News Briefs

Cullinan Properties, the real estate developer behind the 310-acre Rock Run Collection mixed-use property in Chicagoland, has promoted Wayne Wozniak to the role of Chief Financial Officer.

According to the Peoria, Ill.-based company, Wozniak has played a critical role in guiding Cullinan’s financial strategy and supporting the company’s long-term growth. 

In his new role, he will oversee financial operations, including accounting, tax strategy, financial reporting, forecasting, and capital planning, while working closely with executive leadership to advance Cullinan’s strategic initiatives.

“Wayne’s financial leadership and deep understanding of our business have been instrumental to Cullinan’s success,” said Diane Cullinan Oberhelman, the founder and chairman of Cullinan Properties. 

“He brings a thoughtful, disciplined approach to financial strategy and has earned the trust of our leadership team through his sound judgment and consistent execution,” she said.

Cullinan noted that Wozniak has been integral in managing complex financial projects across Cullinan’s portfolio, supporting development activity and operational performance.

“This is a company with a strong vision, a talented team, and over 40 years with a commitment to excellence,” said Wozniak.” I look forward to continuing to support Cullinan’s strategic growth and ensuring we remain financially well-positioned for the future.”

The 166,000-sq.-ft. Hollywood Casino has already opened at Rock Run, which is expected to welcome more than a million visitors on a annual basis. 

The project — which is near the intersection of Interstates 80 and 55 — will include more than 500 residential units and multiple hotel brands.

Pet parents are increasing the budgets for their furry friends.

That’s according to a new survey from Talker Research and MetLife Pet Insurance, which found that dog and cat owners spent an average of $138 per month on their pet in 2025, a 20% increase from 2024. Pet owners were able to save on food (down to $470 in 2025 from $506 in 2024), but saw increases in how much they spend on toys ($247, up from $198), clothes ($223, up from $150) and treats ($285, up from $234).

Including non-monthly expenses like vet appointments, the average pet parent spent a total of $2,360 on their pet in 2025, up from $2,086 in 2024. Looking ahead, nearly four-in-10 (37%) of those surveyed said they expect to spend more money on their pet in 2026. Nearly half (48%) have a budget when it comes to pet spending this year, up from 42% last year.

Pet parents say they are trying their best to plan ahead, partially because one-in-five (22%) had a pet undergo a major unexpected health event in 2025, up from just 13% in 2024.

According to the survey, 65% of pet owners would make budget cuts to their own lifestyle before disrupting their pet’s. A strong majority of consumers (85%) said their pet was their main source of happiness throughout 2025.

[READ MORE: Woof Gang hits 300 locations]

Talker Research’s survey was commissioned by MetLife and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between Dec. 12 - 19, 2025. It included 2,000 dog and cat owners who have access to the internet.

Hot Topic Inc. maintains a 360-degree enterprise data view.

The retailer of music, entertainment and pop culture merchandise had been struggling with a fragmented, siloed data environment that allowed it to analyze sales data but only provided a few personnel with access to customer data.

As a result, Hot Topic faced high shipping costs, especially with split shipments, which ate into company profits. The retailer moved to the Snowflake enterprise data cloud and integrated it with the Robling retail analytics platform to create a unified platform for both product and customer data.

This transition led to immediate, tangible benefits including gaining granular visibility into gross margins. Reporting shifted from three-day service-level agreements to self-service as a result of more than 1,000 decision-makers obtaining data visibility.

By identifying and limiting the number of stores involved in fulfilling a single order, Hot Topic saved more than $200,000 in the first weekend of using its new data visibility platform. The company could drill down into specific campaign performance in a single day instead of its previous one-week process.

In addition, management can now better anticipate customer needs and align in-store and digital experiences to drive omnichannel sales.

[READ MORE: How retailers can leverage AI and data analytics to navigate the holiday season]

"We have yet to encounter a question that we've not been able to answer through data in Snowflake," Albert Kao, VP of customer experience and analytics, Hot Topic, said in emailed commentary to Chain Store Age.

Restaurant Brands International (RBI) is set to grow its largest quick-serve chain in a top international market.

