location

The Return of Spirit Christmas

Last year, Spirit Halloween opened 10 Spirit Christmas stores.

This year, the plan is to open 30 Spirit Christmas stores, many of which will be in Spirit Halloween stores.

Spirit Halloween is owned by Spencer’s Gifts LLC. Over 1,500 pop-up stores opened this year. Stores are open for the Halloween season, selling costumes, decorations, and animatronics. Generally, stores use vacant retail spaces and are known for the Halloween experience, which includes a scary theme and motion-activated animatronics.

Spirit Christmas follows […]

By Ross L. Fink, Ph.D.|2025-11-14T03:12:11+00:00November 14, 2025|Tags: facility location, location, project|

Apple Ramps AMP (American Manufacturing Production) Program

One of the world’s leading technology companies is making a big push to increase US-based manufacturing.

Apple is launching the American Manufacturing Program (the AMP initiative), which aims to bring more of Apple’s supply chain to the United States and incentivize its international suppliers to establish domestic manufacturing operations.

Specialty glass maker Corning Incorporated has long partnered with Apple for glass—originally developed at Corning’s facility in Harrodsburg, Kentucky—for iPhones and other Apple products.

The Harrodsburg facility is once again in the spotlight. According […]

By James Kirby Easterling|2025-09-07T08:35:09+00:00September 7, 2025|Tags: location, manufacturing, reshoring, supply chain partnership|

Location Factors Push Film Production to New Jersey

New Jersey is poised to become the “Hollywood of the East,” as film and television producers bring their projects to the Garden State.

Netflix, for instance, is transforming former Army base Fort Monmouth into a $900 million state-of-the-art production facility, due to be completed in several years.

Video Spotlight:

Netflix breaks ground on sprawling new studio in New Jersey (May 13, 2025, NBC New York)
NJ’s deal with Netflix for massive studio at Fort Monmouth […]

By Lisa M. Spencer|2025-07-20T05:16:18+00:00July 20, 2025|Tags: location, location decisions, location planning|

Ikea’s Small-Format Store

In the United States, people expect IKEA stores to be located in large cities, and to have a large footprint.

IKEA has approximately 50 large-format stores, ranging from 200,000 to 500,000 square feet and carrying approximately 9,500 products.

In addition to these large locations, the company has thirteen “Plan & Order Point” stores, which are typically a few thousand square feet with a showroom focus. Customers can order products and consult with IKEA consultants, and pick up orders.

In addition to the above […]

By Ross L. Fink, Ph.D.|2025-05-13T06:52:03+00:00May 21, 2025|Tags: customer service, facility location, location, operations strategy, service design|