Store Expansion News: October update
Retailers and restaurants alike made headlines in October with store expansion plans and new formats.
Here are the major stories as reported by Chain Store Age, starting with the most recent.
•Raymour & Flanigan expanding in 2027 — here’s where Building on strong performance at its existing Greater Boston-area showrooms, the furniture and mattress retailer said it plans to expand further across the region. It will open a 75,000-sq.-ft. store in Danvers, Mass., and a 105,000-sq.-ft. location in Nashua, N.H., with both expected to open in late 2027.
•Aritzia unveils ambitious five-year plan; to double U.S. store footprint The Vancouver, British Columbia-based apparel brand plans to open 12 to 14 new U.S. stores annually, to reach a total of 220 stores in North America by fiscal 2032. Aritzia also plans to expand or reposition five to seven existing locations each year.
•First Look: Bath & Body Works unveils new immersive store concept The body care and home fragrance retailer unveiled its new "Feel Good" format in Charlotte, N.C., at SouthPark Mall. Two additional locations featuring the new design are scheduled to open this fall, at Easton Town Center in Columbus, Ohio, and Palms at Town & Country in Miami. Highlights of the concept include a simplified floor plan, focused product displays, dedicated testing spaces and a more contemporary expression of the Bath & Body Works brand.
•Kroger to open 110 stores; unveils three updated formats The supermarket giant will introduce three updated store formats, with plans to build 110 stores in fast-growing markets by 2029. The new formats, which include smaller, more flexible footprints, are part of Kroger’s $5 billion investment in its stores, operations and e-commerce/media.
•Trader Joe’s to open 30 stores across 16 states — here’s the complete list The popular grocer has added more new locations to the “coming soon” page on its website. The page now lists the locations of 30 stores Trader Joe’s plans to open across 16 states, ranging from California to New York. The company currently operates approximately 670 stores.
•Tropical Smoothie Cafe plots dozens of new East Coast locations The smoothie chain has signed a 40-unit franchise development deal across New York and Connecticut with New York City-based franchisee Aurify Kingstar. The deal will expand Tropical Smoothie Cafe's presence across Albany, Westchester County, the Bronx and western Connecticut. Aurify Kingstar is planning to open its first location in early 2027.
•First Look: Diff Eyewear opens first of many brick-and-mortar stores Digital-first eyewear brand Diff Eyewear opened its first brick-and-mortar store on Oct. 10 in Charleston, S.C., and has plans for 30 additional stores over the next three years. Diff’s second location is expected to open in the Tampa Bay area in spring 2027. The brand says its retail concept is designed to position eyewear within a broader fashion and lifestyle environment.
•Krispy Kreme plots big NYC store expansion The donut giant has entered into a franchise development agreement with Original Entrepreneurs LLC to open 33 Krispy Kreme locations across the New York metro area over the next five years. The new stores will be developed in New York City and the surrounding region, including Long Island and New Jersey.
•Hawaiian Bros to make Florida debut with 50-plus locations The Hawaiian-inspired brand has signed a development agreement with Southern Rock Restaurants to open 52 units in Florida over the next six years, marking Hawaiian Bros’ entry into the Sunshine State. Southern Rock will open restaurants across Jacksonville, Gainesville, Tampa and Orlando over the period, including 24 restaurants planned for the next three years.
•Ross Stores reaches fiscal 2026 expansion goal — with plans for continued growth Off-price giant Ross Stores Inc. will open 41 Ross Dress for Less and 10 DD’s Discounts across 17 states in September and October, which completes its growth plans of 115 new locations for fiscal 2026. Looking ahead, the company said it is “well-positioned” to reach 2,900 Ross Dress for Less and 700 DD’s Discounts locations over time.
