Hospitality

New York City -- Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim, through his Inmobiliaria Carso SA investment fund, spent $8.8 million to up his stake in Saks, according to Bloomberg. 

Slim, who was Saks’s largest shareholder before the purchases and last acquired the New York-based retailer’s shares in April 2009, raised his stake to 16% from 15.7%, the report said. Slim has made it a practice to add to his investment holdings when the markets slump.

Seattle -- Starbucks Corp. agreed to pay nearly $1.6 million to cafe managers and their lawyers to settle a dispute concerning overtime pay, the Associated Press reported.

The lawsuit was filed in 2009 in U.S. District Court in South Florida by a former Starbucks employee and covered roughly 550 managers.

Port Jefferson Station, N.Y.  -- Centro Properties Group US said that Five Guys Burgers & Fries has opened in Port Jefferson Station, N.Y.

The new 2,400-sq.-ft. restaurant is located at Nesconset Shopping Center, which is owned Centro Properties Group, based in New York City.
 

Erie, Pa. -- Youngstown, Ohio-based Cafaro Co. said that Jos. A. Bank Clothiers and Fox Head will be opening at the company’s Millcreek Mall, near Erie, Pa., in early November.

Jos. A. Bank will be located in the Promenade section of the mall. Motocross apparel retailer Fox Head will set up shop on the Macy’s Court.

Millcreek Mall Complex, in Millcreek Township, Pa., comprises more than 2 million sq. ft. of shopping, lodging, dining and entertainment. 
 

Eden Prairie, Minn. -- Restaurant chain Cosi said Monday it has selected WAND Corp. as its exclusive vendor for all digital menu board technology. Cosi said it plans to install the WAND Digital Menu Board system in all new and remodeled corporate restaurants and will encourage its franchisees to follow suit.

CHICAGO — The first CityTarget in downtown Chicago won’t open until next summer and already the store is assured of healthy lunch and dinner time traffic thanks to the addition of a Pret A Manger restaurant.

 For those who don’t speak French, Pret A Manger means “ready to eat,” and serves as a reference to the restaurant’s offering of such fresh and preservative free food as sandwiches, soups, salads and coffee. Regulars refer to the restaurant simply as Pret.

New York City -- Howard Schultz, CEO of Starbucks, cancelled a speech he was to give Friday at The Global Leadership Summit, an annual leadership summit organized by megachurch Willow Creek Community Church, South Barrington, Ill., after an online petition condemned the congregation as anti-gay. The church denies the charges.

The annual event draws tens of thousands of viewers via satellite. Past speakers have included former GE's Jack Welch former president Bill Clinton.

New York City -- Target announced that the British take-out chain Pret A Manager will open a location in CityTarget in Chicago.

The new, smaller Target format is set to open in the Windy City in 2012.