Images courtesy of Yoshinoya.Dating back to 1899 with the opening of its first restaurant in Tokyo, Yoshinoya has grown to more than 2,000 restaurants in Japan, Mainland China, Shanghai, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and the Philippines. The rice bowl chain is now celebrating its 101st location in California.
As part of the project, Compton-born artist Mel Depaz created a large-scale exterior mural that transforms a shared wall into a celebration of local culture. The work incorporates imagery of landmarks, neighborhood icons and businesses, serving as both a visual landmark along Long Beach Boulevard and a tribute to the city’s identity.
Inside, a second mural by Depaz extends the storytelling into the dining room, adding color, texture, and a strong sense of place to the interior environment. Together, the pieces ground the contemporary quick-service design in its local context and demonstrate how integrated art elements can strengthen a brand’s relationship with the community it serves.
Compton-born artist Mel Depaz created a large-scale exterior mural that transforms a shared wall into a celebration of local culture.
And that’s not the only story making headlines this month — here are some more franchise and milestone stories that came across the editor's desk this month:
franchise
- Tavern-style pizza franchise Riko's Pizza will open its Florida flagship in Miami, Fla., in Q2 2026.
- Broken Yolk Café will introduce four new locations to the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
milestones
- Eggs Up Grill opened its 100th restaurant in Kingsport, Tenn.
- White Castle plans to open its first Texas location in 2026. This is a first for the 104-year-old brand.
- Locally owned seafood restaurant The Whaling Company celebrates 45 years of serving Williamsburg, Va.
