U.S. Retail and Restaurant Chain Expansions

Global Store Locations Opening by U.S, and International Retailers

All 2016 Store Opening Plans: US Retail and Restaurant Chain Expansion
© Barbara Farfan for About.com

The largest U.S. retail and restaurant chains were much more forthright and open about sharing their 2016 new store openings than they were about sharing their 2016 store closings. In fact, U.S. retailers that have global operations and international retailers that do business in the U.S. are quite eager to talk about expanding for their retail and restaurant chains in 2016 and beyond. 

Plans for Expansion 

Even before Q4 2015, there were plenty of commitments publicly communicated about the thousands of new brick-and-mortar retail stores that would be opening in the 2016 calendar year and beyond. In fact, the overall future store openings' tally for all U.S. and international retail and restaurant chains was in the tens of thousands.

This seems antithetical to the widely accepted belief in the U.S. retail industry that brick-and-mortar retailing is shrinking due to of the explosive growth in Internet and mobile retailing. If that were the case, only the largest U.S. chains would have populated the 2016 "Store Openings Roundup" list. Someone apparently forgot to give the shrinking-brick-and-mortar memo to retail chains like Family Dollar, ALDI, and Dick's Sporting Goods—just some of retail chains that have plans for new store growth extending into 2018. 

A considerable amount of attention has been given to the 2015 store closings of the largest U.S. retail industry chains. Hypothetically at least, those store closings are the predictive indicators of the overall health of brick-and-mortar retailing. But store closings are more indicative of a lack of brick-and-mortar relevance, which has been ailing and failing for some of the biggest and oldest U.S. retail chains in the past few years. 

In fact, new store opening plans by U.S. retailer and restaurant chains and international retailers operating in the U.S. have been announced as far into the future as 2020. Of course, a lot can happen to the economy in general and to the U.S. retail industry in that period of time, but it's still valuable to know that growth and expansion is still part of the vision for the future of brick-and-mortar retailing. 

2016 Store Openings—And Beyond

In 2016, as in every year, a considerable amount of attention was given to the 2016 Store Closing Roundup list because this list supports the brick-and-mortar-is-becoming-extinct school of thought. But 2015 retail company bankruptcies showed us that store closings are more indicative of a loss of retail relevance with chains that have been progressively ailing and failing over time, more so than they are predictive of any overall retail industry trends. 

So, which of the largest retail and restaurant chains in the world are opening new stores in 2016 and beyond? 

Starbucks, Wendy's, Family Dollar, and Costco are just a few of the largest U.S. retail chains added to the total number of new retail and restaurant store openings in 2016. Even before the end of the 2015 calendar year, information about thousands of brick-and-mortar store openings planned for 2016 and beyond was made public by U.S. based and global retail chains.

Expansion in both domestic and international markets is definitely in the future plans of the largest U.S. based retail chains, and moving into U.S. markets is part of the expansion plans for some of the world’s largest global retailers as well. Starbucks topped the "2016 and Beyond Store Openings" list with its plans for opening 1500 new U.S. and global restaurant locations through 2019.

Family Dollar and Wendy's also top the "2016 Retail Store Openings" list with their plans for opening 1,000 stores each through 2020. While Starbucks will be focusing most of its future store opening efforts in countries outside the U.S., many of the largest global retail chains like ALDI will be expanding their global retail operations by opening new retail store locations in the U.S. throughout 2020.

What follows is a complete and ongoing roundup list of store openings that happened in the U.S. in the 2016 calendar year, as well as those scheduled for 2017. Information is aggregated from credible and verifiable sources, not from expert or insider speculation or predictions. 

