Strategy

New York City -- Robert K. Futterman & Associates said it has been retained as the exclusive retail leasing agent for the Manhattan franchisee of Elevation Burger, which controls the chain’s locations south of 50th Street and is currently the only Manhattan franchisee. 

Earlier this year, RKF represented the burger chain’s franchisee in the leasing of its Manhattan flagship location at 103 West 14th Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues. It is scheduled to open in December.

Hamden, Conn. -- Hollywood Tans has signed a lease for a new 2,580-sq.-ft. store at Parkway Plaza, in Hamden, Conn.

Parkway Plaza is owned by New York City-based Centro Properties Group.

New York City -- Wal-Mart Stores has filed suit against CVS Caremark Corp. to prevent CVS from hiring former Wal-Mart executive Hank Mullany, according to a Friday report by Bloomberg.

CVS’s hiring of Mullany, former president of Wal-Mart’s northern U.S. division, would violate a noncompete agreement, Wal-Mart said in the complaint filed Thursday in Delaware Chancery Court.

According to Wal-Mart’s complaint, CVS has indicated that it intends to hire Mullany without regard to the agreement.

Washington, D.C. -- Fewer Americans filed claims for unemployment insurance payments over the past month, indicating some positive movement in the job market.

According to the latest labor department figures, the number of applications for jobless benefits averaged 431,000 a week over the month ended Nov. 27, the lowest level since August 2008. Claims increased by 26,000 last week, more than forecast, to 436,000, after reaching a two-year low.

Arlington, Va. -- After same-store sales reports on Thursday showed strengthened performance among most major retail chains, the Retail Industry Leaders Association said that November results may suggest that consumer activity is on the rise, and could indicate the strongest holiday shopping season retailers have experienced in recent years.