News and Analysis
10 Design Offers Four MULO Design Principles for Brick-and-Mortar
10 Design is an architectural design firm that has created retail spaces (and mixed-use complexes) globally. 10 Design asserts, “Brick and mortar retail isn’t dying. It’s evolving. The most successful retail spaces today merge commerce, culture, and community, turning shopping into an immersive experience.” That principle can be applied to MULO (multi-location) retail design in […]
A BOOM and a BUST: Harry & David & Hooters
Openings, expansions, and bankruptcies are standard fare in the MULO (multi-location) retail and restaurant space. This month, we saw one significant opening and one bankruptcy declaration in the MULO ecosystem. Harry & David recently announced they are getting back into the retail game. This 91-year-old seller of gift baskets and gourmet food items shuttered most of its […]
Aquarium Ad Is a 3D Fish Out of Water
First its ads had a Super Bowl presence earlier this year. Now the Georgia Aquarium is going big in out-of-home. A creative campaign by Doe-Anderson, an agency in Kentucky, launched two executions in Atlanta to let the locals know they have one of the country’s great aquariums right in their backyard. If you find yourself […]
Commentary
Career Moves: Craveworthy Brands, GM and Botify
In this biweekly roundup of career moves, we look at new faces at Craveworthy Brands, GM and Botify and more, anniversaries at Spectrio, Audigy and beyond and numerous opportunities at companies including Vendasta, Birdeye and Scorpion The one and only Lisa Crowder just made the move from AVP, Mobile Apps – Product Management & Development […]
BOOM: Hair Care for Men…Beyond Shaves and Haircuts
Hair care post-pandemic is a rapidly-growing multi-location (MULO) category. As we reported recently, the industry was up 17 percent in 2022 and is expected to hit $41B by 2026. Women still spend more on hair care than men. They invest an average of $228 yearly on haircuts and $24 per month on hair products versus […]
BOOM: We All Scream for Ice Cream (and retailers reply)
The summer is upon us, and many people are seeking ways to cool down. Although the old-fashioned neighborhood ice cream truck is a rarity, multi-location (MULO) ice cream and frozen dessert retailers show no sign of melting. Although the category has declined slightly from time to time, it still represents $5.5B in revenue in the […]
Latest Posts
This Channel Could be Bowling Brands Over
Move over, Ralph Kramden. Bowling is becoming one of the most popular activities in the United States. According to data released last year from Ipsos, it was among the most “played” sports in 2022. Right after Cornhole, which 20% of Americans played, bowling drew 19%. Swimming was third at 18%. Statista posits that about 45 […]
BOOM: The Skinny on FAT Brands
FAT Brands sends us regular news announcements about their growth, menu updates, and company strategies. We’re wowed by their speed of franchise innovation. We reached out to their executive team to get insights into the FAT philosophy and forward-looking path. As a MULO (multi-location) brand, they are clearly one of the gentle yet powerful giants. […]
Technology MULO Brands Need Today, According to RizePoint
Paul Damaren is the Chief Revenue Officer at RizePoint. The company develops technology for the restaurant, hospitality, retail, and processing industries. Although their tool suite helps these MULO brands with compliance, they are also designed to “help brands create a culture of excellence and ensure that every customer experience is as good (and safe) as […]
Beware the “Brobot?” The Women of AI
At CES (where AI was the buzzword this year), a group of women gathered to discuss the role of women in technology, and specifically in artificial intelligence. AI is already having an impact on all aspects of the MULO (multi-location) retail and restaurant ecosystem — from real-time analytics to inventory management and security. According to […]
An Infusion of Franchise Savvy from Dana Kupper of PrimeIV
Dana Kupper was inspired by her husband (a brand ambassador for PrimeIV since 2019) to become the owner/operator of an IV franchise. (She also has a corporate job at American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts.) We’ve written about the BOOM of the needle and how MULO (multi-location) businesses that provide health-related infusions are on the […]
Get in the Game: Jeff Michaels of Mobivity Talks Mobile Gaming
Mobivity is a provider of technology connecting mobile gaming audiences to real-world brands and products. While mobile gaming includes casual games (like Solitaire, Candy Crush, etc.), gamification traditionally means turning regular tasks into games to increase fun and enjoyment. Mobile gaming (Mobivity’s focus) has become an effective tool for customer acquisition and engagement. MULO (multi-location) […]
The Privacy Arms Race May Kill Ad Tech
A dangerous digital advertising arms race is brewing as browser makers try to prevent cross-site tracking. The desire of digital ad companies to keep tracking users, despite browsers’ preventative privacy measures, is leading our industry down a hazardous path for users, browser makers, and ad tech. In an effort to protect user privacy, browsers are […]
BOOM: Courting the Racquet Sports Industry With Robyn Duda
Tennis remains popular, badminton is having a moment says Pinterest, and paddle is, according to the Washington Post, the next big multi-location winner is racquet sports. We met with Robyn Duda, the co-founder of RacquetX, a new festival for both business and consumers that involves ALL racquet sports, to ask her about the trend. Why […]
GenAI : Where Brand Marketers Need to Upskill for the Future
Generative AI (GenAI) was one of the most talked about technologies in 2023. We saw it support Google searches, streamline A/B testing efforts, and even play center stage in last summer’s SAG-AFTRA strike. With the ability to automate repetitive tasks and streamline processes, GenAI is becoming an invaluable tool in marketing – and its potential […]
BOOM: Ramen Graduates From Dorm Room to MULO Brand
Many of us know ramen as the instant noodles that served as an inexpensive and fast meal when we were students or recently-graduated professionals, with limited budget for restaurants and limited home cooking skills and equipment. Elevated ramen was introduced to the U.S. in 2004 with the opening of the Momofuku Noodle Bar. The brand […]
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