Back Yard Burgers, Inc. (901-367-0888) signed three development agreements for a total of 21 locations. The company recently entered into an agreement with Prime Brand, LLC for the development of 15 stores during the coming seven years. Under the agreement, 10 stores will be opened in northern Atlanta, GA, encompassing Alpharetta, Roswell, Norcross, Cumming and Duluth. Two stores will be located in Tuscaloosa, AL and one store will be opened in each of the MS markets of Columbus, Starkville and Grenada. The company also signed an agreement with Providence Restaurant Group, LLC for the development of four stores during the coming four years in the suburban Charlotte, NC area, including Union County and portion of Mecklenburg County. The company also entered into an agreement with Chambliss and Sons, LLC for the development of two stores, one each in Monroe and West Monroe, LA. The company currently operates 129 locations, of which 42 are company-operated and 87 are franchised.

Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Inc. (336-726-8917) is planning to acquire the rights to 73 percent of the Krispy Kreme market throughout MI. Its franchisee, Dough-Re-Mi Co., Ltd. will retain the 27 percent interest. The original development agreement with Dough-Re-Mi called for 17 doughnut shops throughout the state. So far, seven have been built. Overall, the company is planning to open two stores in west MI next year, including one in Kalamazoo and another in Grand Rapids, possibly on the north side of the city. The company currently operates seven stores throughout MI, with four in the Detroit area and one each in Grand Rapids, Flint and Lansing. Krispy Kreme currently operates more than 310 stores throughout 41 states, as well as Canada and Australia. The company also anticipates the opening of at least 10 doughnut and coffee shops, a smaller-concept of the original store.

Lowe’s Cos., Inc. (336-658-4000) is planning to open locations throughout the Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN markets next year. The stores typically average 155,000 sq.ft. on land areas of 12 acres. The company currently operates 900 stores throughout 45 states and is opening approximately 140 stores this year. The company also is planning to open a Lowe’s Home Improvement store in Pittsburgh, PA by the third quarter of 2004.

Hooters (770-951-2040) is planning to open a restaurant on 6435 U.S. 60 in Barboursville, WV. This will be the second Hooters location in WV, with the other in Charleston. The company also plans to open locations in Wheeling, Morgantown and Beckley, WV.

Cold Stone Creamery (480-348-1704) is planning to open franchised units throughout southeastern NM. The company is exploring sites in Roswell, Hobbs and Clovis, as well as another site in Santa Fe. In Albuquerque, the company already has two stores under construction. One unit, a 1,300 sq.ft. store located at 3703 Ellison Road, is slated for an early October opening. The other is located along the Interstate 25 corridor and is slated to open around Thanksgiving. The company currently operates 450 locations throughout 40 states and the Caribbean, with 550 additional stores in various stages of construction, real estate selection and development.

P.F. Chang’s China Bistro, Inc. (602-957-8986) opened a 3,362 sq.ft. Pei Wei Asian Diner location at the Kingwood Commons Shopping Center in Kingwood, TX. The center is situated on a land area of 20 acres and has approximately 177,000 sq.ft. under construction on Kingwood Drive at the corner of Loop 494. Pei Wei Asian Diner will be located in the 78,000 sq.ft. lifestyle section, or Phase III. Cotenants include Talbot’s, Chico’s, Ann Taylor Loft, James Avery Craftsman and Bombay/BombayKIDS. Pei Wei currently operates locations in AZ, CA, CO, NV and TX. In TX, the company operates nine locations.

Belk, Inc. (704-357-1000) is planning to open a store at the River Hills Mall in Kerrville, TX during March 2004. The store will occupy the former Kmart space at the mall and will have approximately 56,000 sq.ft. The company currently operates 218 stores throughout 13 Southeastern states.

Movie Gallery, Inc. (334-677-2108) is planning to open 200 to 225 stores this year. The company currently operates 1,784 stores nationwide.

Kohl’s Corp. (262-703-7000) is planning to open a store situated on a land area of 11.52 acres in Cordova, TN near Wolfchase Galleria. Other sites planned in the Memphis area are at Goodman Road and Stonegate in Southaven and the Gallina Centro Center at the intersection of Poplar and Houston Levee in Collierville. The company currently operates 494 stores throughout 34 states. Three stores will open in Little Rock, AR, two in Birmingham, AL and Tucson, AZ, 10 in Phoenix, three in Las Vegas, NV and one in Flagstaff, AZ. Kohl’s also is planning to open two stores in the South Central region, three in the Southeast, two in the Southwest, five in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic and 10 in the Midwest.

CVS Corp. (401-765-1500) is planning to open five to 10 stores during 2004 throughout the Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN area. Further expansion throughout the state will depend on the success of the initial stores. The company currently operates 4,200 stores throughout 27 states. The stores typically occupy spaces of 13,000 sq.ft.

BrandsMart (954-846-0000) is planning to open a store at the former General Motors parts distribution plan at the intersection of Peachtree Industrial Boulevard and Interstate 285 in Doraville, FL during early 2005. The site would be situated on a land area of 16.6 acres. At its five FL locations, the company sells items like TVs, CD and DVD recorders, refrigerators, camcorders and furniture. The company is known for building multi-level retail stores of approximately 100,000 sq.ft.