News Briefs

Tim Hortons is upgrading – and expanding – its store fleet in its home country.

The coffee giant says that 340 Canadian owners are investing their own money to build or renovate 480 restaurants across the country in 2026. Tim Hortons restaurant owners are investing $270 million in the upgrades and new locations, in addition to Tim Hortons corporate investing an additional $130 million.

Tim Hortons estimates that 80 new locations will open in Canada this year, while 400 will undergo renovations. The upgraded restaurants will feature better lighting, layouts, design, and kitchen equipment, as well as improved digital ordering and pick-up capabilities, according to the company.

Tim Hortons is Canada’s largest restaurant chain, operating nearly 4,000 locations across the country.

"Tim Hortons was built in Canada by Canadians, and we are proud to continue investing in Canada to give our guests beautiful, modern restaurants to enjoy," said Axel Schwan, president of Tim Hortons. "These are Canadian families investing their own money in their own communities – and that's something we're proud of."

[READ MORE: Dunkin’ in deal to open hundreds of locations in Canada]

Founded in 1964, Tim Hortons operates more than 6,000 restaurants worldwide.

Honolulu’s world-renowned Ala Moana Center has a new Alaka’i (Hawaiian for “leader").

GGP has announced the appointment of Craig Gorris as senior general manager. The GGP and Brookfield veteran will oversee all aspects of center operations and lead the property team in collaborating on leasing, development, legal, and asset management.

“Craig is a proven leader with a strong track record running large, high-traffic shopping centers,” said Jake Wilson, vice president, property management retail at GGP. “He brings a practical, people-first approach that aligns well with Ala Moana Center’s scale, pace, and role in the community..” 

To his new post, Gorris brings more than three decades of experience within the GGP and Brookfield Properties portfolio to Ala Moana Center. 

He most recently served as senior general manager of Christiana Mall in Newark, Del., and previously held the same post at Glendale Galleria in California and Maple Tree Place in Williston, Vt.

Gorris has long been actively involved in industry and community organizations, serving on boards and committees for several chambers of commerce and other civic groups across the country. 

He holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Ohio University.

One of the largest commercial real estate services firms has added a new face to its C-suite.

New York City-based Newmark has named Kyle S. Lutnick as chief strategy officer. In the newly-created role, he will help shape the firmwide strategic and transformation agenda, including data, artificial intelligence and technology matters, and strategic account and platform growth. Lutnick will report to Luis Alvarado, Newmark’s chief operating officer.

Lutnick has served on Newmark’s board of directors since February 2025, and will continue to do so. He is also executive vice chairman of investment firm Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P. ("Cantor") and is expected to continue to provide services to Cantor Fitzgerald Securities and other Cantor businesses. 

"As Newmark continues to deliver broad-based growth and expand its global capabilities, we continue to see meaningful opportunities to build on Newmark's trajectory through strategic investment in operational capabilities that enhance collaboration, improve efficiency and further differentiate our service offering globally," said Newmark CEO Barry Gosin. "Kyle's service on Newmark's board of directors has demonstrated his strong ability to identify growth opportunities and bring innovative thinking to our business."

Lutnick previously served as global managing director of Knotel Inc., Newmark's flexible office and workspace business, and was part of Newmark's retail advisory team in New York City.

[READ MORE: Survey: AI trust lags for decision making among CRE execs]

"I am honored to step into this role at such an exciting time," said Lutnick. "Newmark has built a dynamic global platform with market-leading talent, and I look forward to building on that momentum by leveraging data and enhancing technology to deliver meaningful results for our clients."

Convenience and fuel retailers with unified payment stacks are seeing greater returns compared to those that don’t.

That's according to new research from global industrial technology company Vontier, which found that more than half (56%) of convenience retailers rely on multiple payment processors, while more than two-thirds (68%) operate two or more payment systems across devices. 

