Aldi Expands U.S. Headquarters to Support Growth Aldi is expanding and renovating its U.S. corporate headquarters in Batavia, Illinois, to align with its plans to open 800 new stores by 2028. The expansion aims to improve operational efficiency, foster employee collaboration, and support Aldi's growth strategy. (Chain Store Age 11/13) [Read]

Whole Foods to Anchor New Boynton Beach Shopping Center Whole Foods Market will open a 42,024-square-foot store in Boynton Beach Marketplace on Dec. 10, anchoring SJC Ventures' 69,204- square-foot shopping center. Whole Foods operates over 530 stores worldwide. (Chain Store Age 11/11) [Read]

PNC Bank Expands Across Florida with $1.5 Billion Plan PNC Bank is growing its Florida presence as part of a $1.5 billion national expansion. It plans to double its Tampa Bay footprint with 20 new branches by 2029 and add 35 locations in Miami over five years, doubling earlier projections. This is part of a broader push for 200 new branches nationwide, including 70 in Florida. PNC currently operates 180 branches statewide and manages $3.9 billion in Florida commercial real estate loans. (Bisnow 11/8) [Read]

Dutch Bros. Plans Major Expansion Dutch Bros. reported Q3 earnings of $21.7 million, up from $13.4 million last year, fueled by its new mobile ordering system and the opening of 38 new stores, bringing its total to 950 locations. The company plans to accelerate openings in 2025 to at least 160 shops and is testing food options. Dutch Bros expects to operate over 4,000 locations in the next 10 to 15 years. (Chain Store Age 11/11) [Read]

Qdoba Seeing Record Growth Qdoba announced 22 new franchise agreements in 2024, bringing its development pipeline to 450 commitments. The Mexican fast-casual brand achieved a 7.7% same-store sales increase for fiscal year 2024, marking 14 consecutive quarters of growth. Major deals include Thrive Restaurant Group developing 30 locations in the Carolinas and Q Eats LLC planning 15 in Houston. (Nation’s Restaurant News 11/11) [Read]

Publix Reports Strong Earnings and Sales Growth Publix reported a 31.7% increase in net earnings for Q3 as sales rose 4.9%, with comparable store sales increasing by 3.4%. The nine-month sales total reached $44.2 billion, reflecting a 4.3% increase from the previous year. Publix operates 1,383 stores across eight states. (Chain Store Age 11/1) [Read]

Home Depot Surpasses Q3 Expectations Home Depot reported stronger-than-expected Q3 earnings, driven by hurricane-related sales and seasonal demand. Net income was $3.6 billion with sales up 6.6%, surpassing analyst expectations. Despite a 1.3% drop in same-store sales the company raised its full-year sales forecast to a 4% growth, up from 2.5%-3.5%. (Chain Store Age 11/12) [Read]

Dick's House of Sport Opens in Tampa Dick's Sporting Goods opened its 100,000-square-foot House of Sport concept at International Plaza on Oct. 11. The new store replaced former Life Time Fitness and marks Dick's departure from WestShore Plaza, where its vacated space could enhance owner WPG's 3.5-million-square-foot redevelopment plans. (Tampa Bay Business Journal 10/3) [Read]

Advance Auto Parts to Close Over 700 Stores Advance Auto Parts will close 523 corporate stores and exit 204 independent locations, including four distribution centers, by mid-2025. The closures, part of an effort to improve business performance, will cost an estimated $350 million to $750 million. The company has been working to reverse declining sales and return to profitability after seeing a $6 million net loss in Q3. (Chain Store Age 11/14) [Read]

American Freight Files Bankruptcy, Closing All Stores American Freight is closing all 328 locations nationwide following a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing by its parent company, Franchise Group Inc. The closures mark the end of the retailer's operations as its parent company shifts focus to their other brands. (Fox 7 Austin 11/11) [Read]

TGI Fridays Files for Bankruptcy Protection TGI Fridays Inc. has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, citing its capital structure and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The company closed 50 locations recently, following 36 closures earlier in the year, leaving it with 39 domestic company-owned restaurants. The bankruptcy only affects the parent company, with its 56 franchisees continuing to operate independently. TGI Fridays aims to explore strategic alternatives during the restructuring process. (Chain Store Age 11/4) [Read]

Matthews Brokers Sale of Crosswinds Shopping Center Matthews Real Estate Investment Services facilitated the sale of Crosswinds Shopping Center, a 141,577-square-foot retail property in St. Petersburg. The fully leased center houses tenants such as Marshalls, Michaels, Bealls, and Havertys. Wallace Enterprises and Crim & Associates acquired the property from Crosswinds St. Pete LLC, with the sale price undisclosed. (Shopping Center Business 11/13) [Read]

Cohen & Steers and Acadia Realty Trust Acquire The Walk at Highwoods Cohen & Steers and Acadia Realty Trust acquired The Walk at Highwoods, a 141,000-square-foot retail center in Tampa. The fully occupied center includes anchor tenants HomeGoods and Michael’s and was sold for an undisclosed price. (Shopping Center Business 10/29) [Read]

WestShore Plaza Redevelopment Moves Forward WPG acquired the 235,198-square-foot Macy’s store for $10 million, completing its ownership of over 50 acres at WestShore Plaza in Tampa. The approved redevelopment plan includes up to 3.5 million square feet of mixed-use space. Macy’s future at the location is unclear, with possibilities including a sales-leaseback or integration into the redevelopment. (Tampa Bay Business Journal 11/8) [Read]

U.S. Online Grocery Sales Reach Record $10.5 Billion in October Online grocery sales in the U.S. surged 27.9% year-over-year in October, reaching a record $10.5 billion. Delivery sales set a new high of $4.8 billion, up 46%, with increased order volume and average order value. Pickup sales totaled $4.2 billion, up nearly 20%, while ship-to-home reached $1.5 billion, up 6%. The overall monthly active user base grew by 1.6%, with 54% of U.S. households ordering online groceries. (Chain Store Age 11/13) [Read]

Retail Sales Surge in October Retail sales rebounded in October, with core sales rising 0.83% month-over-month and 4.59% year-over-year. This was a significant recovery from September’s decline, driven by strong consumer spending and better economic conditions. Total retail sales increased 0.74% month-over-month and 4.13% year-over-year, while online sales surged 19.38%, with sectors like sporting goods and building supplies seeing the biggest gains. (Chain Store Age 11/12) [Read]