All 2015 American and Global New Store Openings by U.S. Retail Industry Chains

1500  Starbucks (China, through 2019)

1000  Family Dollar (through 2016)

1000 Dollar General (2017)

1000  Wendy's (by 2020)

600   Dollar Tree (through 2016)

600  Forever 21 (through 2018)

900  Dollar General (2016)

520  ALDI (globally through 2019)

400  T-Mobile

350   Philly Pretzel Factory (by 2020)

338   Tony Luke's (by 2025)

240  Walmart (International 2016)

200  Limited Too (through 2020)

197  TJX Companies (T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, HomeGoods) 

150    Dick's Sporting Goods (through 2018)

100    Dunkin Donuts (through 2017 in India)

100   Johnny Rockets (China, 2016)

100   Sephora (through 2016)

100   Starbucks (Malaysia, through 2017)

100   ULTA (2016

100   ULTA (2017)

95   Walmart Neighborhood Markets

90   Costco (Internationally through 2018)

70   Miu Miu (by 2016)

67   Smart & Final (2016)

60      Dunkin Donuts (through 2018 in Houston)

60     Fresh Thyme Farmers Markets (through 2019)

60     Pizza Hut (through 2017)

60   Walmart Supercenters (2016)

50   Prada Men’s Store (by 2016)

40     Gap (India through 2020)

40     KFC (Pakistan by 2018)

38   Brookstone (by 2016)

36   Zoes

33   AutoZone (2016)

67   Smart & Final (through 2020)

30     Lowe's Australia (2016 & 2017)

27   Petco

25      Lowe's Canada (through 2018)

25   Saks Fifth Avenue Off Fifth (Canada 2016-2019)

23   Fastenal

21   Costco (2016 US)

20     Cabela’s (through 2016)

18     CarMax (through 2018)

17   Conn's

16     Field and Stream (2016 and 2017)

15   Andy's Frozen Custard (2016)

15   Nordstrom (through 2017)

12   Stein Mart (2016)

10   Best Buy in Macy's (store-in-store)

10   Whole Foods 365 (2017)

10   Wisteria (through 2020)

8    Costco (2016 International)

7    AutoZone (Mexico)

6    Cracker Barrel

5    Macy's

5    Whole Foods 365 (2016)

4    COS

4       Flying Tiger Copenhagen (by 2016)

4    Target (2016)

3   Bob's Discount Furniture (2016)

3   Whole Foods 365 (2016)

3   Whole Foods 365 (2018)

2    IKEA (2016)

2    Lane Bryant

2    Publix (2016)

2    REI (2016)

2    Tractor Supply Co.

3       Cabela's (through 2016)

3    Sportsman's Warehouse (2016)

2    Nordstrom (US through 2018)

2    REI (2016)

2    Walmart (2016)

2016 Store Openings Globally 

1 99 Cents Only

1 At Home

1 Athleta

1  AutoZone (2016)

1 Bass Pro Shops (2016)

1 Bentley's Pet Stuff

1  Bloomingdale's (U.S., 2016)

1  Bloomingdale's (Puerto Rico, 2017)

1  Bloomingdale's (U.S. 2017)

1  Bloomingdale's (U.S. 2018)

1 Books Inc. (2016)

1 Crate & Barrel (Singapore)

1 CVS (2016)

1 Evereve

1 Foot Locker (2016)

1 Fresh Market

1 Godfather's

1 Green Zebra Grocery (2016)

1  H&M

1  H-E-B (2016)

1  Hobby Lobby (2016)

1 Krispy Kreme

1  Kroger (2016)

1 Kroger Marketplace (2016)

1 Legends Comics and Games

1 Louboutin (2016)

1   Macy's (U.S. in 2017)

1 Mariano's (2016)

1 Marshalls (2016)

1 McAlister’s Deli (2016)

1  Menard (2016)

1  Neiman Marcus (2016)

1 Nike Community Store

1 Outback Steakhouse

1 PCC Natural Market (2016)

1 Sam's Club (2016)

1 Smashburger (2016)

1 Sprouts Farmers Market (2016)

1  Starbucks (South Africa 2016)

1  Starbucks Reserve Roastery (2016)

1  Subway (2016)

1  Tiffany's (New Zealand 2016)

1  Trader Joe's (2017)

1  Wegmans (2016)

1 Wegmans (2017)

1  Whole Foods (2016)

It Works Both Ways

As U.S. retail companies continued to expand beyond American borders in 2016 by opening retail stores in international locations, international retailers continued to expand into the U.S. as well to capture a share of the fertile American consuming market. Despite the shifting preferences of retail consumers, the global expansion of brick-and-mortar retailing continued throughout the world in 2016. 

