Idaho

BOISE, IDAHO — Tropical Smoothie Cafe has signed a franchise agreement to open four restaurants in Idaho, with the first cafe slated to open in Boise this June. The new restaurants will mark the brand’s entry into the state. KMP TSC LLC will own and operate the locations. KMP TSC will target additional markets throughout the state for further development and is currently scouting sites in Eagle, Nampa, Caldwell, Twin Falls, Pocatello, Idaho Falls, Coeur d’Alene and Spokane. Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2017, Tropical Smoothie Cafe is a fast-casual restaurant concept with over 550 locations nationwide.

BOISE, IDAHO — Two years after the Albertsons-Safeway merger that created the second-largest supermarket company in the U.S., Albertsons Cos. has built or acquired 174 locations. Since the merger, 23 new stores have been built and 151 stores were acquired. The Boise-based company has also upped its sustainability efforts. During the first quarter, the company committed to sourcing and selling only cage-free eggs for its store operations by 2025, based on available supply. The company recently announced a new Responsible Seafood Policy, which expanded the previous program beyond fresh and frozen seafood to include shelf-stable tuna (canned and vacuum-sealed), as well as sushi sold from its delis. The company plans that by 2022, 100 percent of the top 20 wild and farmed seafood products sold at stores will meet the Responsible Seafood Policy. Albertsons Companies operates stores, manufacturing plants and distribution centers across 35 states and the District of Columbia under 19 brands including Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s, Acme, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United Supermarkets, Pavilions, Star Market, Haggen and Carrs.

BOISE — Home furnishings retailer West Elm recently opened its first Idaho store in downtown Boise. The location is 14,158 square feet. West Elm incorporated wooden “Tater Blocks” salvaged from the renovation of Simplot’s Caldwell-based potato storage facility into the store’s custom interior design. The blocks, once used as industrial flooring for potato storage facilities, have been repurposed to create an art installation at the new store. Headquartered in Brooklyn, N.Y., West Elm opened its first store in 2003 in DUMBO, the neighborhood it still calls home. The brand operates 87 retail stores in the United States, Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom, and ships internationally. The company also operates stores in Mexico, the Middle East and Philippines through unaffiliated franchisees. West Elm is a member of the Williams-Sonoma Inc. portfolio of brands.