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AroundtheIndustry Retail Best Buy Best Buy’s off-price outlet banner will grow to 32 locations in the next year. It also will start offering outlet deals online to cater to bargain-hunting consumers. The retailer rolled out the outlet format about eight years ago to sell discounted appliances and TVs that have been returned, exchanged, repaired or discontinued. In addition to adding stores, Best Buy also plans to add new merchandise categories and delivery, pickup and tech services at the outlet stores. Target Target has completed remodels at 1,000 of its 1,900 stores as part of an effort that began in 2017 to update locations, invest in logistics upgrades and open new locations. The retailer is in the midst of plans to spend $4 billion to $5 billion annually on capital projects, including store remodels, with a focus on melding the latest innovation and creative displays with familiar warm elements like wood paneling. Petco Neighborhood Farm & Pet Supply Petco has created a new store format called Petco Neighborhood Farm & Pet Supply to sell products and services for farm animals and traditional pets. The banner was created to serve consumers in small and rural towns. The first one opened in Floresville, Texas. In addition to food and other products, the store will offer services like mobile vaccination units and animal washing stations. Simon Properties Simon and AJ Capital Partners are planning a 2023 groundbreaking on a 300,000-square foot outlet mall in Nashville, Tennessee. The move will expand Simon’s current portfolio in the city, which includes The Mall at Green Hills and Opry Mills. Champs Sports Champs Sports’ new 35,000-square-foot Homefield store in Pembroke Pines, Florida is the retailer’s biggest footprint to date and will be the prototype for future locations. The store aims to appeal to athletes of all ages with an array of apparel, footwear and equipment for a broad range of sports and activities, along with experiential components including a basketball court and a smoothie bar.
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COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION & RENOVATION — ISSUE 6, 2022
Tecovas Austin, Texas-based boot brand Tecovas will open as many as 15 new stores in the next year-and-a-half as part of a push to grow nationally and strengthen its position as a leader in the category between mass-market and luxury.
Restaurant KFC KFC turned a former bank building in Painted Post, New York into the “Crystal Bucket,” with curved floor-to-ceiling windows and a cathedral ceiling, reflecting the chain’s increased focus on using unique store designs to build community buzz. Great American Cookies Fat Brands, the parent company of the Great American Cookies chain, will acquire the Nestle Toll House Cafe by Chip concept with plans to convert its 85 units to the Great American Cookies banner. It’s the latest expansion for Fat Brands’ growing portfolio, which also includes Marble Slab Creamery and Johnny Rockets. Smokey Mo’s Smokey Mo’s rebranding campaign is designed to support the addition of 32 units in the next three years, adding to the current tally of 16 units throughout Texas. The effort will include streamlined building prototypes, improved technology for ordering and training, and a focus on signing franchise agreements for at least three units each. Wetzel’s Pretzels Mall food court staple Wetzel’s Pretzels is focused on non-traditional venues for growth, including the rollout of its first standalone Twisted by Wetzel’s unit. The brand operates 350 units, including a smallformat kiosk in a California Macy’s store that could be expanded to more Macy’s locations in the future. Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer New York City-based Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer will grow into three new markets this year, with leases signed in Miami, Dallas and Nashville. The casual dining chain features a menu of burgers and craft beers, as well as over-the-top Crazy Shakes that have become famous in Instagram photos.
