Sustainability

Wisconsin has become the third state to legalize the use of the automated robots. Virginia and Idaho passed passed similar legislation earlier this year.    The Wisconsin law places an 80-pound weight limit on the robots, and doesn’t permit the machines to travel faster than 10 miles per hour. The robots are also required to have a person in the loop to take over control in case something goes awry, according to ReCode.  

Green Top Grocery has opened and will anchor The Foundry, a center situated on a boundary between manufacturing and residential neighborhoods in Bloomington, Minnesota.   Green Top could represent the burgeoning of a new player in the fresh and organic grocery segment in shopping centers: the local cooperative. Owned by 1,500-plus local residents, the Green Top co-op attempts to source products from farmers and vendors within a 100-mile radius of Bloomington.  

West Elm has announced the newest location for its fledgling West Elm Hotels portfolio.   The company, a division of Williams-Sonoma, is teaming up with Signature Development Group and Jordan Real Estate Investments to develop a hotel in Oakland, Calif. Expected to open in 2020, the hotel will be located in Oakland’s Uptown neighborhood, and will celebrate the rich diversity and history of the location.   

Eco-friendly home improvement retailer TreeHouse's new outpost in Dallas is billed as the nation's first energy-positive (meaning it will generate more energy than it uses) big-box store.   The 35,000-sq.-ft. space offers a curated selection of products, materials and technologies — some not available elsewhere—designed to promote healthy and sustainable spaces.  It also offers turn-key services and programs, including kitchen and bath design. solar energy kits, home insulation and "smart" home installation.

TreeHouse practices what it preaches.    The retailer, which specializes in supplies and services that promote healthy and sustainable spaces, has expanded beyond its Austin home base, opening in Dallas. Its new 35,000-sq.-ft. outpost is billed as the nation's first energy-positive (meaning it will generate more energy than it uses) big-box store.   

It appears that L'Oreal has settled on a buyer for The Body Shop.   The French cosmetics giant is in exclusive talks to sell its Body Shop division to Brazilian make-up company Natura Cosmeticos, Bloomberg reported. The reported price: $1.1 billion,   Natura is the largest Brazilian cosmetics company.   The transaction would be subject to regulatory approval and would be expected to close later this year.    

Consumers rank Wegmans, Publix Super Markets, and Amazon.com as the top three companies when it comes to corporate social responsibility efforts.   

Williams-Sonoma's West Elm division has tapped a company veteran as its new president.    Alex Bellos, head of Williams-Sonoma's Rejuvenation and Mark and Graham brands, is succeeding Jim Brett as president of the West Elm brand. On Tuesday, Brett announced he was resigning from the company to take a position as CEO of J.Crew.   

Retailers could unlock $2.95 trillion in value over the next decade simply by investing in transforming, digitally driven business models.   

Ikea’s next solar-powered store is in the works.   The home furnishings giant’s future Jacksonville, Florida store, slated to open in the fall, will be the newest location to feature a solar power system. Panel installation will begin this summer, and is expected to be complete by early fall. This will be Ikea’s fifth solar array in the state of Florida, according to the retailer.