News Briefs

A quick-serve chicken tender chain is expanding its growth plans for the Lone Star State.

Orlando-based Huey Magoo’s has signed a 15-unit development agreement for Texas with SMR Capital Group, growing the chain’s presence in Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston and Montgomery counties. Earlier this year, Huey Magoo’s signed a development totaling 12 restaurants, marking the brand's entry into Texas with eight locations planned.

"We continue to attract proven operators who see the strength of the Huey Magoo's brand and our ability to scale," said Andy Howard, president and CEO of Huey Magoo's. "The SMR Capital Group brings the right combination of operational expertise and development experience, and we're confident in their ability to successfully grow the brand across Texas.”

Huey Magoo’s said it is on track to reach 100 locations in 2026. The brand, which was founded in 2004, currently operates more than 85 locations across 12 states.

2025 was a strong year for Huey Magoo’s. In the final quarter of the year alone, Huey Magoo’s expanded its footprint across the south, with new restaurants opening in Tupelo, Miss., Cornelia, Jesup, and Macon, Ga., Brookline, Mo., and Jacksonville, Fla. 

Last year, the brand also introduced a condensed 1,500-sq.-ft. prototype that reduces buildout costs and speeds development, in addition to launching its Magoo's Rewards loyalty program.

[READ MORE: Huey Magoo's to continue expansion in 2026 — here's where]

"We were deliberate in selecting a brand that aligns with our long-term growth strategy, and Huey Magoo's stood out for its strong fundamentals and scalability," said Muhammad Ali Akbar, managing partner at SMR. "We see a significant opportunity in our territory and look forward to building a high-performing portfolio across these markets."

Nordstrom is growing its footprint in the Golden State.

The retailer will open two additional Nordstrom Local service hubs in San Diego and Danville, Calif. The 1,190-sq.-ft. Nordstrom Local One Paseo will open June 4 in San Diego, and the 1,214-sq.-ft. Nordstrom Local Danville will open on June 18 in Danville, which is an inland city in the Bay Area.

At Nordstrom Local, customers have access to online order pick and return services, along with alterations and gift box services. Guests can also donate gently-used clothing and shoes at the hubs.

Nordstrom Local One Paseo and Nordstrom Local Danville will be the fifth and sixth Nordstrom Local in the state of California, joining Nordstrom Local Brentwood, Newport Beach, Manhattan Beach and Fillmore.

[READ MORE: Nordstrom Rack adds Michigan store to 2027 lineup]

"We're excited to bring these new Nordstrom Local service hubs to San Diego and Danville, expanding our commitment to serving customers across California," said Fanya Chandler, president of Nordstrom stores. “Northern and Southern California represent two of our most significant markets, and these new locations reflect our continued focus on evolving alongside our customers. By extending our presence closer to where our customers live and work, we believe Nordstrom Locals will offer greater convenience, broader access to what they need, and a more personalized experience.”

The Nordstrom Local expansion comes as the retailer has a host of store openings planned for the near future. Nordstrom will open more than 20 Rack locations this year, with new stores planned in major markets such as Atlanta, Orlando, Tampa and several East Coast cities.

Headquartered in Seattle, Nordstrom Inc. operates nearly 400 Nordstrom, Nordstrom Local and Nordstrom Rack locations nationwide.

A direct-to-consumer shaving brand is expanding its product offerings.

Dollar Shave Club is launching a line of razors and shaving accessories for women – a first for the brand which launched in 2011. Priced from $5-$10, the women’s line features a “high-performance” collection of razors and handles, along with shave aids, including argan oil, hyaluronic acid and shea.

"For over a decade, we've cut out the unnecessary fluff that's been upsold to dudes. Now, we're excited to be doing the exact same thing for women," said Larry Bodner, CEO at Dollar Shave Club. "We aren't here to tell you how to shave, where to shave, or even if you should shave. That's your business. Our business is providing high-performance tools that get the job done at a price that respects your wallet."

