Corporate Governance

The people have spoken – and they like limits on debit card swipe fees the way they are.  

Amazon is bringing its bookstore concept to one of the largest retail projects to ever open in Manhattan.   The online giant is planning to open a bookstore and cafe at Hudson Yards, the massive retail, commercial and residential space being developed by Related Cos. and Oxford Properties Group, the New York Post reported.     Click here to read more.

Restaurants have long served as critical components in the experiential equation of Steiner + Associates town centers. “Eating out is in,” said Yaromir Steiner. “Whether it is a chef-driven concept or a fast-casual restaurant, dining is an inherently social activity that elevates the destination status of a community, drives traffic and captures coveted discretionary dollars.

It is a synergy evident in many of the restaurant concepts that call Steiner + Associates’ projects home, as exemplified by The Northstar Café.

An average food retail store leaks an estimated 25% of its refrigerant supply per year. The majority of refrigerant leaks, which are caused by a number of factors, occur in racks and cases. For an individual store, this loss can add up to a sizeable annual expense; for a regional or national chain, the costs can be even more substantial. Additionally, associated labor costs and the potential loss of business because of service disruptions when fixing a leak should be factored in.

Retailers should do their homework now and make a plan for the future

Today, retailers and end-users face many changes in regard to refrigerants, including technology options and efficiency regulations. In the past, choices were made and remained applicable for a year or more.

From convenient access to reduced heating costs, automatic doors provide retailers with some key benefits.

There is substantial funding available to reduce the cost of upgrading existing lighting systems, but it takes some preparation. Here are some tips:

About two-thirds (64%) of the United States is covered by prescriptive lighting rebates, according to BriteSwitch, a rebate fulfillment company. These rebates can significantly reduce the installed cost of new lighting in existing buildings and improve payback by 20% to 25%, which would reduce a two-year payback to about 1.5 years.

How businesses should respond to the new rule

In May, the Department of Labor unveiled new overtime regulations. The biggest change — and the one that will impact retailers the most — is the nearly doubling of the salary threshold that entitles most salaried workers to overtime pay from $23,660 to $47,476, which is based upon the 40th percentile of the lowest-wage region, the South. The previous cutoff was set back in 2004.

Tractor Supply Co. supports expansion with science