Johnny Rockets Establishes International Division … and More Industry News

MANAGEMENT CHANGES

Caribou Coffee Inc. (Minneapolis) named Leigh Anne Snider senior vp of retail operations. Snider will work closely with company ceo Mike Tattersfield to drive Caribou's overall domestic day-to-day operating activities.

Portland, Ore.-based Grand + Benedicts, a global manufacturer of store fixtures, has added space planning to its list of services and hired retail environment designer Kathy Mann to oversee the new offering.

Matthei & Colin Associates, which specializes in planning and design of healthcare environments, has hired Amanda Arbuckle as an associate in the interior design department of its Chicago office. Prior to joining MCA, Amanda was with Anderson Miller Ltd.

Whitinsville, Mass.-based Access TCA welcomed two new team members to its Boston-area office. Scott Swaebe is the company’s new creative director and Robert Hoff has joined as the director of account development.

STORE OPENING

Tampa, Fla.-based Api(+) partnered with Luxottica's in-house design team to create a new flagship Sunglass Hut store on Miami Beach’s Lincoln Road. The store is housed in a historic building and features a modern aesthetic through color-changing LED lighting, terrazzo flooring and custom millwork

BUSINESS BRIEFS

Johnny Rockets (Aliso Viejo, Calif.) has established an international division, headed by Steve Devine, the new president of Johnny Rockets Intl., to help drive the company’s expansion efforts. The company holds franchising agreements in countries throughout North and South America, Asia and the Middle East. Countries to be added this year include Nigeria, Indonesia, Morocco, Brazil, Peru and Ecuador. Additionally, there are plans for 40 restaurants in Russia and for expansion of the brand's footprint in South Korea, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bahrain.

Los Angeles-based PHR L.A. Mart LLC, a commercial real estate management company, has purchased L.A. Mart from Merchandise Mart Properties Inc. (MMPI). L.A. Mart houses nearly 200 permanent year-round, residential, decorative accessory and gift showrooms serving the retail and interior design industries.

Humanscale’s (New York) Horizon, designed by Peter Stathis and Michael McCoy, won an International Design Excellence Award (IDEA) from the Industrial Designers Society of America.

Grand Rapids, Mich.-based GMB Architecture + Engineering Inc. has acquired Visbeen Associates Inc. to expand each firm’s capabilities. The acquisition allows GMBae to leverage its institutional design and engineering experience with that of a nationally recognized architectural firm specializing in residential design.

The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) is launching a credit certificate program in retail management in fall 2012. The program is developed in partnership with the National Retail Federation (NRF) and will focus on management of retail spaces in North America and abroad. For more information, visit www.fitnyc.edu/11604.asp.