Camp Hill, Pa. — Rite Aid has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey, marking the second time in 24 months that the Pennsylvania-based convenience and drugstore chain has filed for voluntary bankruptcy protection. The previous filing in October 2023 preceded the closure of hundreds of stores across the country. The company is currently exploring opportunities to be acquired by outside entities. The company did not explicitly state how many of its stores would be immediately impacted but noted that it would …
Manchester, Conn. — Bob’s Discount Furniture has announced plans to open 20 new stores in 2025. Among the 20 stores, six will be located in North Carolina, marking the brand’s entry into the Southeast. Bob’s will also open its first location in Vermont. The brand’s 2025 expansion began in February, which included new store openings in Burnsville, Minnesota; Winchester, Virginia; Reno, Nevada; and Davenport, Iowa. Summer and fall openings will comprise locations in Queens, New York; Eatontown, New Jersey; Eaton, Pennsylvania; Williston, Vermont; Troy, Michigan; Dorchester, Massachusetts; Sacramento, California; and …
Brookfield, Wis. — Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming has opened its first store in Wisconsin, which marks the brand’s entry into its 27th state. The company has more than 70 store openings planned for 2025, including locations in Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, North Dakota, Oregon, Utah and Washington. In 2024, Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming opened 50 stores in 10 new states and Canada. Founded in 2007, Orlando, Florida-based Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming has more than 450 locations open or in development.
San Diego — Jack in the Box Inc. has announced plans to improve its long-term financial performance across its restaurant system, which includes the closure of 150 to 200 underperforming Jack in the Box restaurants, as well as possible alternatives for its Del Taco brand, which it acquired in March 2022. Jack in the Box will implement a block closure program, which will comprise of approximately 80 to 120 restaurant closures between now and December 31, with the remaining underperforming restaurants closing thereafter, based upon franchise agreement termination dates. San …
Allen, Texas — Indoor-outdoor entertainment and dining concept Chicken N Pickle will open its third venue in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and its fifth overall in Texas this month. Situated at The Farm, a mixed-use development located in Allen, Chicken N Pickle Allen totals 55,000 square feet across two levels, with dining areas, a sports bar, beer garden, cornhole, six indoor pickleball courts, two outdoor pickleball courts, as well as additional yard games. The venue also offers “all abilities” programming and sports wheelchairs. Chicken N Pickle Allen will open May 13. …
North Plainfield, N.J. — Levin Management Corp. (LMC) has appointed Jeanette Oliver, an industry veteran with more than 25 years of experience in the real estate and development industries, to the role of chief financial officer. Oliver previously served as chief accounting officer at Silverstein Properties Inc. and as an accounting director at Forest City Ratner Cos. In her new role, Oliver will be responsible for LMC’s finance, accounting, budgeting, credit, cash management and lease administration functions.
Hartland, Wis. — Hartland, Wisconsin-based Batteries Plus has signed a franchise agreement to open 17 new units in several locations across the U.S., including Hawaii, Florida, New Jersey and Texas. The retailer is on pace to have locations open and under development in all 50 states by the end of the year, with Hawaii marking its 48th. Additionally, Batteries Plus has opened eight more stores during the first quarter of 2025 in Arkansas, Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, South Carolina and Texas.
Conshohocken, Pa. — Swedish home furnishings retailer IKEA is expanding to Texas with three small format stores, dubbed “city stores.” The first store, a 35,000-square-foot outpost will open this spring at San Mar Plaza in San Marcos, Texas, while a second store in Rockwell, Texas — which will comprise 108,875 square feet — is scheduled to open in December, according to CultureMap Dallas. IKEA Dallas – University Park, the third small-format store, will be located at The Shops at Park Lane in Dallas, which is scheduled to open in late …
Bentonville, Ark. — Sam’s Club, a division of Walmart, has announced plans to remodel all 600 of its existing membership-based stores nationwide. As part of its long-term strategy, Sam’s Club will also open 30 new locations over the next several years while building a pipeline to begin opening 15 new clubs annually. This marks the first expansion since 2017 after Sam’s Club closed 62 locations in 2018. The stores will be modeled after the Grapevine, Texas, location, which opened in December 2024. The new locations will span 160,000 square feet …
Henderson, N.C. — Henderson, North Carolina-based Variety Wholesalers has announced the first wave of reopenings for its newly obtained Big Lots locations. After Ohio-based Big Lots filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in September 2024, Variety Wholesalers acquired 219 Big Lots stores. Beginning April 10, nine stores will reopen across six states including Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. The remodeled stores will feature a selection of closeout deals, new merchandise categories, apparel and electronics. Variety Wholesalers will reopen the remaining acquired locations in subsequent waves. Approximately 55 …