The Daily Edition of Franchise Business News

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the unemployment rate for new veterans is 12.5 percent, far above the current national average of about 9 percent. There are more than 1 million unemployed veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces and in order to...

ShelfGenie, a franchised company that designs, builds and installs customized Glide-Out® shelving systems for existing cabinets, recently bestowed two franchisees with prestigious awards at the company's 2011 national convention in Atlanta, Ga....

Fourteen 14 RE/MAX brokerages in the metropolitan Chicago real estate market were among the RE/MAX franchises and agents who dominated nearly all categories in the RISMedia 23rd annual Power Broker Report, a national ranking of residential real...

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment situation remained essentially unchanged in May, with the number of unemployed persons holding at 13.9 million and the unemployment rate stuck at 9.1 percent. Job seekers continue to...

With the summer heating up, there is no better way to enjoy the warmth of summer than with the newest Sauce of the Season. In July, HuHot Mongolian Grills across the United States will launch Mongolian Sunburn, ying and yang of sweet citrus flavors...

The recent Houston ColorTyme Grand Opening was more than just an afternoon of family fun and games. Saturday's event marked a new locally-owned rent-to-own option for residents and introduced the store's customer-focused owners and staff.

Chester's International, the leading fried chicken foodservice offering in the convenience store category, announces the grand opening of its locations in Indiana, Mississippi, Nebraska and Oregon.

The CENTURY 21(R) System has been supporting Easter Seals for more than three decades, and this July Rick Davidson, president and chief executive officer of Century 21 Real Estate LLC, will lead a five-member team through the Alaska Mountain Range...

Beef 'O' Brady's, the 220-unit franchise of family sports pubs & restaurants, announced today the signing of its first Harlingen-McAllen-Brownsville franchise agreement in McAllen, TX. Best known for its great food and the ties it builds with...

This week, Massage Envy, the nation's largest provider of therapeutic massage, announces the opening of two new centers in the Washington D.C. capital region- Frederick, MD and Clarendon, VA. The addition of the new locations brings the Massage Envy...

California Pizza Kitchen, Inc. (CPK) (NASDAQ: CPKI) home of the Original BBQ Chicken Pizza and other innovative hearth-baked pizzas, made-to-order pastas, creative salads, appetizers, soups, sandwiches and desserts, announced today the nationwide...

When Calvin Smith became involved in the City of Akron Energy Efficient Homes project, he was pleased to learn that Ferut Architects had been secured to design the two homes his company, Calvin Smith Builders, Inc. would construct. Why? Because,...

Famous Dave's of America, Inc. (Nasdaq:DAVE) announced today that its Traveling Rib Team has won the prestigious People's Choice Award for Best Ribs in America at the Great American Rib Cook-off in Cleveland, Ohio.

Bringing a sizzling finish to months of regional competitions, El Pollo Loco awarded German Veletzuy from Sylmar, CA, the esteemed title of Top Grill Master at its 17th Annual Grill Master Challenge held June 16, 2011 in Los Angeles, CA.

Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc., (NASDAQ: RRGB), a casual dining restaurant chain focused on serving an innovative selection of high-quality gourmet burgers in a family-friendly atmosphere, today announced the departures of Katie Scherping, chief...

This week Buffalo Wings & Rings (BW&R) launched its new website and updated logo marking the brand's evolution as one of America's most popular sports restaurants. Providing a new generation of customers great food, the brand is making...

In a move that is expected to influence both the franchise industry and the business of Social CRM, Engage121, Inc., a software firm specializing in customer relationship management through social media, announced that Tasti D-Lite has licensed the...

Working mom expert and Mom Corps founder Allison O'Kelly shares tips on how to find the work-at-home opportunities that may lead to a new, non-traditional career.

Savor the delicious tastes of summer fruit with Krispy Kreme's fruit flavored doughnuts and iced beverages. Delicious Lemon doughnuts and Jolly Rancher® Krispy Kreme Chillers are now available for a limited-time only at participating U.S. and...

Marble Slab Creamery has declared July 11, 2011, "Red Head Appreciation Day" to help celebrate the launch of the brand's new Red Velvet Ice Cream. Marble Slab Creamery is managed by GFG Management, LLC, a subsidiary of Global Franchise Group.

