Store Expansion News: December update
Retailers and restaurants alike made headlines to close out 2025 in December with store expansions and new formats.
Here are the major stories as reported by Chain Store Age, starting with the most recent.
Report: Barnes & Noble to open 60 stores in 2026 The bookseller plans to open 60 new locations across the country in 2026, reported USA Today. According to a list obtained by the publication, Barnes & Noble plans to open stores in Ohio, Texas, Florida, Illinois, Colorado, Washington state, California, Virginia, Georgia and Washington D.C., with "several openings" scheduled between now and June 2026.
Connecticut pizza favorite Sally's Apizza sets sights on 1,000 locations Sally’s Apizza, an 87-year-old pizza business founded in New Haven, Conn., is plotting a major expansion along the East Coast and beyond with the goal of reaching 1,000 units nationwide. The brand currently operates seven locations in Connecticut and Massachusetts, with several locations planned for 2026 in both its home state and new markets such as Boston, Long Island, N.Y. (Roosevelt Field Mall), and Boca Raton, Fla.
China's Mixue debuts in U.S. with Los Angeles store Mixue opened its first U.S. store in Los Angeles on Dec. 19, with locations soon to follow in New York City. The chain’s core menu features ice cream, pure tea, fruit tea, milk tea and freshly-brewed coffee with "customizable sugar levels" and toppings. Mixue operates more than 53,000 locations worldwide.
Pacsun plots U.S. expansion; to open 20 to 35 new stores over next three years The apparel retailer, which operates approximately 300-plus stores, opened nine U.S. locations in 2025. Looking ahead, Pacsun plans to add 20 to 35 new stores over the next three years, with nine leases already signed for 2026 — marking its most ambitious domestic retail expansion in nearly two decades.
- Von Maur to make New Jersey debut in 2027 The retailer will open an anchor store in fall 2027 at Freehold Raceway Mall in Freehold Township, N.J., marking its debut location in the state. The three-level, approximately 164,000-sq.-ft. Von Maur store will offer products from top brands across categories including apparel, shoes, accessories and gifts.
Clarks opens first 'Cloudsteppers' store in U.S. — with more to come The U.K.-based footwear brand has opened its first Cloudsteppers store in the U.S., a 1,255-sq.-ft. location at the La Palmera shopping center in Corpus Christi, Texas. Known for their signature “walk-on-air” feel, Cloudsteppers sandals and other footwear products combine “lightweight comfort, dependable quality, and exceptional everyday value,” the company said. Two additional Cloudsteppers stores will open in Florida and North Carolina within the first half of 2026.
Academy Sports reveals 2026 expansion plans; Q3 sales up 3% In its third-quarter results, the sporting goods chain reported opening a total of 24 stores in fiscal 2025, bringing its total to 317 locations across 21 states. Looking ahead, Academy plans to open 20 to 25 new locations in fiscal 2026. The company has said it sees the runway potential long-term to have 800-plus stores nationwide.
Captain D's debuts in NYC as part of Northeast expansion The fast-casual seafood chain has made its debut in New York City with a 650-sq.-ft. location in the Bronx. The new restaurant features a significantly smaller layout than a traditional Captain D’s store with no dining room or drive-thru, catering to customers on the move with a walk-up counter and takeaway service.
Build-A-Bear, Sanrio team up to open stores at two big centers The experiential retailer and the entertainment company best known for its Hello Kitty franchise are expanding their partnership to open co-branded stores at American Dream in East Rutherford, N.J. and Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn. in early 2026. The first Build-A-Bear & Hello Kitty and Friends Workshop opened in Los Angeles last year at Westfield Century City, and quickly became a” go-to destination for collectors, families, and devoted Sanrio fans,” according to the two companies.
- First Look: Gymshark goes big for its first-ever U.S. flagship Located on Bond Street in New York City’s SoHo neighborhood, the three-floor, 13,000-sq.-ft. store features Gymshark’s latest collections, with “bespoke bodegas” offering exclusive New York merchandise. The city’s heritage of neighborhood and community is reflected throughout the space, which has a color scheme of “Liberty Green.”
