Strategy

Atlanta -- Home Depot Inc. said Thursday that its spring hiring numbers match last year’s, with plans to bring on 70,000 seasonal workers for the spring season.

Last year, about half of the seasonal workers were hired permanently as cashiers, sales, lot and garden staffers.
 

Redwood City, Calif. -- More than half of retailers still use passwords for point-of-sale system login, despite concerns over the sharing and misuse of those passwords, according to a survey by DigitalPersona, a global provider of strong authentication and access management solutions. The survey also revealed that of those companies considering a change to new login methods, nearly 70% are considering a switch to biometric authentication.

Charlotte, N.C. -- Analytic data solution-provider Terradata said Thursday that Belk has selected multiple Teradata Data Warehouse Appliances and the Teradata Retail Logical Data Model to build a new integrated database-driven analytics environment.

Minneapolis -- Target Corp. said Thursday it will buy back up to $5 billion in shares under a new stock repurchase program.

The current $10 billion program is slated for completion in the next few months, said Target. The newly announced $5 billion program is expected to be completed in the next two to three years.
 

Framingham, Mass. -- Staples said Thursday it has appointed Kirk Saville as VP global communications, charged with overseeing Staples’ internal and corporate communications, marketing, public relations, community relations and corporate events.

Saville, who joins Staples from The Hershey Co. where he was VP corporate communications, will report to Steve Fund, Staples senior VP global marketing.
 

Woodstock, Ga. -- Chattanooga, Tenn.-based CBL & Associates Properties and Norton Shores, Mich.-based Horizon Group Properties announced a 75/25 joint venture to develop The Outlet Shoppes at Atlanta in Atlanta (Woodstock), Ga.

Plymouth Meeting, Pa. – Philadelphia-based Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust announced that Charming Charlie will open a new store at Plymouth Meeting Mall, located in suburban Philadelphia.

The new 12,000-sq.-ft. store is slated to open spring 2012. It completes the center’s recently developed outdoor lifestyle retail wing, which is anchored by Whole Foods Market and Café and features Loft, Orvis, Chico’s, Coldwater Creek, Jos. A Bank, Olly Shoes and Massage Envy.

Pompano Beach, Fla. -- Brixmor Property Group announced Thursday that Party City will open an 11,957-sq.-ft. store at Shopper's Haven Shopping Center, located in Pompano Beach, Fla.

New York City-based Brixmor is the owner of Shopper's Haven Shopping Center.

Hammond, La. -- Covington, La.-based Stirling Properties announced the addition of Cato and Bellagio Salon & Spa to its tenant lineup at Hammond Square Shopping Center, located in Hammond, La. 

Cato will open its second Hammond store in spring 2012 across from Merle Norman and Purse Bag Pattie’s. Bellagio Salon and Spa is slated to open its first location in March/April 2012 next door to Purse Bag Pattie’s. The new store is 2,554 sq. ft. and will offer full-service spa treatments.

Plymouth Meeting, Pa. -- Fameco Real Estate announced that its property management division, Fameco Management Services, has been awarded the property management assignment for Stanbery Development’s Pennsylvania and New Jersey retail portfolio. This assignment includes four specialty centers totaling 430,000 sq. ft.