Hospitality

Aliso Viejo, Calif. — Johnny Rockets plans to open 25 new domestic stores during 2015 and 100 new domestic stores by 2017 via franchise expansion.

The casual dining chain is targeting the following U.S. cities for franchise growth in its Johnny Rockets, Johnny Rockets Express and Johnny Rockets Route 66 banners: Tucson, Arizona; Houston, Bridgewater, New Jersey., Gainesville, Florida; and Bakersfield and Fresno, California.

Philadelphia — The Pep Boys: Manny, Moe & Jack named Hertz Corp. veteran Scott P. Sider, 54, as its new CEO, effective June 15. He most recently served as group president of Hertz Corporation’s largest division, Rent A Car Americas, with over 3,200 locations.

The announcement comes more than eight months after Pep Boys CEO Michael Odell resigned on the heels of disappointing second quarter earnings.

NEW YORK — Veteran retail, hospitality, airport and commercial facilities architect and designer Anthony Deen has joined brand agency and retail design consultancy CBX as creative director, branded environments.

In his position, Deen will partner with senior management in shaping the vision for retail, restaurant and hospitality clients’ branded environments that are relevant in the marketplace.

Deen comes to CBX from Landor, a brand consulting and design firm in New York City, where he was creative director, environment design since 2011.  

San Antonio, Texas — CST Brands Inc., through its CrossAmerica Partners LP wholly-owned subsidiary, has acquired the Charleston, West Virginia-based One Stop convenience store network. CST is also moving 29 recently constructed stores into its wholly-owned CrossAmerica partnership via two “dropdown” transactions.

Washington, D.C. – At least two new strains of POS malware are reportedly threatening retailers. According to Bank Info Security, the FBI has released a warning about a new form of memory-scraping POS malware called Punkey.   Punkey can infect any Windows-based POS network and encrypts the data it steals, making detection difficult. Punkey may have been used in a recent breach at an unidentified U.S. restaurant chain.  

Kohl's and Disney's "Frozen" were among the winners at the LIMA International Licensing Awards.

In a ceremony held this week at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Kohl's Department Stores received the Retailer of the Year award for its in-store presentation of Frozen.

In addition, Jakks Pacific tied with Playmate Toys' Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles product line for the win in the Film, Television or Entertainment (Animated) Licensee: Hard Goods category for its Disney Frozen Snow Glow Elsa doll.

Indianapolis – Simon is expanding the Sawgrass Mills value, outlet and entertainment center in Sunrise, Florida by adding a full-price component, Town Center at Sawgrass. Town Center at Sawgrass will be accessible from both Flamingo and Sunrise boulevards and will be flanked by four new sit-down restaurants and a new parking deck able to accommodate 2,000 vehicles.

New York – Fast-casual sandwich chain Which Wich is partnering with Olo, a provider of online and mobile ordering solutions for the restaurant industry, to debut a new mobile app and digital ordering program.