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 UNITED STATES FRANCHISE NEWS ARCHIVE
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: : Aug 2001
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GNC store owners mull settlement. Settlement notices
were mailed to franchisees this week in hopes of stopping three potential
class action lawsuits against General Nutrition Cos. Inc. filed by
some members of its franchise system. .... [more]
31 Aug, 2001
Franchisee's expectations of Panera Bread on rise. Covelli
Enterprises Inc. is picking up the pace in its expansion plans for
its Panera Bread franchise in Pittsburgh. .... [more]
31 Aug, 2001
Building a brand. Lots of people buy and sell homes for profit.
HomeVestors' founders had to find a way to make their franchise company
stand out from the crowd. .... [more]
31 Aug, 2001
Creaming the competition. Cold Stone Creamery plans to open
as many as 100 franchise ice cream parlors in the Southeast within
three years. .... [more]
31 Aug, 2001
Galileo investors OK Cendant merger. Rosemont-based Galileo
International Inc. said its stockholders approved its proposed merger
with Cendant Corp. .... 31 Aug, 2001
Chico's Q2 profits top estimates. Women's apparel chain Chico's
FAS Inc. on Thursday said its second-quarter profits rose 50 percent,
beating Wall Street estimates, as customers snatched up its casual-style
clothing. .... 30 Aug, 2001
Travel Agents Launch Protest. Travel agents nationwide temporarily
closed up shop on Thursday to protest the airline industry's latest
reduction in commissions paid to them, a change that has already resulted
in more expensive booking fees for their customers. .... 30 Aug, 2001
McDonald's slows Latin growth. McDonald's Corp. is curbing
expansion of new restaurants in Argentina and Mexico because of their
weakening economies, following through on the company's pledge to
cut growth in emerging markets. .... 29 Aug, 2001
Papa John's franchise offer complete. PJ Acquisition Corp.
has completed its $21.8 million ($8.75 per share) cash offer for the
nation's largest Papa John's franchisee. .... [more]
28 Aug, 2001
Tricon Sues Burger King Over Deal. Tricon Global is suing
fast-food rival Burger King Corp., claiming it was shortchanged more
than $6 million. .... 28 Aug, 2001
Marriott to reposition Renaissance Hotels as chic. Marriott
International Inc. plans to turn its Renaissance hotels into a chic
chain. .... 27 Aug, 2001
Pret poaches top US director. Pret A Manager, the fashionable
sandwich shops chain, has poached one of the top US directors from
Starbucks, the coffee shop group, to strengthen its arm in the lunchtime
war being fought on the streets of New York. .... 27 Aug, 2001
No retreat for Greenberg. Though McDonald's risk-taking CEO
has handily survived a problem-plagued tenure, his future is riding
on his drive to restore the fast-food giant to its past profitability.
.... 26 Aug, 2001
Does Your Idea Have Franchise Potential? Learn the franchising
basics before you move forward with your plan to let other entrepreneurs
use your concept. .... [more]
25 Aug, 2001
Delivered-meal chain stakes out Charlotte franchises. A franchise
that specializes in home-delivered meals featuring charbroiled steaks
is cooking up expansion plans for Charlotte. .... [more]
24 Aug, 2001
Payless opens new Florida locations. Payless Car Rental Systems
Inc. announced today the opening of three South Florida franchise
locations. .... [more]
24 Aug, 2001
Barbecue chain to open restaurant in Palatine. After two months
of renovations totaling more than $1 million, Famous Dave's, a barbecue
rib restaurant chain, is set to open in Palatine. .... 23 Aug, 2001
McDonald's sued over alleged game fraud. McDonald's Corp.
