Hospitality

New York -- Simons, Canada’s eclectic and fashion-forward department store retailer, received top honors in Chain Store Age’s 31st annual Retail Store of the Year design competition. The company’s 118,000-sq.-ft. store in West Edmonton Mall, Edmonton, Canada, was named Store of the Year. Designed by figure3, Toronto, Simons also was the winning entry in the department store category.

Salt Lake City -- The world’s highest-resolution LED screen is on display in Las Vegas. The enormous screen, approximately 310 ft. wide by 60 ft. tall and populated with close to 11 million pixels, is the feature attraction of the Harmon Corner Retail Center, on the northeast corner of the Las Vegas Boulevard. The three-level center is anchored by Walgreens.

Encino, Calif. -- Yogurt chain Menchie’s said Friday it has launched a new mobile app, Yumm Finder, for iPhones, featuring location finder capabilities and featured promotions.

Menchie's partnered with RAZUR, based in Atlanta, to develop and release the app.

Dallas -- Corner Bakery Cafe announced plans to open 16 restaurants in six counties in the greater New York City area as part of a recent multi-unit agreement with CBCWSNY. The group of restaurant operators plans to open its first restaurant in 2013 and the remaining sites over the next six years.

Corner Bakery Cafe opened 20 new cafes and signed another 125 cafes in 2012, raising the total to 147 open cafes and 288 cafes under development, as the company moves forward on its goal to double its U.S. footprint by the end of 2015.

Oak Brook, Ill. -- McDonald's Corp. reported Friday that global same-store sales decreased 1.9% in January, hurt by weakened performance outside the U.S.

By segment, comps in the U.S. rose 0.9%, but decreased 2.1% in Europe and dropped 9.5% in the Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Africa.
 
Systemwide sales for the month increased 0.3%, or 0.7% in constant currencies.

New York -- Tata Starbucks Limited, the 50/50 joint venture between Starbucks Coffee Company and India’s Tata Global Beverages Limited, opened Starbucks’ first location in New Delhi. The store is designed to celebrate the heritage and history of the city.

Canton, Mass. -- Dunkin’ Donuts announced the signing of multi-unit store development agreements with two franchise groups to develop 11 restaurants throughout New Orleans.

The two franchise groups and their development plans include:

Dallas -- Real estate investment firm The Cogent Group said Tuesday that it has acquired 15 KFC properties in North Carolina. The properties are leased to a franchisee.
 
The 15 units are located in prime retail corridors in the North Carolina Triad market consisting of Greensboro, Winston Salem, and High Point, with above average unit sales. The properties are subject to long-term triple net leases having an initial term of 20 years, plus renewal options.