Frontier Building has completed the renovation of Kentucky Fried Chicken in Kimball, Tennessee, which will restore more than 20 jobs in the community.
Last June, the fast-casual establishment was destroyed by an overnight fire and was declared a total loss. Construction on the new structure began in November when Miami-based Frontier was hired to build a new ground-up structure and upgrade the parking lot of the fire-damaged establishment.
"The new layout offers a more efficient layout," project manager Charles Radabaugh said. "We worked with the client directly to ensure that all blueprints and design details were correct to minimize errors and get the job done effectively and efficiently."
The updated KFC offers 2,879 square feet of interior space, as well as a drive-through and 46 parking spaces.
J.C. Penney sees bigger sales drop
J.C. Penney Co. dumped more bad news on investors Thursday, estimating that sales for the current year at established stores would be down more than Wall Street expected.
The disappointing sales outlook came as the struggling department store chain delivered fourth-quarter profits that beat estimates.
Penney reported that net income fell to $27 million, or 8 cents per share. Earnings, adjusted for restructuring costs and non-recurring costs, were 13 cents per share. The results beat Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of four analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for a loss of 8 cents per share.
Revenue declined 7.7% to $3.49 billion in the period.
Penney's CEO Jill Soltau acted swiftly when she joined the company in October 2018, eliminating from stores major appliances that were weighing down operating profits. That reversed the strategy of her predecessor, Marvin Ellison, who brought appliances to the showroom floor in an attempt to capitalize on the troubles of another ailing department store, Sears.
Soltau turned the company's focus back to women's clothing and goods for the home like towels and bedsheets, which carry higher profit margins. Furniture is still available, but only online. In the latest quarter, Penney relaunched its private-label brand called A.N.A., with a more casual feel and a focus on denim. The company is positioning the brand as an anchor for all day dressing.
During a conference call Thursday, Soltau tried to assure analysts that the company was making progress in turning around its business.
"There are no quick fixes when you are turning around a major retailer," said Soltau.