Bridge Street's Going Swedish

With job listings now posted on their website, I can now confirm that clothing retailer H&M is planning to open a 20,600 sq. ft. store at Bridge Street, just north of the bridge next to Chicos and under Pinz, the entertainment center formerly known as The Zone. This will be the Swedish company's first store in the Southeast outside Atlanta, North Carolina and Florida. It is expected to open this summer.

H&M, famous for selling trendy men's and women's clothing at low prices, has been expanding across Europe since the 1960s, but the first American store opened in New York City in 2000. Since then, the clothier has been expanding along the East and West Coasts, and is now opening stores in the country's interior.

Updated: Dunkin' Donuts to return to region

After a decade since the last store closed and a three-year franchisee search, Dunkin' Donuts is returning to Huntsville.The company announced today that the Robinson family and Southern Food Services, Inc. have signed on to open four franchises on the north side of the city, with the first opening next year and all stores being open within five years.

When they talk about "North Huntsville," it is important to remember that they probably mean the entire northern half of Madison County. So don't be surprised to see a store in Madison/West Huntsville, or out on 72 East.

An interesting tidbit: Dunkin' Donuts came in #4 on the original Ideas Map in the category of new restaurants, beating out Dave and Busters.

Map of the proposed Dunkin Donuts/Five Guys site. (Click to enlarge.) Image by Google Maps/Labels by James Vandiver

Update (2/12): Dunkin' Donuts will open its first Huntsville location on North Parkway at the intersection of Country Club-- interestingly enough, right across the street from Krispy Kreme. Five Guys (the last to be built in the region for now) will accompany Dunkin' in front of Costco on a site that was once occupied by a gas station and a bank. The restaurants will open in August 2012. Another Dunkin' Donuts will open in Madison by the "end of the year," according to the Times.