International Business

SAN FRANCISCO — Specialty home products retailer Williams-Sonoma is reaping the rewards of a rebounding housing market this second quarter ended Aug. 4.

The company’s net revenues grew 12.3% to $982 million versus $874 million in the year-ago quarter with comparable brand revenue growth of 8.4%, on top of 7.4% in the year-ago quarter.

New York – Tiffany & Co. grew its net earnings 16% during the second quarter of fiscal 2013, and also increased net sales and same-store sales. Net earnings increased 16% to $107 million, from $92 million in the same quarter a year earlier.

New York -- The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index which had declined in July, increased slightly in August. The Index now stands at 81.5, up from 81.0 in July.

Milford, Conn. — Subway opened its 40,000th location at an AppleGreen petrol station in Ipswich, England. The company has opened 1,761 locations around the world since the start of 2013. The largest chain of sub shops in the world, Subway leads the next largest chain by more than 5,500 locations.

The U.K. is the brand’s third largest market, behind the U.S. and Canada. There are 14,000 international locations in 102 countries outside the U.S.

Greenwood Village, Colo. — Red Robin Gourmet Burgers has announced the opening of two new restaurants. The first will open in Canton Crossing, Md., and Inner Harbor location in downtown Baltimore in late September. The second will open in Monroeville, Pa., at The District at Monroeville Mall outside of Pittsburgh in early October.

Alpharetta, Ga. — McAlister’s Deli, a fast casual restaurant, has announced its largest franchise deal so far. The Saxton Group has signed an agreement to develop 30 new restaurants in three states over the next six years in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri. The primary focus will be in the Dallas-Fort Worth and Kansas City markets.

Three locations included in the agreement have already opened in Midwest City, Okla., Dallas and Sherman, Texas.

McAlister’s has more than 320 restaurants in 23 states.

PARK CITY, Utah — Skullcandy has appointed Heidi O'Neill, who is VP and GM of women’s training and fitness at Nike, to the company's board of directors. 

NEW YORK — Tiffany & Co. saw sales growth and an improved operating margin for the second quarter ended July 31, fueled largely by its performance in China. 

The company’s total sales in the Americas region were lackluster, increasing 2% to $444 million in the second quarter. Comparable-store sales remained flat for the quarter.

Seattle -- Starbucks Coffee Company will enter the country of Columbia, opening a store in the first half of 2014 in Bogota. It will be operated through a joint venture between the company's Latin American franchisee, Alsea, and the food company Grupo Nutresa.

Starbucks said it has "aggressive plans" to open locations in Bogota and other major cities throughout Colombia over the next five years.

Chicago -- Jones Lang LaSalle announced Monday it has acquired Means Knaus Partners, a Houston-based property management company as part of the firm's expansion in third-party property management.

The deal boosts Jones Lang LaSalle's portfolio of office space under management by 16 million sq. ft. of space with properties located primarily in Dallas, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Orlando, Fla., and Tampa, Fla.