Restaurant

Los Angeles — Juanita Tate Marketplace is now open, bringing 77,096 sq. ft. of outdoor retail space with a full-service grocery to the highly underserved surrounding community. Located at 944 East Slauson Avenue in South Los Angeles, the $21-million development is situated on a 6.5-acre site, which was formerly used as a scrap-metal plant.

Construction began in May 2013 and completed in April 2014. The center is owned by Regency Centers and was designed by Nadel.

New York -- McDonald's named Julia Vander Ploeg as its first VP of digital in the U.S., as part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen its digital presence, Ad Age reported.

Vander Ploeg will report to company’s chief digital officer, Atif Rafiq, who joined McDonald’s in October.
 

The story of Houston, Texas has added some exciting new chapters in recent years. With low unemployment, a booming economy and one of the fastest-growing populations of any city in the nation, Houston’s rise alongside some of the most prominent cities in the nation continues unabated. Trailing only New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago in size, Houston’s growing influence as a cultural and financial icon has made it a player on the national and international stage.

Kansas City, Kansas -- Designer outlet center Legends Outlets Kansas City announced that SweetFrog, a premium frozen yogurt chain based in Richmond, Virginia, has officially opened its first area location. The newest store is part of an expansion plan that adds to an existing 325-plus locations in the United States and abroad.

Eatontown, N.J. -- Vietnamese noodle restaurant Pho 99 and nail salon Affinity Nails & Spa have leased a combined 7,700 sq. ft. of space at Eatontown Plaza in Eatontown, New Jersey, announced Levin Management, exclusive leasing agent for the 30,000-sq.-ft. center.

The lease signing brings Eatontown Plaza to 100% occupancy.

Seattle – Starbucks Corp. is reportedly changing its scheduling rules to prevent employees from having to work an opening shift after a closing shift the previous evening. According to Bloomberg, Starbucks is altering its scheduling policy following a report in the New York Times about a Starbucks barista who had difficulty managing her schedule with her childcare needs.

Orlando, Fla. - Darden Restaurants Inc. has retained global executive search firm Russell Reynolds Associates to assist the company with the recruitment of its next CEO. As previously announced, Clarence Otis is stepping down as chairman and CEO of Darden.  

To ensure a smooth transition, Charles A. Ledsinger Jr. has been appointed independent non-executive chairman of the board, and Mr. Otis has agreed to continue serving as CEO of Darden until the earlier of the appointment of his successor or Dec. 31, 2014.

New York -- Following Starbucks Corp.’s announcement that it would change its scheduling rules to prevent employees from having to work an opening shift after a closing shift the previous evening, some workers have expressed skepticism that the changes would be universally enforced.