Chief executives from 24 metro-area companies will forsake their suits and ties for tool belts Friday when they get down and dirty helping Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver build homes for four low- income families.
Company honchos include Peter Kalan, CEO of CSG Systems; Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver’s own executive director, Heather Lafferty; and Brad Dusto, former president of Comcast- West Division.
“I’m thrilled with the number of CEOs that are able to take time away from their business to give back to their community,” Dusto said. “This is what leadership truly means.”
Each CEO gave a minimum donation of $250 to participate.
Good Times roll.
Golden- based Good Times Restaurants will sell 4.2 million shares of common stock for $2.1 million to Small Island Investments, a Bermuda corporation based in Boston, pending stockholder approval.
The burger-and- frozen-custard chain expects to close the deal, which will give SII roughly 51.4 percent of the outstanding stock of the company, by Nov. 30.
SII is an affiliate of a company that owns and operates three restaurant brands with operations in Canada and the U.S. generating about $75 million in annual revenues.
Good Times also reported same-store sales increased 20.3 percent in October compared with the prior year, after a 7.5 percent increase in September.
Cooler cluck.
I told you in October that Golden-based chicken chain Boston Market was turning up the heat on its service and adding menu items.
Based on the success of the pilot program in West Palm Beach, Fla., which saw double- digit increases in guest counts, Denver-area Boston Markets have launched the same changes, which include real plates and stainless flatware, upgraded serving stations to include a chef’s hot case and carving stations, and orders delivered to diners by servers.
Nine metro-area stores will open this week with the new format.
Green Halloween.
The candy is nearly gone; the costumes have been cast aside. But instead of getting rid of Hallo ween get-ups and decorations, Arc Thrift Stores are collecting those items and saving them for next year when the ghouls and goblins return.
Arc is accepting all off-the- shelf and custom-made costumes, accessories and decorations. Arc stores collect Halloween items throughout the year and stockpile thousands of items to offer a huge selection for next year’s spooky season.
To donate: Go to arcthrift for store locations, call 800-283-2721 for a pickup, or visit donation drop-off spots at 11190 W. Alameda Ave. in Lakewood from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, or 560 S. Holly (by the Egg & I) from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
The old and new seen.
Outgoing and incoming Colorado Govs. Bill Ritter and John Hickenlooper huddling over breakfast at Panzano on Wed nesday. How much chatting they did is unclear because they were on their cellphones much of the time.
EAVESDROPPING
A man talking on the phone to a woman:
“Can you hear that in the background? That’s the sound of no political commercials playing on TV.”
Penny Parker’s column appears Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Listen to her on the Caplis and Silverman radio show between 4 and 5 p.m. Fridays on KHOW-630 AM (630). Call her at 303-954-5224 or e-mail pparker@denverpost.com.