is facing a lawsuit over alleged fraud in its "Monopoly" and "Who
Wants to Be a Millionaire" games. .... 23 Aug, 2001
Gymboree shrinks losses. Ailing children's apparel retailer
The Gymboree Corp. Thursday showed signs of recovery by narrowing
losses in the second quarter to $7.3 million or 26 cents per share,
an improvement on the $17 million net loss recorded for same period
last year. .... [more]
23 Aug, 2001
Krispy Kreme profit, growth heat up. Second quarter profit
for Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc. jumped 65 percent as the bakery chain
pursued new markets for its sugary doughnuts. .... 23 Aug, 2001
Entrepreneur Juggles Employees of All Ages. Amid a still-tight
job market, small-business owners often have staffers from both ends
of the age spectrum. Here's how one franchisee successfully manages
her age-diverse work force. .... [more]
22 Aug, 2001
Florida investigates GNC for illegal practices. Pittsburgh-based
General Nutrition Cos. Inc. is under investigation by the Office of
the Attorney General in Florida for allegations of unfair and deceptive
trade practices. .... [more]
22 Aug, 2001
Jacksonville at heart of McBurglar Case. Jacksonville is at
the heart of an investigation that led to the arrest of a suspected
criminal ring that has been charged with stealing McDonald's high-level
game prizes. .... [more]
22 Aug, 2001
Champps sticks to growth plan despite profit drop. Champps
Entertainment Inc. said Wednesday it is pressing ahead with a three-year
plan to expand the restaurant chain, even though profits will remain
depressed during that period. .... 22 Aug, 2001
Tony Roma's restaurants to expand to Brazil. Dallas-based
Romacorp Inc. said Tuesday it plans to launch Tony Roma's restaurants
in Brazil. .... [more]
21 Aug, 2001
Waffle House Managers Win Suit. A federal judge awarded nearly
$2.9 million in overtime pay, plus interest, to Waffle House restaurant
managers who said they regularly worked as cooks and servers and put
in nearly twice as many hours as they were told to expect. .... 21 Aug, 2001
FBI arrests 8 in fraud scheme targeting McDonald's game. The
FBI on Tuesday arrested eight people allegedly involved in a scheme
to defraud the McDonald's Corp. of some $13 million by rigging several
of the fast food company's promotional games since as early as 1995.
.... [more]
21 Aug, 2001
Group 1 Automotive drops plans for share offering. Auto retailer
Group 1 Automotive Inc. on Tuesday said it had dropped plans for a
public stock offering because of a decline in its stock price. ....
21 Aug, 2001
Venator posts loss, to change name to Foot Locker. Venator
Group Inc., parent of the Foot Locker athletic shoe chain, on Tuesday
said it slid into a quarterly loss on charges for plans to shed its
non-athletic businesses, including its Burger King franchises. ....
21 Aug, 2001
ServiceMaster buying Sears pest unit. The ServiceMaster Co.
today said it is adding Sears Termite and Pest Control to its Terminix
business, the nation's largest termite and pest control company. ....
20 Aug, 2001
Acquisition poises FFCA for world expansion. Franchise Finance
Corp. of America's acquisition by GE Capital could catapult the Scottsdale
financing firm into the international arena. .... [more]
20 Aug, 2001
The franchising industry continues to heighten. It generates
an estimated $1 trillion annually in the United States alone and it
takes an estimated 1,500 companies doing business through more than
316,000 retail units to generate that volume. .... [more]
17 Aug, 2001
Local technology training firm rolling its way to revenue records.
Information technology training giant ExecuTrain is having a down
year, expecting little or no revenue growth for 2001. But business
has been booming for its local operation. .... [more]
17 Aug, 2001
Coupon companies clipping along. Val-Pak, known for its blue,
coupon-stuffed envelopes, is stepping up its local delivery amid a
growth spurt in the direct mail marketing industry nationwide. ....
[more]
17 Aug, 2001
From the ground up. Building a company from the ground up
has its pitfalls, but inheriting an existing business has its challenges
as well. .... [more]
17 Aug, 2001
Fast-Food Giveaway Toys Face Rising Recalls. As restaurants
give away more toys, and as the toys have become more sophisticated,
an increasing number of the free toys are being recalled. .... 16 Aug, 2001
General Nutrition Settles Suits. General Nutrition Companies
Inc. has settled three lawsuits brought by disgruntled franchisees
who claimed they were being charged more for products than nearby
company-owned stores. .... 16 Aug, 2001
AFC Enterprises earnings rise on franchise revenue. AFC Enterprises
Inc., operator of the Popeye's Chicken and Cinnabon fast-food chains,
said on Tuesday that fiscal second-quarter earnings rose on strong
franchise revenues that improved margins, and lower interest expenses.
