Strategy

A new four-legged friend is roaming Boston neighborhoods, and it can bring shoppers more than their newspaper or slippers.   Spot, a four-legged, dog-like robot from Boston Dynamics, is programmed to deliver packages to consumers’ front doors, according to ReCode.  

The Aldo Group is making strides on its digital transformation journey.   The retailer has launched a new responsive website and e-commerce platform that will integrate retail online, in-store and mobile channels. The move comes as Aldo transitions leadership, with company founder Aldo Bensadoun naming his son, David Bensadoun, as the new CEO earlier this month.  

Omnichannel promised to integrate physical and digital channels, allowing retailers to deliver a seamless shopping experience. But in reality, because of stand-alone, legacy systems, many of these channels operate in silos, making it difficult to achieve full transparency and causing missed opportunities.   

Starbucks Coffee Company is going big in the Windy City — in a space that is currently to home to one of the city’s iconic retail flagships.    The coffee retailer will open a four-level, 43,000-sq.-ft. Starbucks Reserve Roastery on Michigan Avenue in Chicago in 2019, in the building currently occupied by Crate & Barrel. The home goods chain, which has operated a store on the site for 27 years, is expected to close its door in early 2018.   

In an action that reflects its strong performance, Costco Wholesale Corp. is about to return some $3.1 billion to investors.    The retailer announced a special cash dividend on Costco common stock of $7.00 per share, payable May 26, 2017, to shareholders. The dividend is in addition to a 5 cent increase of the company’s quarterly cash dividend to 50 cents a share.  

Office Depot continues to make good on its promise to focus on its North American business.     The retailer said it has closed on the sale of its business in South Korea to Excelsior Capital Asia, a Hong Kong- and Korea-based direct investment firm. Excelsior invests throughout Asia on behalf of major Korean institutions, pension funds and private family offices.  

Fresh Market will open its second location in South Carolina’s capital region in the growing upscale suburb of Lexington.  

Williams Company Southeast has announced plans to break ground on what it claims will be the biggest to be built in Central Florida for years.   Vineland Point, a 447,500-sq.-ft. project developed by O’Connor Capital Partners on I-4 and Daryl Carter Parkway in Orlando exceeds the size of The Crosslands, another O’Connor project constructed by Williams that opened in Kissimmee in 2015.  

Albertsons Cos. on Monday appointed the president of its Jewel-Osco division, Mike Withers as  executive VP, retail operations, Albertsons.   Withers will lead the company's East Region operations, while current executive VP, retail operations Susan Morris will lead the West Region. Jim Perkins, executive VP, retail operations Special Projects, is focused on targeted initiatives to accelerate growth. All three executives will continue to report to Wayne Denningham, president and COO, ALbertsons.  

April's consumer confidence metric didn't live up to the new benchmark established in March, when consumer confidence reached a 16-year high.   This month, the Index declined to 120.3 from 124.9 in March.