Highlights of the new collection include the following:

Razors:  

•Women's 6-Blade Razor ($10 for 4ct Refill)

•Wavy Grip Handle ($7)

•Shower Hanger ($5)

Shave Aids:

•Sugar Scrub ($10)

•Shave Butter ($8 for 6oz / $6 for 3oz)

•Shave Oil ($9): 

•Post Shave Body Balm ($9)

Bundles:

•No Frills Starter Set ($4.99): Handle, 6-Blade Razor, 3oz Shave Butter.

•The Glide & Glisten Bundle ($14.99): Handle, 6-Blade Razors 4ct, 6oz Post Shave Body Balm, 8oz Shave Oil.

•Fully Loaded Starter Set ($19.99): Handle, 6-Blade Razors 6ct, Shower Hanger, 6oz Sugar Scrub, 8oz Shave Oil.

[READ MORE: Men’s grooming brand Manscaped rolls out loyalty program]

The Dollar Shave Club women's line is available now at dollarshaveclub.com and on Amazon.

[READ MORE: Retailers 'stuck' in exploring, planning phases of AI integration]

While high prices are continuing to hit consumers, many are still shopping with values in mind.

According to new data released from Numerator’s 2026 Visions Report, nearly half (48%) of consumers said they would stop purchasing from a company that takes a political or social stance misaligned with their values, up two points compared to July 2025.

Nearly four-in-10 (38%) consumers said they participated in at least one consumer boycott in the past year. After rolling back DEI initiatives in early 2025, Numerator found that Target’s traffic among African-American shoppers is down 10.9 million trips (-16%), accounting for nearly 40% of the retailer’s total sales decline in the fiscal quarter ending Oct. 31, 2025.

Numerator’s data also found that artificial intelligence is being increasingly used by consumers for shopping purposes. Among all U.S. consumers, 12% said they now use AI to help with shopping (up four points vs. July 2025), while 23% of Gen Z consumers say the same (up 14 points). Among AI users, consumers see value in AI’s ability to find deals (32%), compare prices and features (30%) and provide inspiration for meals and brand research (29%).

[READ MORE: Survey: Consumers trading down, consolidating trips because of fuel costs]

Numerator also found that returning customers are driving brand growth. On average, the top 100 fastest-growing brands of 2025 (as identified by Numerator) increased household penetration by 1.5 percentage points, while trips per household increased 3.5%. 

Relative to their existing shopper bases, the top 10 brands of 2025 were significantly more likely to acquire consumers at both ends of the generational spectrum. These brands were 23% more likely to acquire Gen Z shoppers, and 31% more likely to acquire Baby Boomers, which Numerator noted as highlighting an important balance.

A fast-casual restaurant chain is utilizing Amazon cloud and artificial intelligence technology to scale order management during peak periods.

With more than 70% of its domestic sales now happening via digital channels, Wingstop utilizes a proprietary AI-based digital ordering solution called “MyWingstop,” which is built on the Amazon Web Services (AWS) hosted cloud platform.

MyWingstop manages millions of real-time transactions. The platform’s AI capabilities help anticipate which menu items will be most popular during peak order periods, such as major sporting events, and ensure restaurants are prepared for demand surges.

“Wingstop has built a highly digital business, and that requires a technology platform that can perform reliably at scale,” said Brad Brewer, chief commercial officer at Wingstop. “Running our platform on AWS gives us the flexibility and stability to support millions of digital transactions during major sports moments, while continuing to innovate across our customer experience and restaurant operations—and deliver consistent performance across everyday occasions.”

MyWingstop successfully handled orders for tens of millions of wings during the 2026 Super Bowl, and Wingstop reports it has also been managing surging demand during the 2026 NCAA “March Madness” college basketball tournament.

[READ MORE: The Super Bowl gets bigger – and retailers respond with tech]

“Restaurants today depend on resilient cloud infrastructure to deliver reliable digital experiences for their guests,” said Deborah Matteliano, AWS global head of restaurants and food Tech. “We’re proud to support Wingstop with the scalable infrastructure that helps keep their systems running smoothly during their busiest moments, especially when millions of fans are counting on them during March Hoops and beyond.”

Wingstop says it is already looking ahead to managing increased order volumes during global soccer tournaments being held this summer.