.... 14 Aug, 2001
Cendant Checks In For Growth. The diversified conglomerate
is putting its accounting problems in the past and is wooing growth
investors with an aggressive acquisition strategy that offers earnings
upside at an affordable price. .... 14 Aug, 2001
Will 7-Eleven produce fine wines? Chain pops the cork on wine
expansion, but not everyone applauds. .... [more]
13 Aug, 2001
Lone Star resumes expansion with two restaurant openings.
Wichita-based restaurant chain Lone Star Steakhouse & Saloon Inc.
has returned to a former growth path with its first new restaurant
openings in more than two years. .... [more]
13 Aug, 2001
Cendant agrees on $425 million for Cheap Tickets. Hotel, real
estate and car rental giant Cendant Corp. agreed today to buy the
discount airfare company Cheap Tickets Inc. for $425 million in cash.
.... 13 Aug, 2001
McDonald's to Reveal Sources of Product 'Flavorings'. Chastened
by the controversy over its failure to disclose the use of beef extract
in its french fries, McDonald's Corp. said Monday it would be more
explicit with its customers about the ingredients in the food they're
eating. .... 13 Aug, 2001
Krispy Kreme names North America president. Krispy Kreme Doughnuts
Inc. has appointed a former executive vice president of Northwest
Airlines Inc. as president of its operations in North America. ....
[more]
13 Aug, 2001
Eclypse lands Outdoor Lighting account. Birmingham-based Eclypse
Communication will market the Birmingham-area franchisee of Outdoor
Lighting Perspectives, an exterior landscape and architectural lighting
firm. .... [more]
10 Aug, 2001
RadioShack cuts 197 corporate jobs. Fort Worth-based RadioShack
Corp. said it has laid off 197 corporate employees, including 140
in Tarrant County. The electronics retailer said jobs were cut at
all levels and areas outside its retail operations. .... [more]
10 Aug, 2001
IFA chief: Laid off? Time to start a franchise. Denver's franchising
market is thriving despite the slowing economy, according to Don DeBolt,
president of the International Franchise Association. .... [more]
10 Aug, 2001
Woody's spreads franchising wings. Woody's Wings 'N' Things,
a family restaurant known for its buffalo-style chicken wings, hopes
to fly out of the coop soon. .... [more]
10 Aug, 2001
Take time to discover potential franchisees' core values.
If you employ a complex recruiting process, you'll get the strongest
candidates and, ultimately, the strongest franchisees. .... [more]
10 Aug, 2001
Why U.S. Franchises Face Problems Abroad. Although the demand
for American products and services is rising overseas, selling franchises
abroad is becoming more of a challenge. .... [more]
8 Aug, 2001
Brinker earnings rise on Chili's sales. Brinker International
Inc., operator of Chili's Grill & Bar and Corner Bakery Cafe restaurants,
said on Wednesday its fiscal fourth-quarter net income rose 17 percent,
helped by new restaurants and by sales growth at those open at least
a year. .... 8 Aug, 2001
Tricon Global Turnaround. When you're looking to sink your
teeth into value, Tricon Global Restaurants satisfies by serving up
the potential for stronger earnings and comparable same-store sales
growth in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2001. .... 7 Aug, 2001
Payless Car Rental is expanding. Payless Car Rental System
Inc. announced today it signed contracts for more than 10 new franchise
locations in several top major U.S. markets. .... [more]
7 Aug, 2001
Wingstop expands with franchise. Wingstop Restaurants is spreading
its wings. The aviation-themed chicken wing chain has inked a franchise
development agreement in Orlando as part of its entry into Florida.
