News Briefs
- 2/3/2025
Huddle House to open four new Georgia locations
Southern casual-dining chain Huddle House is planning to expand its footprint in a key state.
The chain, known for all-day breakfast and homestyle food, has signed a multi-unit agreement with longtime operator Robert Wiggins Jr. to open new locations in rural Georgia. Wiggins, who currently operates locations in Hazlehurst, Baxley, Alma, Claxton and Reidsville, will add four locations in Douglas, Swainsboro and Pembroke to his portfolio.
“We are thrilled to see Robert continue expanding the Huddle House footprint,” said Kayla Edidin, senior director of franchise development at Huddle House. “His dedication to the brand and deep operational experience make him the perfect partner to help us strengthen our presence and serve more communities across the state.”
The first of the new locations is scheduled to open in the latter half of 2025. Huddle House has over 300 locations open or in development across the country. Last November, the chain signed its largest franchise deal ever, securing 20 new units across Texas.
“Our franchisees’ confidence in reinvesting with us has been a key driver of our expansion into new markets,” said Peter Ortiz, chief development officer at Ascent Development, part of Ascent Hospitality Management, which owns Huddle House. “Robert has been a trusted partner of the brand for years. His operational expertise and deep understanding of the Huddle House business model make him an invaluable asset as we continue to strengthen our presence in Georgia.”
[READ MORE: Survey: Restaurant leaders optimistic for 2025; plan to invest in…]
Founded in 1964, Huddle House is based in Atlanta.
- 2/3/2025
Macy’s ends tuition-free college degree program
Macy’s Inc. has decided to wind down an educational program for its employees.
The department store retailer confirmed in an email to Chain Store Age that it is discontinuing the program, which provided college degree programs and other educational courses to its employees at no cost. Macy’s launched the program, which was done in partnership with Guild, a leading education and upskilling platform, about three years ago.
According to Macy’s, the decision to end the program came after “careful” evaluation. The retailer found that program had limited benefits with regard to retention and internal promotions. (The program will end at the end of the current semester.)
Going forward, Macy’s noted it will continue to invest in educational initiatives, ones that better balance the needs of the company and its employees. The initiatives include a new partnership with Duolingo, a language-learning platform, based on business needs.
In addition, Macy’s is expanding its LinkedIn Learnings program, which was previously accessible only to Macy’s corporate colleagues. It will now be available to frontline employees as well.
In a statement to Chain Store Age, Guild said that it was disappointed that Macy’s made the decision to sunset their education benefits program.
“We are proud of the impact we drove over the course of our partnership, including a reduction in employee turnover, an increase in career mobility, and strong employee engagement amongst Macy’s employees who participated,” the statement read.
Guild counts several major retailers among its clients, ranging from Love’s Travel Stops to Walmart to Chipotle.
- 2/3/2025
U.S. convenience store count inches down; states with most c-stores are…
The number of convenience stores in the U.S. declined in 2024 — but only very slightly.
There are 152,255 convenience stores in the U.S., down 141 stores (0.1%) compared to the 2024 store count, according to the 2025 NACS/NIQ TDLinx Convenience Industry Store Count. Operators with one to one to 10 stores account for 63% of the total.
The number of convenience stores selling fuel increased 1.5% to 121,852 stores. (Convenience stores sell an estimated 80% of the fuel purchased in this country.)
Texas continues to have the most convenience stores (16,416 stores), followed by California (12,169) and Florida (9,732). Other states in the lead include New York (7,704), Georgia (7,053), Ohio (5,795), North Carolina (5,779), Michigan (4,986), Pennsylvania (4,819) and Illinois (4,735).
By store count, convenience stores far out number other brick-and-mortar channels. According to the NACS study, grocery, with 43,692 stores (down 3% from 2024), is second to the convenience channel, followed by dollar stores at 39,003 (up 1.5%), and drug stores at 38,514 (down 3.1%.)
With the U.S. population at an estimated 340 million according to the U.S. Census Bureau, there is one convenience store per every 2,233 people in the U.S.
The 2025 NACS/NIQ TDLinx Convenience Industry Store Count is based on stores in operation as of Dec. 31, 2024. More details can be found at here.
- 2/3/2025
Ace Hardware rolls out personalized subscription yard service
For the first time ever, Ace Hardware is offering yard care products and expertise on a subscription basis to members of its rewards program.
