Marketing

Kneaders Bakery & Café has partnered with Buxton to support its growth initiatives as it expands into new markets.

Buxton will identify franchise territory opportunities for the Utah-based Kneaders based on customer analytics.

Retailers still working on compliance with the EMV chip-based card payment standard have a new technology option.

Verifone is partnering with Microsoft to provide comprehensive EMV-ready payment as a service solutions certified for Microsoft Dynamics AX for retail and commerce solutions.

The offering bundles payment hardware, software and support services into a single integrated solution, enabling retailers to centrally manage their entire payment system.

Holiday sales declined at Best Buy and the company reduced earlier guidance even though CEO Hubert Joly said the company’s seasonal strategy was well-executed. What’s up with that?

In fact, lackluster consumer interest in electronics led Best Buy to report a decline in same store sales of 1.4% over the nine week period ended Jan. 2. Revenue declined .8%.

Chain Store Age has launched our annual search for 10 individuals in retail real estate we call “retail stars.” All will be featured in the May 2016 issue of CSA with bonus distribution at the International Council of Shopping Centers’ RECon event in Las Vegas!

The award recognizes people under the age of 40 who are making an impact in retail real estate – whether from the tenant (retail) or the landlord (shopping center company) side.

Publix Super Markets is getting a new CEO after Ed Crenshaw announced his retirement on Wednesday.

The company announced that Crenshaw will step down effective April 30. Upon Crenshaw’s retirement, current company President Todd Jones will become president and CEO. 

Sheetz, the family-owned and operated convenience store chain, announced it will invest more than $15 million to raise the wages of store employees across the company. And it is doing so without cutting back on hours for full-time employees.

Sundance is gearing up for major retail expansion.

The lifestyle apparel, art and home furnishings brand, founded by Robert Redford in 1969, has long operated a successful catalog and e-commerce site, along with a handful of physical stores. But in remarks at the recent ICR investor conference, CEO Matey Erdos said the company is planning to open up to 150 locations in the coming years.

Under new ownership and management, a revamped RadioShack is working to transform its remaining 1,720 stores, as well as its online presence, according to the Star-Telegram. “It was herculean to get the stores back into position, and they’re proof of what people want and expect,” said chief marketing officer Michael Tatelman. [Star-Telegram]

Publix Super Markets named a new CEO to replace current chief executive Ed Crenshaw, who announced his retirement on Wednesday.

The company said that Crenshaw will step down effective April 30, 2016. Upon his retirement, current company president Todd Jones will become president and CEO.

The Vitamin Shoppe is changing the structure of its board of directors as it looks to enhance its corporate governance practices.

The company announced its board will rotate the role of lead director for the second time since the company's Oct. 28, 2009, initial public offering. David Edwab, who served as lead director since April 2011, has stepped down from that role and John Bowlin, who became a member of the Vitamin Shoppe board in October 2014, will now serve as lead director.