.... [more]
7 Aug, 2001
Group 1 Automotive sets share offering. Group 1 Automotive
Inc. said it will sell 2.2 million common shares in an underwritten
public offering managed by Goldman, Sachs & Co., Merrill Lynch & Co.,
Banc of America Securities LLC and Robertson Stephens. .... [more]
6 Aug, 2001
Papa Murphy's taps Grey Worldwide to launch 100 new stores.
Take-and-bake pizza purveyor Papa Murphy's has tapped Grey Worldwide
to launch a branding campaign in tandem with plans to open 100 new
stores by year's end. .... [more]
6 Aug, 2001
RadioShack's July sales slip 5 percent. Consumer electronics
retailer RadioShack Corp. said Monday sales fell 5 percent in July
from the year-ago period, while sales at stores open at least a year
slipped 6 percent. .... [more]
6 Aug, 2001
Sharp costs hurt pizza biz. Atlanta businesses survived outrageous
gasoline prices last summer and painful heating prices last winter.
Now there's a new essential commodity reaching all-time highs and
cutting into profits. Cheese. .... [more]
6 Aug, 2001
German buyer for Budget arm. The German operations of Budget,
a US car rental group, is to be taken over by Nord Leas, a German
leasing company, FT Deutschland has learnt. .... 5 Aug, 2001
Franchise cashing in on legal self-help. We the People, which
has locations in Florida and 10 other states, has turned do-it-yourself
legal assistance into a fast-growing business. But not everyone has
embraced the company, or the idea. .... [more]
5 Aug, 2001
Fast Food Just Got Faster. McDonald's is looking to shear
15 seconds off its average 131-second wait by using the same technology
that lets motorists zip through tollbooths on highways and bridges
and get billed later. .... 3 Aug, 2001
Up and running on firm support. Two entrepreneurs and the
Central Plaza business area have reaped economic benefits from a new
franchise program for African-Americans. .... [more]
3 Aug, 2001
Cornering the franchise on stability. In good times and bad,
or when the economy is just off its feed, the nation's franchise industry
just seems to keep getting bigger, with ever-more kinds of goods and
services being marketed by a growing band of entrepreneurs known as
franchisees. .... [more]
3 Aug, 2001
McDonald's test-markets Latin dishes. McDonald's Corp. is
going Latino - test-marketing a Cuban sandwich, a dulce de leche caramel
sundae and several other Hispanic dishes in select restaurants in
South Florida. .... [more]
3 Aug, 2001
Pentagon Workers to Get Fast Food. Some of America's most
famous fast-foods are about to invade the Pentagon, offering to feed
the troops with franchise standbys like chocolate glazed doughnuts
and crispy fried chicken wings. .... 2 Aug, 2001
A Partnership of One. When a partner in a franchise wants
out, you're first call should be to an attorney - particularly if
you're being asked to return her investment .... [more]
2 Aug, 2001
Fired Up to open more Florida restaurants. Austin's Fired
Up Inc. has signed an agreement with Dining Concepts LLC for development
of Johnny Carino's Country Italian Restaurants in South Florida. ....
[more]
2 Aug, 2001
Cendant-Galileo deal hits bumps. Hotel and rental car giant
Cendant Corp.'s $2.9 billion bid for Rosemont-based travel reservation
firm Galileo International Inc. ran into trouble Wednesday as antitrust
regulators in the United States and Europe said the proposed merger
is under investigation. .... 2 Aug, 2001
Wendy's earnings rise on higher sales. Wendy's International
Inc., the No. 3 U.S. hamburger chain, on Wednesday said its second-quarter
earnings rose 11 percent, boosted by new restaurant openings and increased
sales at its Wendy's hamburger and Tim Hortons doughnut chains. ....
1 Aug, 2001
GE Capital completes Franchise Finance purchase. General Electric
Co.'s finance arm on Wednesday said it had completed the purchase
of Franchise Finance Corp. of America, a leading chain store financer,
in a sign of GE's growing role in the franchise financing market.
.... 1 Aug, 2001
Burger King recalling toys. Burger King announced a voluntary
nationwide recall of 2.6 million Kids Meals toys because they are
potentially hazardous to children. It's the company's third toy recall
in less than two years. .... 1 Aug, 2001
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