Strategy

Costa Mesa, Calif. -- Donahue Schriber announced Wednesday the promotion of three executives to senior VP status.

In their new roles, Henry Avila, senior VP asset management, Heather Beal, senior VP leasing, and Scott Lawrence, senior VP construction, will work closely with Donahue Schriber’s executive committee on future decisions affecting the company.

Dallas -- A survey released by Lucernex Technologies that polled the National Retail Tenants Association members about preparedness for the upcoming FASB changes found that, for the most part, retailers are generally not ready for the new rules to take effect.

In the NRTA membership survey “FASB Preparedness in the Retail Industry,” five key findings were revealed:

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart announced that it will offer customers savings of 10 cents a gallon on all fuel, gas and diesel at participating Murphy USA and Walmart gas stations.  The reduction is part of a 90-day Rollback program.

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — Supervalu announced that plans to transition 40 stores to zero waste operations by the end of its current fiscal year ending Feb. 29, 2012. 

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens on Wednesday unveiled plans to establish deeper roots on its home turf with its “Chicago Hometown Investment Initiative,” a plan that will create an estimated 600 new jobs in the city over the next two years and quadruple the number of Walgreens’ food oasis stores.

Columbus, Ohio-based Steiner + Associates announced that the city of Hampton, Va. has been awarded the 2011 Donald E. Hunter Excellence in Economic Development Planning Award by the American Planning Association for the Peninsula Town Center. Located in Hampton, Va., the Peninsula Town Center represents the successful redevelopment of an enclosed mall into a vibrant town center, providing approximately 2,400 new jobs and significantly increasing the taxable sales base in the city. The site has been effectively transformed from the Coliseum Mall into a regional destination.

New York City -- Wal-Mart Stores spent $2.42 million on lobbying in the first quarter on issues ranging from organized crime to food safety, as well as nutritional labeling, according to a recent disclosure report, the Associated Press said.

New York City -- Many retailers are not satisfied with their ability to meet customer expectations for a seamless cross-channel experience, according to a survey conducted by Edge Research for Sterling Commerce, an IBM company.

The survey revealed several significant gaps between what consumers want and what retailers are currently delivering. A retailer’s ability to meet consumer expectations -- and deliver a seamless, cross-channel experience -- will be the deciding factor in their ability to survive in the age of the empowered consumer.

Tustin, Calif. -- Gold Max of California announced that is on track to open 100 Gold Max stores in Southern California within the next year.

With more than 150 stores, Gold Max operates the United States’ largest chain of stores specializing in buying gold and precious metals from consumers. Gold Max entered the Southern California market in the fall of 2010 and opened eight stores.

For the second year in a row, retailers’ expansion plans are on an upward trajectory, according to Chain Store Age’s 2011 Store Construction & Outfitting Survey, an annual survey of retail building activity and development costs. In other findings, the cost of lighting, signage, roofing and other store-outfitting systems decreased compared with last year.