Strategy

Queens, N.Y. -- Discount grocer Aldi said Thursday it will open its first-ever New York City store on Feb. 18. The new store is located in the borough of Queens.

Aldi, which offers a limited assortment of items, said it will bring its standard floorplan to Queens, which includes wider-than-typical 8-ft. aisles.

The Queens store is the first of three grocery stores the company plans to open in the area, including new locations in the Bronx and Bay Shore areas.

New York City -- The National Retail Federation said Thursday that it expects retail sales growth of 4% this year, the biggest increase since 2006.

However, the group warned that shoppers are likely to remain cautious as they cope with slow job growth and rising prices.

The NRF said it expects retail sales to reach $2.47 trillion in 2011, up from $2.37 trillion in 2010, excluding automobiles, fuel and restaurants.

New York City -- Italian eyewear maker and retailer Luxottica Group SpA said Thursday it will acquire two specialty sunglass retailers in a deal worth about $23 million in a move to gain entry to the Mexican market.

Luxottica’s deal to buy Stanza and High Tech includes more than 70 stores that will eventually be rebranded as Sunglass Hut locations.

Enterprising television reporters at KGTV in San Diego caused Walmart some grief this week when they uncovered that prices were ringing up incorrectly on some items and customers were not being offered a $3 refund in keeping with a 2008 court order. To watch the video click here or continuing reading.

Phoenix -- Private equity firm Apollo Management will acquire majority ownership in Phoenix-based Sprouts Farmers Market. Apollo plans to combine Sprouts operations with another of its holdings, Henry's Farmers Market, based in Irvine, Calif. The combined company will operate under the Sprouts Farmers Market name.

Terms of the deal, expected to close in the second quarter of this year, were not disclosed. The combined grocers will have 98 stores and generate annual sales that exceed $1 billion.

Global supply chains in an Ayn Rand World is the theme of the 10th annual Supply Chain Management Research Center spring conference to be held Thursday, March 17 at the University of Arkansas Donald W. Reynolds Center for Enterprise Development. The event will last from 7:15 a.m. to 4 p.m. with industry leaders slated to share their views on a wide range of supply chain topics.

Addison, Texas -- Coyote Management, L.P. said that Jim Adkins has joined its management team as the new senior leasing specialist.

Adkins will office at Lakeshore Mall in Gainesville, Ga.

Before joining Coyote Management, Adkins was VP retail leasing for Bull Realty.

Santa Monica, Calif. -- Real estate broker Scott P. Lifschultz announced he has formed SPL Realty Partners, a retail real estate brokerage and consulting company.

Current clients include CVS/pharmacy, Dean & Deluca, LandMark Retail Group, Johnny Was, Casual Male Retail Group and Destination XL. Based in Santa Monica, Calif., the company’s services include tenant representation, strategic planning, site selection, transaction management, owner representation, leasing & marketing, consulting and investment sales.