Hospitality

Boston - Dessange International, owner of Fantastic Sams, Camille Albane and Dessange franchise brands, has promoted Linda Chadwick to president and CEO of Dessange Group North America. Chadwick had previously been the president and COO of Fantastic Sams.

Chadwick will lead Dessange International’s North American expansion of its three salon franchise brands. A veteran franchising executive, Chadwick spent more than 20 years at Burger King Corp., including three years as VP of franchise operations.

Seattle -- Starbucks Corp. is extending its college tuition assistance plan for workers to cover the entire cost of getting an online bachelor's degree. The coffee giant launched the program with Arizona State University in June 2014. At the time, it was limited to juniors and seniors looking to complete their degrees. But in a major expansion of the benefit, Starbucks said it will now cover the full cost of the four-year online degree.

Revolving doors can provide measurable ROI for retail and hospitality – way beyond the widely recognized energy savings from reduced air infiltration.  Meet Mark Perkins with Boon Edam, as he discusses revolving-door ROI, branding, the use of existing space, loss prevention and more.

New York -- Prospects for stellar rent growth and low vacancy helped make San Francisco the top-ranked city, followed by New York, in Marcus & Millichap’s 2015 National Retail Index, an annual real estate ranking of 46 major U.S. markets. Rounding out the top five: San Jose (#3); Austin (#4) and San Diego (#5).

Tokyo – The Cool Japan Fund, a fund mostly supported by Japanese taxpayers and linked to Japan’s government, will reportedly invest $2.18 million in a chain of U.S. green tea cafes. According to Reuters, the Cool Japan Fund will take a 49.9% stake in Green Tea World USA Inc.

Green Tea World plans to open its first tea café in California later in 2015. The company intends to open 50 stores in California cities including Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Jose in the next decade. Beverages will sell for $3 to $4 each.

Aliso Viejo, Calif. -- Johnny Rockets recently signed the largest development deal in the brand's history, with a plan to open 100 restaurants in China, with the first scheduled to open in 2016.

Tucson, Ariz. -- A 17-acre parcel of land at the northwest corner of Houghton and Old Vail Roads in southeastern Tucson, Arizona, is slated to become a new retail and restaurant hub. The site work has begun at Las Plazas at Old Vail, in the form of under-ground utilities, grading, retention/detention, common drive aisles, landscaping, curbs and parking lot lighting.

Chicago -- Mid-America Real Estate Corporation’s Investment Sales team recently brokered the sale of Summit Crossing located in Crown Point, Indiana. The 11,859-sq.-ft. center was purchased by a California-based private investor for $3.2 million.
 
Summit Crossing is located at the southeast corner of Route 55 and East Summit Street in Crown Point, in the Chicago MSA. The 100% leased center features a tenant mix that includes ATI Physical Therapy, Advance Auto Parts, Supercuts and Starbucks.