Steak n Shake woos real estate pros
Steak n Shake made a big splash at the International Council of Shopping Centers deal-making convention in Las Vegas as it pushes an aggressive plan to grow via franchising.
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HHGregg’s profit jumps on life-insurance payout
The Indianapolis-based appliance and electronics retailer on Wednesday reported fiscal quarterly profit of $53.6 million, including $39.6 million from a life insurance policy the company took out on former executive chairman Jerry W. Throgmartin.
Federal court to hear Steak n Shake franchisee appeal
The case involves an Illinois franchisee of Steak n Shake that successfully sued the company over its mandatory menu and pricing policies. The company’s appeal is set to be heard Wednesday by a federal appeals court in Chicago.
Biz boosters embrace One Click, but it’s no sure thing
Husband-and-wife entrepreneurs Randy and Angie Stocklin started Greenwood-based One Click Ventures out of their home with $20,000 in 2005. They now own a portfolio of niche retail websites, including SunglassWarehouse.com, HandbagHeaven.com and Scarves.net, which brought $5.3 million in revenue last year.
Binford-area neighborhood alliance upping ambitions
The two main retail centers in a northeast-side development area will be at 100-percent occupancy when Uncle Bill’s Pet Express opens in a small space at Binford Boulevard and 71st Street. Binford Area Growth and Revitalization, a super-neighborhood association better known as BRAG, began striving for this milestone in 2005.
First-quarter profit, revenue flat for Noble Roman’s
The pizza franchisor earned $365,079 in the quarter ended March 31. But it continues to see more growth from take-n-bake products in grocery stores.
Business Furniture expands into Ohio with acquisition
Indianapolis-based Business Furniture LLC, the city's largest office furniture dealer, has expanded into Ohio by acquiring Everybody’s Workplace Solutions Inc. in Dayton.
Airport faces fiscal headwinds
The Indianapolis Airport Authority recorded a $31.3 million operating loss in 2011, a result that new board President Michael Wells believes underscores the need to find new sources of revenue.
Noble Roman’s top investor loses Green Mountain chair
Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Inc. has stripped founder Robert P. Stiller of his position as chairman after he sold shares to meet a margin call at a time when the company’s trading policies prohibited such sales.
Marsh CEO Kelley quits for job in New England
Marsh Supermarkets CEO Joe Kelley abruptly resigned Tuesday, and the Fishers-based chain launched a search for its third chief executive in a little more than a year. The company named Chief Operating Officer Bill Holsworth as its interim CEO.
Growth tear swells Simon Property Group
Simon Property Group Inc. this year joined the Standard & Poor’s 100 Index, a listing of the nation’s largest and most established companies including Apple, Coca-Cola and McDonald’s. The Indianapolis-based company is the only real estate company on the list and is now the largest real estate company in the world.
Fast-food clients fueling furniture-maker’s growth
Facility Concepts’ can-do attitude has cemented the loyalty of clients like Southern Bells—one of the largest Taco Bell franchises in the country—and propelled it from startup consultancy in 2004 to full-fledged manufacturer.
INSIDE DISH: Husband-wife team revive sushi joint’s reputation
Scott and Debbie Bennett sank their savings into purchasing Greenwood's Yokohama, which had a past peppered with disappointed patrons.
Finish Line plans to add 327 jobs as part of expansion
The Indianapolis-based retailer of athletic shoes and apparel said it will add the jobs by 2016 as part of a multimillion-dollar expansion that will upgrade its e-commerce systems.
Simon boosts dividend after gains in sales, occupancy, rent
Simon Property Group Inc. said sales at its U.S. malls jumped 11.2 percent in its most recent quarter, to $546 per square foot. Simon malls were 93.6-percent occupied, up from 93 percent.
Best Buy’s turnaround may pinch HHGregg
The struggling electronics chain Best Buy has launched a turnaround strategy that borrows more than a few pages from the playbook of competitor HHGregg.
Canal Walk popular, but full of opportunities missed
City leaders once envisioned the Canal Walk as a bustling pathway lined with restaurants and shops, but residential and office buildings have sprouted instead on most of the parcels along the meandering 1-1/2-mile stretch–making it more of a local amenity than a visitor attraction.
INSIDE DISH: Nostalgic Shallos does brisk business swiftly
The 31-year-old, south-side institution is approaching a potential turning point as it breaks sales records and continues to hone lightning-quick food prep and table turnover.
Law change allows entrepreneurs to market homemade food
Many Indiana home-based food businesses owe their existence to a law enacted in 2009 that allows them to sell certain types of foods at farmers’ markets and their own roadside stands with minimal state oversight.
Castleton Square will get new stores catering to youth
Forever 21 is more than tripling its square footage at the north-side mall by taking the former Borders bookstore space.