Corporate Governance

Natural Grocers to hit store milestone; will open 18 stores in 2015
Scottsdale, Ariz. – Natural Grocers will hit a major milestone in its store network next month. The specialty supermarket chain will open its fifth store in Arizona on Aug. 11 -- making it the company's 100th store nationwide.

The Scottsdale location is one of 18 Natural Grocers stores expected to open in fiscal year 2015.
Supermarket giant plans $100 million IPO
Boise, Idaho – Albertsons Companies Inc., which became the second-largest grocery retailer in the United States after purchasing Safeway in January, is planning to return to public ownership with a major stock offering that has implications for trading partners and competitors.

IHL nabs industry veteran

Nashville, Tenn. -- IHL Group has added a noted retail technology analyst with nearly 30 years of experience to its ranks.

Jeff Roster is joining IHL in the new position of VP of retail strategy. He will oversee IHL's retailer engagement, vendor briefings and strategic IT services practice.
Sneak Peak: Check out CityTarget’s first East Coast store

Photo via Boston Business Journal

Minneapolis – Target Corp. is taking its urban-format to the East Coast.

The retailer will open a CityTarget location in Boston’s Fenway neighborhood on July 22. Boston Business Journal offers a sneak peek at the three-level, 160,000-sq.-ft. store.

Click here.
Grocery giant Albertsons/Safeway readies IPO

Albertsons completed its acquisition of Safeway earlier this year to create a $57.5 billion company that now plans to return to public ownership with a major stock offering with implications for trading partners and competitors.
J.D. Power: Lowe's is No. 1 appliance retailer

Lowe's is doing all the right things when it comes to customer satisfaction, according to J.D. Power's 2015 Appliance Retailer Satisfaction Study.

The study, now in its eighth year, measures customer satisfaction with appliance retailers by examining seven factors (in order of importance): sales staff and service; store facility; price; delivery service; sales and promotions (new to the study); merchandise; and installation service. Satisfaction is measured on a 1,000-point scale.
A new dimension in Sam's Club aisles

Sam's Club is looking to expose more of its shoppers to 3D printing technology by expanding its partnership with MakerBot.

The retailer announced it has expanded its availability of MakerBot Replicator Mini Compact 3D Printers to all 651 Sam’s Club locations nationwide. Select clubs will also feature a new in-club display that prominently showcases a physical MakerBot Replicator Mini Compact 3D Printer, so customers can learn about the technology first hand.
Ex-Staples exec joins the 3DLT board

3D printing solutions provider 3DLT has added the former head of global merchandising for Staples to its board of directors.
Sally Beauty takes a turn on the runway

Sally Beauty is embarking on a broad initiative to update and evolve its brand by teaming up Lifetime's Emmy-nominated show, Project Runway.
Saks Fifth Avenue has an A-list ambassador

Saks Fifth Avenue is teaming up with Stand Up To Cancer to bring awareness to cancer research and attract shoppers will to support it.

The retailer has enlisted the help of Julianne Moore to increase cancer awareness and build broad public support for the effort to combat all types of cancers.
Whole Foods, PBS team up on back-to-school collection

Whole Foods Market is partnering with PBS to offer an exclusive new line of back-to-school products.
Walmart moves on U.S. manufacturing pledge

Walmart is joining forces with a new supplier database provider to support the retailer’s manufacturing initiative, which aims to find U.S. suppliers to manufacture products.

The move is part of Walmart's commitment to invest $250 billion in products that will support and create American jobs by 2023. Based on data from Boston Consulting Group, it is estimated that one million new U.S. jobs will be created through this initiative.