Regional Retail Rumblings

Advance Auto Parts marked the opening of its eighth store in the Colorado Springs area Thursday with a grand opening celebration at 2250 El Morro Road, where it intersects with South Academy Boulevard. The corporate-owned store will be managed by Jim Dickerson. ...

Delays in the buildout for The Original SoupMan restaurant at 10 S. Tejon St. have meant pushing back the opening date to Dec. 15 "at the earliest," says owner Debra Canale. It may not open until early January. The honor of opening the state's first Original SoupMan -- named for Al Yeganeh, aka "the Soup Nazi" -- will now go to the store at FlatIron Crossing Mall in Broomfield, which opens Nov. 10. Canale is planning to open two other franchises in Colorado Springs after the downtown store is established and other franchisees are planning to enter the Boulder and Castle Rock markets ...

Veda Salon & Spa, honored by The Gazette as the best Salon, best Spa and best place to work, has opened its third location in Colorado Springs, moving into Falcon Landing at 7443 North Academy Blvd. with about 60 employees. ...

Red Lobster is looking to go upscale. President Kim Lopdrup told the Orlando Sentinel that the 680-unit chain -- which has two restaurants in Colorado Springs -- will expand its daily fresh fish selection and it is testing more formal tableware, warmer lighting and dark wood paneling in a revised prototype. The report said Red Lobster may even introduce linen napkins.