Vontier says that 68% of fuel retailers take at least six months to deploy new payment or loyalty capabilities, and those with multiple providers wait even longer (73%). Nearly two-thirds (64%) reported they were “very to extremely” confident that consolidating vendors and technologies would meaningfully reduce certification cycles and related costs.

[READ MORE: Survey: Consumers looking to save at pump, limit gas spending]

Vontier’s survey found that operators running more unified payment ecosystems are more likely to describe upgrades as smooth and cost-effective (63% vs. 38%), more likely to execute on new payment and loyalty initiatives within six months of a decision being made (47% vs. 26%), and less likely to cite staff time for testing and configuration as a cost of certification and compliance (47% vs. 55%). They are also more likely to say servicing and software updates are easy (43% vs. 10%)

"Convenience retail is built on delivering elevated consumer experiences and unified payment systems can support these expectations by driving faster feature rollouts, smoother upgrades and stronger customer engagement," said Mark Morelli, president and CEO of Vontier. "When certification cycles stretch into months, operators aren't just delayed – they're missing opportunities to capture visits, build loyalty and grow revenue. Reducing fragmentation in the environment is how retailers get back to moving at the pace their customers expect."

Vontier surveyed over 600 U.S. convenience store operators and fuel retailers.

The world’s largest sporting event is around the corner, and fans will soon have two new places to score merchandise for it in New York City.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 NYNJ Host Committee opened the newest official FIFA World Cup 2026 store in New York City on May 21, located at Hudson Yards. The store is the first of two official stores at Hudson Yards, offering fans access to official tournament merchandise ahead of the global soccer tournament.

The store is located on Level 3 of The Shops at Hudson Yards, with a wide assortment of FIFA World Cup branded apparel, accessories and memorabilia for purchase. The second store will open on the Public Square and Gardens at Hudson Yards in early June, which will also host one-of-a-kind events and programming, watch parties for key matches, including the tournament’s opening match in Mexico City on June 11 and one for the final match taking place on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.

To celebrate the new store, the FIFA World Cup 2026 NYNJ Host Committee hosted a ceremonial ribbon-cutting with FIFA president Gianni Infantino, NYNJ Host Committee CEO Alex Lasry, and Related Companies CEO Jeff Blau (developer of Hudson Yards).

[READ MORE: American Dream to open Lionel Messi-themed experience ahead of World Cup]

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will feature 104 matches between 48 national teams from June 11 to July 19, 2026 39 days in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

A specialty personal care retailer is deploying a new commerce platform across its store footprint.

Magnolia Soap & Bath Co. has selected Square as its unified commerce platform powering more than 50 locations across 17 states. The brand says it is investing in “modern, scalable infrastructure” to support franchisee success, maintain brand consistency, and deliver an immersive in-store experience as it continues expanding.

Magnolia Soap & Bath Co. operates an omnichannel model, with in-person experiences playing a key role in its operations. Customers are able to see products being made in stores, customize scents, participate in hands-on workshops, and take part in charitable initiatives including “Hope in Soap” – a monthly program directing soap proceeds to a local organization.

Square for Retail supports the omnichannel model by handling the "operational complexity" behind the scenes, according to the company. Each Magnolia Soap & Bath Co. location operates with a consistent digital foundation powered by Square, including branded micro-sites that enable online ordering, same-day pick-up, local delivery via DoorDash, and party and event bookings. 

Square for Franchises also handles reporting and KPI tracking across all 50-plus Magnolia Soap & Bath Co. locations, enabling their leadership team to meet with franchisees equipped with consistent, real-time data. Square's inventory management tools ensure product visibility across the network, while the Square Kiosk point-of-sale (POS) furthers the brand’s in-person experiences.

[READ MORE: Study: In-store online order fulfillment expected to rise]

“Square has molded to us and grown with us as we’ve expanded nationwide,” said Magen Bynum, who founded Magnolia Soap & Bath Co. in 2016. “We use it in every aspect of our business, from pulling KPIs and coaching franchisees, to managing inventory and processing transactions day-to-day. Having that visibility across all of our locations has been critical as we scale.”