• Windsor Fashions Inc. announced plans to open 150 stores during 2021 and 2022.
Restaurant
• Bojangles Restaurants Inc. has hired Byron Chandler as Chief Development Officer. Former Chief Development Officer Jose Costa has been promoted to Chief Growth Officer.
• BurgerFi has a new food truck that is currently touring in Miami and will make its way throughout Florida during the year.
• Crave Hot Dogs & Barbecue has opened a new location in Venice, FL.
• Dave’s Hot Chicken has opened a new location in Dallas, TX. This is the company’s first location in Texas and their first outside of California.
• Golden Corral Buffet & Grill has opened their first location in Cicero, IL.
• Greens Restaurant Group LLC has rebranded all of their stores and showcased a new logo, uniforms, and store designs.
• Huddle House Inc. has hired Peter Ortiz as Chief Development Officer.
• McDonald’s Corporation has released the BTS signature meal, but the company has also launched a line of merchandise on the shopping app Weverse Shop.
• MooYah Burgers & Fries is opening a new location in Sacramento, CA.
• Mountain Mike’s Pizza has opened a new location in Salem, OR.
• Rush Bowls has opened a new location in Simsbury, CT.
• SYSCO Corporation has purchased Greco and Sons and the acquisition will bring in 10 new distribution centers. Greco and Sons will operate as a standalone division within Sysco and the company’s leadership team will be retained.
• Walk-On’s Enterprises has opened their first location in Tuscaloosa, AL.
• YUM! Brands Inc. has opened the Yum Center for Global Franchise Excellence at the University of Louisville in Kentucky. The center will offer programs to train students to become franchisees and will be geared towards people of color and women.
