Hospitality

NEW YORK — Macy's has launched a new contest to find America's best griller. Customers can enter the "Macy's Great American Grilling Guru" contest via Facebook.com/macys from April 9 through April 27. Six finalists will be pitted against each other in a "Sizzle Showdown" on June 8 in Atlanta. One winner will earn the coveted title of America's Greatest Grilling Guru and receive the grand prize: $10,000 and a trip to Macy's 4th of July Fireworks in New York City. 

New York -- Caribou Coffee will close some 80 stores nationwide and turn 88 other locations into Peet's over the next 12 to 18 months, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Caribou, which is based in Minneapolis, went private this year in a $340 million deal with German investment firm Joh. A. Benckiser Group (JAB), which also owns Peet’s.  

Wallingford, Conn. -- Edible Arrangements has set its sights on the Pacific Northwest for an aggressive expansion campaign designed to open as many as 30 new locations in the near future.
 
Edible Arrangements already has 10 locations in Oregon and Washington and sees significant opportunity for growth, which will be accomplished through franchising. Most of the growth will be focused in the Seattle, Tacoma and Portland areas and the company is currently seeking franchisees with the resources to open multiple locations.
 

Aston, Pa. -- Action Services Group, a national retail and commercial lighting, sign and electrical maintenance and service company announced a service agreement with Morgan’s Foods Inc., operator of KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut Express and A&W restaurants under franchises licenses, to perform sign and exterior lighting service and maintenance for 73 of their franchise units.

Scottsdale, Ariz. -- JDA Software Group announced that Bob Evans Farms will deploy a JDA workforce management solution (formerly RedPrairie WFM) in approximately 565 Bob Evans restaurants.

Bob Evans selected JDA to help improve forecasting and scheduling of labor, drive proper placement of staff throughout the course of the day and provide exceptional service to every customer.

NEW YORK — Century 21 Department Store is expanding its popular downtown Manhattan flagship store.

The new store, which will be unveiled on April 9, will featue three new selling floors to accomodate its expanded merchandise assortment. The store will now total six floors and more than 2250,000 square feet.

Huntington Beach, Calif. -- BJ's Restaurants said Wednesday it has opened a new restaurant in Puyallup, Wash.

The 8,500-sq.-ft. BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse opened Monday  at South Hill Mall, a 1 million-sq.-ft. Cafaro Co. property.

"We are very excited to open our first restaurant of fiscal 2013 in Puyallup, a suburb of the Seattle market," said Greg Trojan, BJ’s president and CEO.

Asian fusion restaurant Ling & Louie's Kitchen is coming to Minneapolis and it will be located across the street from Target’s headquarters on Nicollet Mall.

Normally, a restaurant opening in Minneapolis wouldn’t qualify as retail industry news. However, an exception can be made when the location is across the street from Target’s bustling downtown headquarters where it is likely to become the new hot spot for employees at Target as well as supplier companies who populate nearby buildings.