The company has completed a previously announced agreement with Asia-based asset manager CPE to expand Burger King in China. Upon closing of the transaction, CPE invested $350 million of new primary capital into the joint venture, and now owns approximately 83% of Burger King China, with RBI retaining a 17% minority interest and a seat on the board of directors. 

A wholly-owned affiliate of Burger King China has also entered into a 20-year master development agreement, granting it exclusive rights to develop the Burger King brand in China. Together, CPE and RBI aim to expand Burger King's restaurant network in China from approximately 1,250 restaurants today to more than 4,000 by 2035.

RBI says the international partnership combines Burger King's “globally iconic brand and products” with CPE's “deep local market expertise,” creating a strong foundation to accelerate growth and enhance the guest experience across China. The Burger King system currently operates more than 19,000 locations in more than 120 countries and U.S. territories. 

“China remains one of the most important long-term growth opportunities for the Burger King brand globally,” said Josh Kobza, CEO of RBI. “With CPE as our partner and a clear strategy focused on food quality, restaurant execution, and brand relevance, we believe Burger King China is well positioned to build a high-quality, sustainable business."

[READ MORE: Popeyes to open 300-plus new locations in Mexico]

Formed in 2014, RBI is one of the world's largest quick service restaurant companies, operating over 32,000 restaurants in more than 120 countries and territories. RBI’s other restaurant brands include Tim Hortons, Popeyes and Firehouse Subs.

Target Corp. continues to expand its footprint — including its smaller-store format.

The discounter is opening seven stores in March (locations at end of article). The new outposts are part of the 30-plus stores that Target plans to open this year — and the more than 300 new stores the company is on track to build by 2035.

Target’s March openings include a 40,000-sq.-ft. store in Jersey City, N.J. The retailer’s small-format concept is designed to cater to commuters, with locations near public transportation, early opening hours, amenities and easy fulfillment services. The six other Target stores opening in March feature the company’s larger format and average 148,00 sq. ft. 

“Our continued commitment to opening new stores is really about showing up for our guests and our communities —  and it starts with our incredible store team members,” said chief stores officer Adrienne Costanzo, who started her Target career 20 years ago at the company's store in Evansville, Ind. “These new stores give our teams the tools and environments to bring our merchandising strengths to life, create easier and more inspiring shopping experiences, and use technology to move smarter and faster every day. 

Locations

The following Target stores are set to open on March 15: 

•Bakersfield, Calif. (store is approximately 148,000 sq. ft.);

•Delano, Calif. (approximately 148,000 sq. ft.);

•Springfield, Mo. (approximately 148,000 sq. ft.);

•Jersey City, N.J. (approximately 40,000 sq. ft.);

•Fuquay Varina, N.C. (approximately 148,000 sq. ft.) and

•Oak Cliff, Texas (approximately 110,000 sq. ft.).

The following store will open on March 29, and will be Target’s 55th location in New Jersey:

•West Orange, N.J. (approximately 150,000 sq. ft.).

The parent company of Journeys and other footwear brands is making a change to its C-suite.

Genesco Inc.’s chief financial officer, Cassandra “Sandra” Harris,is stepping down from her role, effective March 6, to pursue other opportunities. She has served in the role since October 2024. 

Upon Harris’ departure, Genesco CEO Mimi E. Vaughn will assume the role of interim CFO. She served as Genesco’s CFO from 2015 to 2019 before taking the reins as CEO in February 2020. Genesco says it has initiated an active search for a permanent CFO and is moving to identify a “strategic leader to continue driving shareholder value.”

[READ MORE: Footwear giant Genesco overhauling IT ops to accelerate AI; job cuts likely]

“We thank Sandra for her contributions to Genesco and appreciate her support during this transition,” said Vaughn. “I am confident in the strength of our management and financial leadership team as we continue to execute on Genesco’s long-term growth strategy.”

Founded in 1924 and based in Nashville, Tenn., Genesco’s brands include Journeys, Little Burgundy, Schuh and Johnston & Murphy. The company operates more than 1,240 retail stores and branded e-commerce websites.