On the heels of the company's first opening in Denver at the Sheraton Downtown Denver Hotel, Zoup! Fresh Soup Company will be opening their second Colorado restaurant location at the Shops at Greenwood Village, located at 9672 E. Arapahoe Road in...

Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate LLC held a national online career event on June 7 that attracted more than 300 real estate agents and prospective agents throughout the United States.

The Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation announces the approval of 20 grant requests valued at more than $250,000. The funding and resources will assist fire departments, police departments and EMS in Firehouse Subs communities in Arkansas,...

Let's face it: It's not a seller's market. Loans are increasingly difficult to qualify for, consumer confidence is low and many are facing job uncertainty. For those looking to sell their homes, they'll need to pull out all the stops, and it starts...

ERA Franchise Systems LLC yesterday honored ERA Japan, its first international master franchisee, on the occasion of the company's 30th anniversary with the global real estate franchise network.

You took a sailboat to your meeting. You hit "reply all" by mistake. Your co-workers found your pants... eventually.

Famous Dave's of America, Inc. (Nasdaq:DAVE) announced today that all Company-owned locations are offering online ordering for Guests via the Famous Dave's website at www.famousdaves.com/order-online.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) announces plans to further expand its presence in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with the opening of two new hotels which will add more than 450 rooms to the city of Medina. Owned by Saudi...

Bringing a sizzling finish to months of regional competitions, El Pollo Loco awarded German Veletzuy from Sylmar, CA, the esteemed title of Top Grill Master at its 17th Annual Grill Master Challenge held June 16, 2011 in Los Angeles, CA.

ShelfGenie, a franchised company that designs, builds and installs customized Glide-Out® shelving systems for existing cabinets, recently bestowed two franchisees with prestigious awards at the company's 2011 national convention in Atlanta, Ga....

Over 90 million homes throughout North America have aluminum or vinyl siding for exterior protection and are therefore affected by the chalky, white bleed from aluminum, caused by oxidation, and the pitted surfaces produced by airborne...

Starting today, Canadian Tire stores across the country now offer Inglis® refrigerators, washers, dryers, dishwashers, and cooking ranges as well as Amana® freezers and microwaves, at competitive prices.

Former Sotheby's Affiliates, Janice Corley and Cynthia Bauer, have partnered to open RE/MAX Premier Properties in Chicago's Gold Coast neighborhood. Located at 1205 N. Dearborn St., RE/MAX Premier Properties will serve buyers and sellers in some of...

Jo Kirchner, president and CEO of Primrose Schools, has been named one of the winners of the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year award in the Alabama/Georgia/Tennessee region. Kirchner won in the service category for her visionary leadership in...

Andrew and Mandy Lynch, who own and operate a Cafe2U franchise in the Perth region of Kenwick and Maddington, received a Merit Award for their outstanding efforts throughout the year at the Franchising Council of Australia (FCA) Awards, held in...

Teriyaki Experience has made an international splash over the past nearly 25 years with customers who are seeking quick and healthy Japanese fast food. On the heels of the company's worldwide expansion plans, the concept is getting ready to break...

Summer is officially under way and, beginning today, Jack in the Box® restaurants is serving up the season's biggest and best meal deal – a $3.99 Really Big Chicken Sandwich Combo. Available for a limited time, the combo features Jack's...

He grew up in his grandparents' kitchen in New York savoring homemade Italian tastes. As a teenager he mastered many of his current specialties while learning from some of Italy's finest connoisseurs of culinary wizardry at his parents' fine Italian...

For the entire month of May, select Super Wash® car washes hosted a FoodRaiser to raise money for local food pantries. $42,550 was collectively raised with an average donation of $250.00 made to each participating food pantry. All of the money...

Summertime is upon us, and school is…in session? Perhaps not in the traditional classroom, but many students across the country take advantage of the break in classes for some extra instruction, whether to catch up to their peers, pursue...

Homewood Suites by Hilton, the international brand of all-suite, residential-style hotels, today announced the opening of its newest property in Fort Wayne, Ind. The six-story, 79 suite hotel is owned by Ash Lakhany, CEO of Hoosier Hospitality, and...

