Marketing

Boss Facility Services announced the addition of Keith Powers, who will focus on the addition of national accounts specifically in the preventative maintenance and R&M space for HVAC, lighting, general repair and janitorial sectors.

Powers brings a diverse sales background to his new job, having worked in varying industries, most recently serving as regional eServices/eCommerce manager for Advance Auto Parts in which he was responsible for increasing multiple revenue streams.

Dunkin’ Donuts has signed a multi-unit store development agreement with a franchise group led by two former NFL players.

The chain said it has signed an agreement with Berliner III to develop 14 new restaurants in St. Louis and two new locations in Kansas City over the next several years. Berliner III is led by NFL greats and former University of Nebraska football players Kris Brown and Zach Wiegert, who have teamed up with David Scott to develop a third market.

Digital media company Mashable and Visa are doing a little mashing of their own to launch a new online retail entity.

CBL & Associates Properties announced that it has closed on the disposition of Waynesville Commons, a 128,000 sq. ft. community center located in Waynesville, North Carolina. The property was purchased for $14.5 million by affiliate of Yale Realty Services Corp.

American casual dining chain Red Robin has experienced nearly half a century of growth and prosperity. From the time the first Red Robin was established in Seattle in 1969, the brand has evolved to become a popular success and a familiar presence in cities and towns across the country. Today, there are more than 520 Red Robin locations nationally, and the brand is well known for its gourmet burgers, family atmosphere and quality beer options.

Specialty cosmetics retailer Urban Decay is making its e-commerce site as accessible as possible to as many customers as possible.

Urban Decay has integrated e-Spirit's FirstSpirit content management system (CMS) with a Demandware e-commerce platform. The CMS allows Urban Decay to manage the proliferation of content, then localize that content for each individual site the retailer operates internationally, through a feature called "UD All Access.” Urban Decay worked with e-commerce services provider OSF Global Services to launch the new feature.

The Federal Trade Commission is poised to block Staples Inc.’s proposed take-over of rival Office Depot, according to the New York Post.

The newspaper reported that federal regulators are "leaning against the deal and are preparing to block it."

According to the report, the FTC is mostly concerned that a merger between the two office supply retailers will result in a single nationwide giant to serve big corporate and government clients.

The FTC has until Dec. 8 to decide whether to sue to halt the deal after extending its review.

Chain Store Age recently spoke with Kyle Nel, executive director of Lowe’s Innovation Labs, who discussed the mission and activities of the retailer’s proprietary technology development center.