Mergers & Acquisitions

Salt Lake City -- Sunflower Farmers Market said Tuesday that it will open a new store in Salt Lake City on March 16.

The newest location marks the organic grocery chain’s third in Utah and the 33rd store overall for Sunflower Farmers Market.

Sunflower Farmers Market will open its first California location in April.

WASHINGTON --The National Retail Federation announced that it welcomed the focus on job creation and the economy expected in President Obama’s State of the Union Address.

Ann Arbor, Mich. -- Borders Group said Monday that it is selling its kiosk business Day by Day Calendar Co. for an undisclosed sum.

The sale involves 420 kiosk retail outlets, which will be purchased by Calendar Holdings LLC, based in Texas.

According to the Detroit News, the sale could provide Borders with cash while the company works with creditors to restructure its debt.

San Jose, Calif. -- Grubb & Ellis Co. announced that Robert Cook has joined the company as senior VP corporate services, based in the company’s San Jose office. 

Salt Lake City -- On the heels of a new self-serve prototype, TCBY, announced an agreement with Lone Star Yogurt to open 200 stores over the next 10 years with area developer.

Lone Star Yogurt plans to open its first TCBY self-serve store in January in Lone Star’s hometown of Tyler, Texas. It has committed to open another 24 TCBY self-serve stores in East Texas, Dallas, Ft. Worth and Houston in the next 18 months.

The challenge of spearheading Target’s entry into Canada will be handled by Tony Fisher. He was named president of Target Canada last week in a brief press release that offered little detail on his background or qualifications to lead the company’s efforts to open between 100 and 150 stores beginning in 2013. Here’s what Target had to say about Fisher.

Woonsocket, R.I. -- CVS Caremark said Larry Merlo will succeed Thomas M. Ryan as CEO on March 1 as part of its previously announced succession strategy.

The company had announced in May that Merlo would take the position as Ryan approaches retirement. Merlo is currently the president and COO.

Ryan will remain chairman of the board until he retires in May, at which point David Dorman will take that position. Dorman has been a director since 2006.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. – The next chapter for CVS Caremark officially is under way as the company announced on Monday the next stage of its previously announced transition plan and officially named Larry Merlo, president and COO, as CEO, effective March. 1.

Tom Ryan, chairman, president and CEO, will remain nonexecutive chairman until his retirement at the company’s annual meeting of shareholders in May.