The world's largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative has launched AceYardRx, a prescriptive yard care program that provides a tailored plan based on a customer's regional location, grass type, yard size and brand or application preferences.
[READ MORE: Ace Hardware debuting yard care service with Groundhog Day promo]
How it works
Customers can log into their Ace Redwards account, enter their address at Ace YardRx and receive a personalized package based on their location, yard size and grass type.
Product recommendations include treatments for patch and repair, fertilizer, weed control, insect control and general seeding. Customers can also modify their program to address specific issues such as fungus, certain insects or weeds.
According to Ace Hardware, products will be delivered at the ideal time for maximum effectiveness and always have the best price of the season. Delivery is free and products are shipped from the customer’s local Ace Hardware store.
With consistent use, the retailer says AceYardRx treatments will build on each other to create a healthier, thriving lawn season after season, year after year.
"We're excited to launch Ace YardRx, a new subscription service that delivers yard care directly to our neighbors' homes," said Kim Lefko, chief marketing officer at Ace Hardware. "Groundhog Day is about looking ahead, no matter what the weather brings, and with Ace YardRx we're making it easy to do just that – prepare for the seasons to come with personalized product bundles delivered at the right time for a beautiful yard."
- 1/31/2025
LMI purchases third Texas center
Ohio-based real estate investment firm Last Mile Investments (LMI) has acquired its first shopping center in the Dallas area.
LMI has purchased its third center in the site after buying two in Houston last year. Quorum II Plaza in Addison, Texas spans 77,319-sq.-ft. and is 91.3% leased, with tenants including Verizon, Tiff’s Treats, The Improv, Salata, Jimmy John’s, The Melting Pot, and more. LMI says it will undertake a “rigorous leasing program and exterior refresh,” including paint, lighting upgrades and new awnings and signage.
[READ MORE: Last Mile Investments acquires two outdoor Houston centers]
JLL’s Erin Lazarus and Adam Howells served as brokers on the transaction. Taft Law represented LMI.
“We are thrilled to make our debut in Dallas with Quorum II Plaza, and were pleased to work with the seller, Westwood Financial, on this opportunity,” said Ryan Moore, CEO of LMI. “This is a unique opportunity to take an already successful center and bring it to the next level as we bring even more ‘last mile’ retail and services to the community.”
LMI described its newest acquisition as a property that serves an affluent submarket that provides urban appeal with suburban convenience. More than 45,000 vehicles travel the Beltline Road corridor daily, and more than 13 million people visit the area annually.
Leasing opportunities for Quorum II Plaza are represented by LMI’s VP of leasing, Sean Quinn, and SRS First VP Jack Dawson and associate broker Preston Enloe.
Cincinnati-based LMI’s portfolio includes approximately 35 assets, most of which are located in the Sunbelt.
(Image courtesy of LMI)
- 1/31/2025
Report: Costco hiking pay to $30-plus an hour for most U.S. store employees
Costco Wholesale Corp. is giving its hourly employees a raise and some new benefits.
The membership warehouse club will increase the pay for most of its hourly U.S. store workers to more than $30 an hour, according to a memo sent to employees, reported Reuters. The increase for employees at the top of Costco’s pay scale will be phased in over three years, with the pay increasing $1 to $30.20 in March and an extra $1 each in the subsequent two years, the report said.
The “bottom of the scale” employees will also get an increase of 50 cents, with pay rising to $20. (Due to low turnover, more than half of Costco’s hourly employees are in the top category.)
"With these changes, we believe our hourly wages and benefits will continue to far outpace others in the retail industry," Costco CEO Ron Vachris said in the memo, according to the report.
In addition to the pay increase, Costco is giving an extra week of vacation to workers after 30 years of employment. In another change, new employees will be given a vacation during their first year.
The wage increases, which apply to employees at non-union locations, comes as Costco is in down-to-the-wire contract negotiations with the Teamsters. Earlier this month, members of Costco Teamsters, which represents more than 18,000 Costco employees (out of a domestic workforce that totals some 219,000), across the country voted to authorize a strike. The current contract between the Teamsters and Costco is set to expire Jan. 31.
Costco currently operates 897 warehouses, including 617 in the United States and Puerto Rico.