Events

Greenwood Village, Colo. — Red Robin Gourmet Burgers has announced that it will open two new restaurants, one in Secaucus, N.J., and another in the Cincinnati metro area. To help celebrate the grand opening of the new restaurants, the company will donate the proceeds of all sales of its signature Freckled Lemonade during the two restaurants’ first week of operation to Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to finding cures for kids with cancer.

Westborough, Mass. -- BJ's Wholesale Club is spreading its Black Friday deals across an entire week (Sunday, Nov. 24 through Sunday, Dec. 1), excluding Thanksgiving on Thursday, Nov. 28. The retailer says it is offering more than twice as many Black Friday deals this year as it did last year.

New York -- Target is celebrating the launch of Sonia Kashuk's new line bath and body products collection with a larger-than-life art installation and pop-up store in New York City's Grand Central Station. The centerpiece of the space is a gleaming white bathtub on a platform that is raised some eight feet off the floor. A live model sits in the tub, which is surrounded by bubble-like balloons.
 
The new line, which includes shower gels, body lotions, loofas and shower caps, is on display in the pop-up and available for sale.

Wayne, N.J. – The time may have come to change the name of Black Friday to Black Thursday. According to multiple media reports, Toys ‘R’ Us will open stores at 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving night.

Austin, Texas -- Starting in November, Whole Foods Market stores nationwide will host DIY craft tutorials, with local artists from Etsy’s seller community. Shoppers can also find exclusive step-by-step DIY projects from Etsy’s creative community in Whole Foods Market’s 2013 Holiday Guide, available in stores and online.

Sears and Kmart stores are joining the still growing list of retailers that will open Thanksgiving Day in the hopes of luring Black Friday shoppers early.

Kmart will open for 41 straight hours, starting at 6 a.m. Thanksgiving Day to 11 p.m. Black Friday. Sears will open doors starting at 8 p.m. Thanksgiving Day to 10 p.m. Black Friday, with more than 1,000 doorbusters available until 1 p.m. Friday afternoon.

Welcome to Chain Store Age’s Retail RoadTrip, a semi-regular update on cool new stores around the country. For this first outing, here’s a look at six stores creating buzz in the Big Apple.

 1. Alexander McQueen

New York -- The 87th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will step-off at 77th Street and Central Park West on Thursday, Nov. 28 at 9 a.m. Started in 1924 with only about a dozen elements, the 2013 line-up of wonder features 15 giant character balloons; 37 large scale, novelty/ornament balloons, balloonicles, balloonheads and trycaloons; 30 floats; 1,600 cheerleaders and dancers; 900 clowns; 11 marching bands; and a host of celebrity performers.