Fast Casual Restaurant

Redlands, Calif. -- Atlanta-based Arby's Restaurant Group has licensed Esri’s Business Analyst software and business data to help with corporate decision making. Arby's is using the location-based system to more accurately assess its restaurants and trade areas including growing, remodeling, and relocating restaurants.

"Esri's Business Analyst has saved our GIS analyst countless hours and has had a positive impact on the Business Development department," said Dave Conklin, senior VP business development, Arby's Restaurant Group.

Laguna Hills, Calif. -- The Hodgdon Group said it has completed construction on the conversion of a Circuit City building in Laguna Hills, Calif., for the grand opening of an Ashley Furniture HomeStore on Friday, April 20. 



The former Circuit City building was expanded to make way for a fully remodeled 51,000-sq.-ft. retail building, which includes the new 33,000-sq.-ft. Ashley Furniture HomeStore plus Total Wine & More in the remaining 18,000 sq. ft.

Building collaborative relationships between design visionaries and construction teams was the fundamental theme underscoring the tips for success shared in the SPECS Planning & Design workshop session “Going from Prototype to Reality, Without Losing the Sizzle.”

Plymouth Meeting, Pa. -- Fameco Real Estate said that Buffalo Wild Wings has signed a 6,200-sq.-ft. lease at the Kennedy Mall in Brick Township, N.J.

The AntSul Group, doing business as Buffalo Wild Wings in the region, currently has two locations open; one in North Brunswick and one in Bridgewater. The location at Kennedy Mall will be the group’s third and it is expected to open in late May.
 

NEW YORK — Customer experience is highly correlated to loyalty in both the United States and the United Kingdom, according to a new report by Temkin Group.

According to "The ROI of Customer Experience" study, a $1 billion U.S. company can generate between $141 million and $382 million over three years if it makes a modest improvement in the customer experience it delivers.

New Orleans -- Covington, La.-based Stirling Properties announced that urban shopping center development Mid-City Market has broken ground in New Orleans, along the North Carrollton Avenue commercial corridor.
 
Opening in early 2013, Mid-City Market will complement the proposed Lafitte Greenway pedestrian and bicycle pathway that will border the shopping center.  

Oak Brook, Ill. -- McDonald’s Corp. announced Wednesday that vice chairman and CEO Jim Skinner will retire on June 30.

Skinner will be succeeded by current president and COO Dan Thompson, 48, effective July 1.

Chicago -- A report released Tuesday by research firm Technomic found that sales among the 500 largest U.S. restaurant chains increased 3.4% to $242 billion in 2011.

That compares to just a 1.8% increase in 2010.

Of the 500 restaurants analyzed by Technomic, more than 60% posted at least nominal sales increases; just 193 saw sales declines in 2011, compared with 231 in 2010.

San Mateo, Calif. -- Coupa Software said Monday that sandwich chain Quiznos, India, will deploy its cloud spend optimization software service in the region.

Apollo Elixirs Pvt., Ltd., a master franchisee of Southern India, selected the Coupa for Retail e-procurement solution based on its ability to harness the stores’ collective spend intelligence and predict the future purchasing needs of each Quiznos location.

Seattle -- Starbucks Corp. opened its first-ever juice bar under its newest banner, Evolution Fresh. The shop, which also features wraps, soups, salads and vegetarian items, is located in Bellevue, Wash.

Starbucks purchased the Evolution Fresh juice brand in November for $30 million. The coffee giant plans to roll out Evolution Fresh juices to its coffee shops later this year.