Starbucks Coffee Co.

Earlier this year, quick-serve behemoth Dunkin’ Brands, which operates 10,500 Dunkin’ Donuts in 31 countries and 7,000 Baskin Robbins in 50 countries, announced its first new store design in seven years.

San Diego  — Representing a real estate investment trust, The Mansour Group has sold a portfolio of five Applebee’s for $13.3 million.

To complete the transaction, The Mansour Group sourced a private high net worth California investor, who sold an apartment complex and acquired the portfolio through a 1031 exchange. The restaurants are located in North Carolina, Texas, Tennessee, Minnesota and Kentucky:

Arlington, Texas — With more than 135 stores across the country, Pet Supermarket has leased 6,000 sq. ft. of retail space in Fielder Plaza, a community retail center in Arlington, Texas.

The Weitzman Group, the exclusive retail-leasing agent for the center, handled negotiations for the transaction. Pet Supermarket will join Tom Thumb grocery, CVS/pharmacy, Starbucks, Allstate, T-Mobile and others. Cencor Realty Services manages Fielder Plaza.

Boston — The Wilder Companies has been awarded five new leasing and management contracts for nearly 900,000 sq. ft. in five shopping centers on the north and south shores of Boston.

The Crossing at Walkers Brook in Reading, Mass., is a 480,000-sq.-ft. center featuring Jordan’s Furniture, an IMAX Theatre and The Home Depot. An 80,000-sq.-ft. pedestrian-friendly lifestyle portion of the center features Staples, Golfsmith, the Paper Store, Macaroni Grill, Chili’s, and Starbucks.

Seattle -- Starbucks Corporation is requesting that customers no longer bring guns onto its property, either inside or outside its stores — even in states where “open carry” laws permit them to do so — with the exclusion of law enforcement personnel.

Company founder, chairman and CEO Howard Schultz made the request in an open letter posted under his name on the Starbucks website. The company plans to buy ad space in major national newspapers to run the letter.

Seattle -- Starbucks Corp. said that Troy Alstead, CFO and chief administrative officer, has been promoted to CFO and group president, Global Business Services.

Alstead’s promotion is a recognition of the increasing responsibility and complexity of his role overseeing Starbucks global financial, technology and supply chain operations and ensuring that the company’s overall business infrastructure is optimized to support the company’s global growth.

Seattle -- Starbucks Coffee Company on Monday opened two flagship stores in Beijing, China. The new Beijing flagship stores were designed by members of the in-house Starbucks global design team and the local Starbucks China Design Studio, one of 18 international design offices worldwide. One store is a “coffee tribute” store at Kerry Center and one is an “eclectic chic” 24-hour store in the Taikoo Li Sanlitun district.

Prattville, Ala. — Cobbs For Village, a 2.52-acre inline shopping center currently under construction in Prattville, Ala. is adding three tenants to its lineup.

Smashburger, Gigi’s Cupcakes and Chipotle Mexican Grill have signed leases with GBT Realty Corp. and will take up residence when the center opens next spring.

The new tenants join previously announced Starbucks Coffee, Aspen Dental and Firehouse Subs. GBT Realty is currently in lease negotiations for two of the four remaining available spaces.