Strategy

Oak Brook, Ill. -- The J.D. Power and Associates 2011 U.S. Home Improvement Retailer Store Satisfaction Study again ranked Ace Hardware “Highest in Customer Satisfaction with Home Improvement Retail Stores.” Ace has held this position since the organization began researching the home improvement category five years ago.

By Harry Herget, syntelllc.com

Woodbridge, N.J. -- Fameco Real Estate said that Boardwalk Fresh Burgers and Fries has signed its first lease in New Jersey at Summit Plaza in Hackensack. 

The fast-casual restaurant will open a 2,684-sq.-ft. unit at the Stop N Shop-anchored center and said it is embarking on an aggressive franchised store rollout program with plans to grow to 200 restaurants in the next five years.

Site selection criteria include 1,700-2,500 sq. ft., inline, end cap or freestanding space, and a daytime population of 10,000 within one mile.

New York City -- Robert K. Futterman & Associates said it has arranged a 14,564-sq.-ft. lease for Anthropologie at 1230 Third Ave. for its first Upper East Side location.

Set to open this holiday season, the retailer will consist of 5,051 sq. ft. on the ground-floor and 9,513 sq. ft. of lower-level retail space. 

This will be Anthropologie’s fifth location in Manhattan. 

New York City -- Cushman & Wakefield announced that Stella McCartney, the fashion and accessories retailer and daughter of Paul McCartney, will open a new store at 112 Greene Street between Prince and Spring Streets, in the SoHo area of Manhattan.

The opening is planned for the fall.

Stella McCartney will occupy approximately 5,200 total sq. ft. between the ground floor and lower level in a 10-year lease.

New York City -- Wal-Mart will debut its Walmart Express format on June 8, in Gentry, Ark. The 15,000-sq-.ft.-store will sell many of the product categories that a traditional Walmart carries, from general merchandise to consumables. There is also a pharmacy. But it will have from 11,000 to 13,000 items, compared with the more than 100,000 items found in a typical supercenter.

Ankeny, Iowa -- Casey’s General Stores and Kum & Go announced that they have signed a definitive purchase agreement for Casey’s to acquire 22 convenience stores from Kum & Go.

The stores, all of which are located in Iowan, will be immediately rebranded to Casey’s once the transaction is completed.

New York City -- Wal-Mart Stores on Friday morning kicked off its annual shareholders meeting in Fayetteville, Ark., by announcing a $15 billion stock buyback.

Among the early speakers was Doug McMillon, chief of Wal-Mart Stores' international division, who told the audience that the chain is building sales around the world by using the same retailing style that company founder Sam Walton developed.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Fred's on Thursday reported sales of $143.5 million for the four weeks ended May 28, up 1%. Comparable-store sales for the month rose 0.2%, compared with an increase of 3.5% in the same period last year.

BENSALEM, Pa. — Charming Shoppes reported that consolidated net sales for the first quarter ended April 30 were $504.4 million, compared with $504.8 million for the three months ended May 1, 2010. Net sales results included a 2% increase in comparable-store sales and an increase in e-commerce sales, offset by the impact of operating 139 (or 7%) fewer stores than in the year-ago period. E-commerce sales increased to $36.6 million in the first quarter, compared with $31.6 million in the year-ago period.