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Who's Opening & Where
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Who's Opening & Where Best Buy Co., Inc. (612-291-1000) is planning to open approximately 72 Best Buy stores nationwide during the fiscal year. The company also is planning to open 14 Best Buy Canada stores and six Future Shop locations during fiscal 2006. The company currently operates a chain of approximately 700 stores throughout the U.S. and Canada offering a wide variety of electronic gadgets, movies, music, computers and appliances. In addition to selling products, the stores offer installation and maintenance services, technical support, and subscriptions for cellphone and Internet services. Best Buy also operates 20 Magnolia Audio Video stores throughout the U.S. and more than 100 Future Shop locations in Canada.
Golf Galaxy, Inc. (952-941-8848) is planning to open Golf Galaxy locations in Denver, CO; Christiana, DE; NE and Tulsa, OK. The company currently operates approximately 45 golf superstores throughout 19 states. Its stores, which average approximately 17,000 sq.ft., offer equipment, apparel and shoes, gifts, accessories, and books and videos. Golf Galaxy also sells pre-owned clubs and has a trade-in program. In-store amenities include computer video swing analysis, on-site certified club technicians, indoor driving bays, full-sized putting greens, and advice on equipment from a staff made up of PGA and LPGA professionals.
LESCO, Inc. (216-706-9250) is planning to open from 25 to 35 locations this year. The company has been opening Service Centers in new markets while also targeting locations that increase market density. The company sells fertilizer, grass seed and turf-protection products used on golf courses and lawns throughout the U.S., primarily under the LESCO name, but also under brands such as NOVEX. Major customers include landscapers, municipalities and country clubs. Consumable goods such as fertilizer, grass seed, herbicides, insecticides and fungicides account for most of LESCO’s sales, but the company also sells hard goods such as rotary mowers, spreaders and sprayers. Lesco sells its products through more than 270 service centers, a fleet of roughly 70 tractor-trailer-based stores, and through sales representatives.
Bakers Footwear Group, Inc. (314-621-0699) is planning to open approximately 30 to 32 Bakers Footwear stores this year and is also on schedule to remodel approximately 25 locations to a new format. The mall-based vendor of women’s shoes and accessories operates approximately 220 stores throughout 36 states, with nearly 30 stores doing business under the Wild Pair banner. Bakers Footwear sells dress, casual, and sport shoes, as well as boots, sandals, and accessories, targeting women ages 12 to 29. Private labels account for the majority of company sales.
Worldwide Restaurant Concepts, Inc. (818-662-9800) is planning to open 25 Sizzler restaurants worldwide. Franchisee Sizzling Platter is planning to build its 22nd Sizzler restaurant in Boise, ID. The Boise location is the first of at least five new units Sizzling Platter plans to open during the coming years. BMW Management, Inc. recently signed a development agreement for four new restaurants throughout northern and southern CA. In Las Vegas, NV, Witman’s Foods, LLC has one Sizzler restaurant under construction and has a commitment for three more, in addition to the two it already operates in greater Las Vegas. Sizzler’s Puerto Rico franchisee, Multi Systems, Inc. recently broke ground on a 12th restaurant and has a commitment to open at least one more. Worldwide Restaurant Concepts operates the Sizzler chain of family-style steak houses, with 313 owned and franchised locations throughout the U.S. and about 10 other countries. The restaurants offer a variety of beef, chicken, and seafood dishes and feature a buffet-style salad bar. The company also operates more than 110 KFC fast-food joints in the Australian states of Queensland and New South Wales. In addition, Worldwide Restaurant Concepts owns 82% of Pat & Oscar’s, a chain of about 20 quick-casual pasta and pizza eateries.
Rent-A-Center, Inc. (972-801-1100) is planning to open a total of 60 to 70 locations this year. The company owns and operates approximately 2,870 stores throughout North America and Puerto Rico under the Rent-A-Center, Rent Rite, Rainbow Rentals and Get It Now tradenames, and franchises more than 310 through its subsidiary ColorTyme. The stores rent name-brand home electronics, furniture, accessories, appliances and computers. Customers can own the products after a specified number of payments. In 2004 the company entered the Canadian market via the acquisition of five rent-to-own stores in Calgary and Edmonton.
Cosi, Inc. (847-597-8800) is planning to open 90 company-owned restaurants and 347 franchised restaurants from 2006 through 2009. The company owns and operates more than 90 eclectic Cosí cafés throughout nearly 20 states, offering premium and specialty coffees and made-to-order sandwiches. Its menu also features breakfast items, salads, soups and desserts. Most of its restaurants also offer dinner and drinks after 5 p.m., while its Cosí Downtown units (about a quarter of its cafés), which are primarily located in non-residential business districts, close in the evening. Cosi also offers delivery and catering services and operates a handful of coffee kiosks in Macy’s department stores.
Max & Erma’s Restaurants, Inc. (614-431-5800) is planning to open 10 Max & Erma’s locations throughout Las Vegas, NV. The company currently owns and operates 78 casual dining, full-service restaurants in Akron, Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Dayton, Niles and Toledo, OH; Indianapolis, IN; Ann Arbor, Detroit, Grand Rapids and Lansing, MI; Pittsburgh and Erie, PA; Lexington, Louisville and Crestview Hills, KY; Chicago, IL; Charlotte, NC; Atlanta, GA; Virginia Beach and Norfolk, VA. The company also currently franchises 22 restaurants in Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Wilmington, Chillicothe, Dayton and Sandusky, OH; St. Louis, MO; Green Bay, WI; Philadelphia, PA; Edinburgh, Evansville, Seymour and Mishawaka, IN and Richmond, VA. A company-owned restaurant is currently under construction in Huntington, WV. The company’s restaurants are typically freestanding locations.
The Vitamin Shoppe (201-868-5959) opened a 3,700 sq.ft. The Vitamin Shoppe location at Lord Salisbury Center on U.S. 13 in Salisbury, MD. Expansion will continue nationwide. The company sells vitamins, supplements, and minerals, in addition to herbal, homeopathic, and personal care products through more than 250 The Vitamin Shoppe stores throughout two dozen U.S. states, its monthly catalog and VitaminShoppe.com. The stores offer 400-plus national brands, plus its own private-label products.
Applebee’s International, Inc. (913-967-4000) is planning to open a 5,776 sq.ft. Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar restaurant in Benton, AR. The company operates the largest casual-dining chain with about 1,670 of its signature locations across the U.S. and in 12 other countries. Its eateries are primarily freestanding locations. TThe company owns and operates about 25% of its restaurants, while the rest are franchised.
IHOP Corp. (818-240-6055) is planning to open a 5,000 sq.ft. IHOP restaurant in Benton, AR. Opening is slated for later next month or in early December. The company operates approximately 2,000 owned and franchised restaurants, which are open 24 hours a day, are best known for their pancakes, waffles and French toast. They also offer standard family fare for lunch and dinner. Its restaurants are generally freestanding locations. More than 95% of IHOP’s locations are operated by franchisees and area licensees.
Dollar Tree Stores, Inc. (757-321-5000) is planning to open an 8,000 sq.ft. Dollar Tree store at a 24,000 sq.ft. center on Interstate Drive in Bloomington, IL. Area retail includes Wal*Mart. Dollar Tree currently operates more than 2,800 discount stores throughout 48 states, selling a changing mix of housewares, toys, seasonal items, food, health and beauty aids, gifts, and books all priced at $1. Dollar Tree Stores are located in high-traffic strip centers anchored by mass merchandisers and supermarkets, as well as in small towns. In recent years, Dollar Tree has begun opening larger stores from 10,000 sq.ft. to 15,000 sq.ft. |