Among the U.S. retail and restaurant chains focused on global expansion beyond U.S. borders were Apple and Johnny Rockets, which expanded into China in 2016. Dunkin Donuts and The Gap expanded into India in 2016. Wealthy shoppers in Puerto Rico were able to spend some of their discretionary income in a Bloomingdale's retail store in 2016, and hungry diners in Pakistan could satisfy their appetites with American fast food from a KFC drive-thru in 2016. 

At the same time, many international companies focused on their own global expansion, including plans for opening stores in the U.S. ALDI, Louboutin, Miu Miu and Prada were some of the global retailers that made retail competition a little bit tougher for the largest U.S. retail chains when they opened stores on U.S. soil.  

Into the Future: U.S. and International Plans for Global Expansion

520  ALDI (globally through 2019)

15   Andy's Frozen Custard (2016)

16   Apple (China 2016)

1    At Home

1    Athleta

33   AutoZone (2016)

7    AutoZone (Mexico)

1    Bass Pro Shops (2016)

1    Bentley's Pet Stuff

10   Best Buy in Macy's (store-in-store)

1       Bloomingdale's (U.S., 2016)

1       Bloomingdale's (Puerto Rico, 2017)

1       Bloomingdale's (U.S. 2017)

1       Bloomingdale's (U.S. 2018)

3    Bob's Discount Furniture (2016)

1    Books Inc.

38   Brookstone (by 2016)

3     Cabelas (through 2016)

16     CarMax (through 2018)

17   Conn's

4    COS

8    Costco (2016 International)

21   Costco (2016 US)

61   Costco (Internationally through 2018)

6    Cracker Barrel

1    Crate & Barrel (Singapore)

1    CVS (2016)

150    Dick's Sporting Goods (through 2018)

1000 Dollar General (2017)

900  Dollar General (2016)

600   Dollar Tree (through 2016)

100    Dunkin Donuts (through 2017 in India)

60     Dunkin Donuts (through 2018 in Houston)

1    Evereve

1000  Family Dollar (through 2016)

16     Field and Stream (2016 and 2017)

1    Foot Locker (2016)

4       Flying Tiger Copenhagen (by 2016)

600  Forever 21 (through 2018)

23   Fresh Market

60     Fresh Thyme Farmers Markets (through 2019)

1    Fastenal

40     Gap (India through 2020)

1    Godfather's

1    Green Zebra Grocery (2016)

1    H&M

1    H-E-B (2016)

1    Hobby Lobby (2016)

2    IKEA (2016)

100   Johnny Rockets (China, 2016)

40     KFC (Pakistan by 2018)

1    Krispy Kreme

1    Kroger (2016)

1    Kroger Marketplace (2016)

2    Lane Bryant

1    Legends Comics and Games

1    Lily Pulitzer (2016)

200  Limited Too (through 2020)

1    Louboutin (2016)

30     Lowe's Australia (2016 & 2017)

Tiffany's opened its first brick-and-mortar retail store in Auckland, New Zealand in 2016. Starbucks entered the South African market with a brick-and-mortar retail location for the first time in 2016, and Saks Fifth Avenue opened its first free-standing shoe store that same year. Despite direct predictions from retail industry experts and pundits, U.S. and global retail expansion indicated that brick-and-mortar retailing is far from dead in the minds of the retail leaders responsible for envisioning the retail future.