As part of its international growth strategy, KidzArt, the leading art franchise worldwide, announced its continued expansion with two new franchise partners signing on in Saudi Arabia and Malta. Responding to an increase in demand for children's...

Armed with a refreshed menu and new prototype design, Tampa-based Beef 'O' Brady's, the 220-unit franchise of family sports pubs & restaurants best known for great food and the ties it builds with its communities, has identified Siloam Springs...

Australian-born Cafe2U, the world's largest mobile coffee franchise has just signed a Master Franchise deal for the USA.

Snoring sufferers can finally sleep easy thanks to the first ever snore absorption room that's helping the sleep deprived tune out and nod off from their noisy partners. The new room, which is being trialled by Crowne Plaza is a result of research...

Hurricane Grill & Wings is commemorating its rapid expansion and welcoming new team members at the Hurricane Grill & Wings Annual Franchise Conference. The event will take place June 27th through June 29th 2011 at the TPC Sawgrass Marriott...

CKE Restaurants, Inc. and its Carl's Jr.® and Hardee's® restaurants raised more than $1 million for military families and veterans during the spring fundraiser that launched Stars for Troops, the chains' new charitable program. The three...

Businesses need to market themselves to be successful, but the wrong marketing can not only create challenges, it can be downright deadly. ActionCOACH Steve Leach has been coaching businesses for more than a decade and understands that one key to a...

Bagger Dave's Legendary Burger Tavern, a unique, full-service, ultra-casual restaurant and bar concept that recently started franchising, has launched an updated website to reflect its new brand strategy.

Owning a business can be overwhelming. Theirs is so much to do and so little time, it can feel like running in place. In his years as an ActionCOACH, Bruce Wilson has seen business owners struggle this way and he has come up with a solution, a way...

New impact has been created in the Red Herrings Badge range which has evolved from using a 'traditional' common-sized circular button badge, to shaped badges that are custom die-cut into any shape that creatively best suits each particular...

Mark Conway, owner of The Melting Pot of Raleigh (http://www.meltingpot.com), part of North America's premier fondue restaurant franchise, has been named a finalist for Best Romantic Restaurant in Wake County in Independent Weekly's 2011 Best of the...

For a mom whose child's birthday falls during the summer months, gathering 20-30 children for a party is a daunting task. To help make mom's life easier, Pump It Up has introduced the exclusive 'Perfect 10' party package, designed for 10 children or...

California Pizza Kitchen, Inc. (CPK) (NASDAQ: CPKI), a leading casual dining chain featuring an imaginative line of hearth-baked pizzas, today announced the opening of its twelfth restaurant in Mexico.

H&R Block, Inc. (NYSE: HRB) today reported net income from continuing operations for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2011 of $419.4 million, or $1.35 per share.

Fantastic Sams Hair Salons plans to develop 20 hair salons in the state of Vermont over the next five years.

Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts today introduced its lobby concept, "Le Méridien Hub," which re-interprets the hotel brand's lobbies as social gathering places for creative people to converse, debate and exchange. The Hub concept...

Sarku Japan®, the largest and most successful Japanese Quick Service Restaurant chain (QSR) in the United States, will take its sizzling teriyaki and made-to-order sushi from mall food courts to the streets. On June 25th, Sarku Japan® will...

Sonic Corp. (NASDAQ: SONC), the nation's largest chain of drive-in restaurants, today announced that the company will participate in the Oppenheimer 11th Annual Consumer Conference, which takes place in Boston, Massachusetts, on June 28 and 29,...

Today, Bruegger's Enterprises, Inc. announced a new development agreement with business partners Vish, Hitesh, Nick and BJ Patel, and their company Virginia Bagels LLC, to open six bakeries in Virginia Beach and the surrounding neighborhoods. The...

Texas-based Dickey's Barbecue Pit, the largest quick serve barbecue restaurant in the country, opens the doors to its new location in Sunset Valley, located at 5207 Brodie.

In the past 8 months, Dickey's Barbecue Pit launched 34 new stores in cities across the country, fueling employment growth in each community.

easyhome Ltd. (TSX:EH), Canada's largest merchandise leasing company and a growing provider of financial services, is pleased to announce the opening of its first stand alone easyfinancial location in Toronto, Ontario on Saturday, June 25, 2011 at...