Supermarket, Grocery, & C-Store
• Ahold-Delhaize announced that Jan Ernst de Groot, the company’s Chief Legal Officer and Chief Sustainability Officer, will retire effective May 31, 2024. Linn Evans, currently Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel at Ahold Delhaize USA, will succeed him as Chief Legal Officer of Ahold-Delhaize, effective April 15, 2024.
• Casey’s General Stores Inc. has acquired Lone Star Food Store, including 22 locations in Texas. These will be the first stores in the state for the retailer.
• Gelsons Markets has opened a new 33,000 sq. ft. supermarket in West Los Angeles, CA.
• Mapco Express Inc. was recently acquired. Majors Management LLC acquired 192 Mapco-branded convenience stores. Couche-Tard Inc. acquired 112 company-operated stores.
• PCC Community Markets announced that it will close its location at 4th and Union in downtown Seattle, WA, on January 31, 2024.
• The Raley’s Companies has promoted Johnny Basha to Senior VP, Real Estate Strategy.
Retail
• 84 Lumber Co. recently named Pete Cantu as its new Area Manager in the Western Division.
• Amazon.com Inc. reported it will close its 2 Amazon Style locations in California and Ohio.
• At Home Group Inc. announced its CEO and Chairman, Lee Bird III, will retire on December 31. Erik Ragatz will serve as the new Executive Chairman. The retailer has begun a search for its new CEO.
• Boot Barn Holdings, Inc. reported it plans to open 52 new store locations in 2024.
• The Building Center, Inc. announced that it has acquired Contractors Building Supply.
• Christy Sports LLC has named Pete LaBore as CEO. Mimi Nuelle was named Chief Merchandising Officer and Danielle Quatrochi was named Chief Marketing Officer.
• CVS Health has named Mark Santos as President, Aetna Medicaid.
• Do it Best Corp. reported it has hired Joe Gilbert as an IT Project Manager. Elise Padgett has been hired as a Merchandising Supply Planner.
• McLaughlin has recently opened a 500 sq. ft. men’s only store in Palm Beach, FL. It’s the second of its kind for the retailer.
• Kohl’s Corporation announced Peter Boneparth will retire as Chairman of at the end of his current term in May. He will be succeeded by Michael Bender.
• Lids Sports Group has partnered with the National Basketball Association to open an NBA Store in Houston, TX.
• Overstock.com has officially changed its corporate name to Beyond, Inc. The company also announced the departure of its CEO, Jonathan Johnson. David Nielsen, President of Beyond, is taking on an expanded role as Interim CEO.
• PVH Corp. named Lea Rytz Goldman as its new Global Brand President of Tommy Hilfiger LLC. She is expected to join the company by spring 2024.
• Valentino has opened a new flagship store on Madison Avenue in New York City, NY.
Restaurant
• Burger King franchisee Premier Kings Inc. has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection becoming the third Burger King franchisee to do so this year. Burger King has a plan to shutter underperforming stores and open 2024 with a stronger store portfolio.
• Chipotle has named Ilene Eskenazi as Chief Human Resources Officer and Lois Alexis-Collins as Chief People Officer.
• In-N-Out Burger announced that they will be entering the New Mexico market in 2027 with a restaurant launch in Albuquerque, NM.
• Jersey Mike’s plans to open 350 locations in 2024 and an additional 250 in 2025 before opening 450 new locations in 2026.
• Portillo’s will be focusing on expanding in warmer state like Florida, Arizona, and Texas after seeing traffic decline in their home state of Illinois.
• Smashburger has launched AI ordering at 129 locations after a successful test in 30 locations. The company found an 84% improvement in Time to Pickup in the test locations.
• Swig has opened their first franchise location in Rogers, AR.
• T.G.I. Friday’s has redesigned their bar program in attempt to invoke the earlier years of the company. These changes come on the heels of hiring a new CEO last week.
