News Briefs

Mapco is extending its footprint into three new states.

Majors Management, parent company of the convenience store retailer, has completed its acquisition of 35 Circle K retail fuel and convenience store locations across Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania from Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. Couche-Tard divested the stores so it could acquire the GetGo C-store chain from grocery retailer Giant Eagle.

The newly-acquired locations will be rebranded as Mapco stores in the coming months. The company said it plans to retain existing employees wherever possible and invest in upgrading facilities. Mapco operates hundreds of stores across the Southeastern United States.

"These stores are an exciting strategic addition for Majors Management, and we are thrilled to expand the Mapco brand into Ohio, Indiana, and Pennsylvania," said Ben Smith, president of Majors Management. "We are honored to serve customers in three new states and welcome them to the Mapco experience, which combines quality fuel, great food and beverage selections, and the convenience and rewards customers love."

Based in Lawrenceville, Ga., Majors Management owns and operates of retail fuel centers and convenience stores, as well as a fuel distributor serving independent operators nationwide. Majors' current markets include Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, North Carolina, Mississippi, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia.

(Image: PRNewsfoto/Majors Management, LLC)

Ollie’s Bargain Outlet is set for a busy July. 

The fast-growing close-out retailer opened its first location in Nebraska, in Omaha, on July 2. The store is located in a space that formerly housed a Big Lots outlet. It is among the locations that Ollie’s acquired through a Big Lots bankruptcy auction. 

"We are excited to open our first store in the great state of Nebraska, where the folks have been so good to us," said Eric van der Valk, who took the reins as CEO of Ollie’s in February. "With so many great deals, we're thrilled to provide shoppers in Omaha and its surrounding areas with a treasure hunt experience where they can find a huge selection of brand name merchandise at up to 70% off the fancy stores' prices every day."

Later this month, Ollie’s will open its first-ever store in another new state, New Hampshire. Located in Belmont, the store is also housed in a former Big Lots space.

A list of the other locations that Ollie’s is opening in July is below.

July 9

• Boone, N.C.
• Pittsburg, Kan.
• Land O' Lakes, Fla. 

July 10

• Ada, Okla.
• Enid, Okla. 

July 16

• Sedalia, Mo.
• Findlay, Ohio  

July 23

• Cadillac, Mich.
• Brownwood, Texas

July 24

• Topeka, Kan.
• Monroe, Ga.

Ollie’s currently operates 599 stores in 33 states.

The Chain Store Age offices will be closed on Friday, July 4, in observance of Independence Day. We will reopen, and resume publishing DayBreaker, on Monday, July 7.

We wish our readers a happy and safe holiday!

Lululemon has accused Costco Wholesale Corp. of selling cheaper, unauthorized imitations of some of its popular clothing items.

Lululemon has filed a lawsuit suing Costco, alleging that the membership warehouse club giant is selling knockoffs, or product “dupes,” of its athleisure clothing. In a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Lululemon alleges that Costco has infringed on its patents by selling athleisure products that closely resemble its own. 

Lululemon said that Costco has “unlawfully traded” on the athleisure brand’s “reputation, goodwill and sweat equity by selling unauthorized and unlicensed apparel employing knockoff, infringing versions” of its products.  Specifically, Lululemon said Costco’s private label Kirkland line is selling knockoffs of its Scuba hoodies and sweatshirts, Define jackets and ABC pants for men.

In the 49-page lawsuit, Lululemon shows the alleged design similarities of its products with Costco’s along with the price differences. One example in the lawsuit is a Scuba hoodie that sells for $118 at Lululemon, while a Costco Kirkland version sells for around $8. In another instance, Lululemon accuses Costco of manufacturing knockoff of its ABC pants, which retail for about $130, but sell for about $20 under the Kirkland brand.

Lululemon’s case seeks restitution and payment from Costco, which it said profited off Lululemon’s “sweat equity” and damaged the Lululemon brand. The company also wants Costco agree to cease manufacturing of products similar to the Scuba hoodies and sweatshirts, Define jackets and ABC pants and remove any marketing materials that contain such products.

In a statement to CNN, Lululemon said as “an innovation-led company that invests significantly in the research, development, and design of our products, we take the responsibility of protecting and enforcing our intellectual property rights very seriously and pursue the appropriate legal action when necessary.”

Sweet Paris Crêperie & Café has plans to soon touch down in another new state.

The Houston-based chain known for sweet and savory crêpes will open its first location in North Carolina with a store in Cary, a suburb of Raleigh. The debut location in the Tar Heel State is slated to open in the first quarter of 2026 at the Fenton mixed-use shopping and entertainment center.

The Cary store will mark the second opening under a 15-unit development agreement between Sweet Paris and Virentes Hospitality, an investment arm of the multi-family office Virentes Partners Group. The group invested in Sweet Paris in 2024, with plans to introduce the brand across Florida, North Carolina and Tennessee.

"Cary, and specifically Fenton, has this incredible mix of energy and refinement. It's the kind of place where people come to connect, unwind, and treat themselves," said Jim D'Aquila, managing member of Virentes Hospitality. "We're proud to introduce the Sweet Paris concept to North Carolina and can't wait to see the community of Cary embrace it."

[READ MORE: Sweet Paris to open first Arkansas, Missouri locations]

Founded in 2012, Sweet Paris now operates 21 locations in Arizona, Florida, Minnesota, Texas and Mexico. The brand recently announced that it plans to open at least eight new locations in 2025.

"Virentes Hospitality has been instrumental in growing Sweet Paris with thoughtfulness and precision, and we're thrilled to see them bring the concept to a new market in Fenton-Cary," said Allison Chavez, co-founder of Sweet Paris. "Their ability to scale while staying true to our brand's charm and quality is exceptional. Fenton is a vibrant, fast-growing destination, and we're confident this location will quickly become a beloved spot for guests to escape and indulge.”