Corporate Governance

In the Spotlight: Lighting Trends
Lighting plays a critical role in retail, and is rapidly evolving to meet changing regulations and customer needs. Dr. Laura Prestwood Thompson, director of the TCU Center for Lighting Education, Texas Christian University, discussed how stores and restaurants in 2025 will light their interiors and looked at the technologies and trends that will impact retail lighting during the SPECS workshop session, “Lighting 2025.”
“The quality of light is key,” Thompson said. “You create an aesthetic for your brand that impacts the customer experience.”
In the Spotlight: Disaster Readiness
The increased severity and frequency of storms and other catastrophic events has put a white-hot spotlight on disaster planning. No retailer can afford to be unprepared. Three disaster readiness experts shared insights on how retailers can best avoid catastrophe before it happens during the SPECS workshop session, “Disaster Zone — Before the Storm.”
Moderator Gregg Beatty, president of embc, kicked things off by reviewing the “three Rs” of dealing with a disaster — readiness, response and recovery.

In the Spotlight: HVAC and Refrigeration

Heating, ventilation and air-conditioning technology is in the midst of a dramatic evolution brought on by a variety of factors, including regulations, retailers’ needs for technological sophistication, operational and cost efficiency, and ease of implementation and use. These and other topics were discussed in the SPECS session, “Evolution, Revolution: The Future of HVAC and Refrigeration.”
Session moderator Bob Keingstein, president of Boss Facility Services, asked panelists to discuss several pointed questions focused on different key areas of the evolution of HVAC.
In the Spotlight: LEDs

A stellar retail panel — Mark Friedman, manager of retail facilities, Coldwater Creek; Eric Johnson, director of store planning, design and construction, Brookshire Brothers Ltd.; and Bob Valair, director of energy and environmental management, Staples — shared first-hand accounts of their LED deployments and plans going forward at the SPECS session, “LED Lessons Learned, Strategies for the Future.”
In the Spotlight: Technology

Technology is no longer the sole province of “IT geeks,” or even marketers and finance executives — it is also now a focal point of such operational departments as store planning, energy management, construction management and real estate.
In recognition of the huge impact technology is having on store operations, SPECS 2014 held a series of hands-on tech boot camps, with the first one devoted to design, development and facilities, the second to operational technology, and the third to social media trends and tools.
Urban March

Redevelopment continues to ignite retail
One of the most fascinating aspects of our ongoing economic recovery is the paradigm shift with respect to commercial development priorities. In the wake of the recession, new development has largely taken a backseat to redevelopment as developers and retailers alike have set their sights on opportunities in core urban markets that have been historically underserved.
Lighting the Way With LEDs

Increasingly, retailers are using ambient lighting to impact the in-store experience. Andrew Peck of Enlighten Luminaires spoke with Chain Store Age about retail lighting trends and the rapidly expanding use of LEDs.
What are the biggest concerns when it comes to illuminating merchandise?
Retailers are most concerned about the way products look, and enhancing the shopper experience.
Where does LED lighting fit into this scenario?
In the Spotlight: Walgreens Net Zero Energy Store

Walgreens provided an up-close look at its new location in Evanston, Ill. — distinguished as the nation’s first net zero energy store — during a super-session at this year’s SPECS conference. Initial engineering estimates — which can vary due to the weather, store operations, systems performance and other factors — indicate that the store will use 200,000 kilowatt hours per year of electricity while generating 220,000 kilowatt hours per year.
SPECS: Focus on the Future

All eyes were on Texas as Chain Store Age’s SPECS conference celebrated its 50th annual show with an opening keynote by President George W. Bush. The 43rd president of the United States, who participated in a discussion moderated by Walgreens president and CEO Gregory Wasson, was given a standing ovation by attendees.
Industry Leaders

Real estate is a complex issue no matter what industry you’re in. For retailers, who typically operate on slim margins and are generally the first industry to feel the effects of variations in consumer spending, navigating the tricky waters of real estate can be especially challenging.
Doing More With Less

Smart retailers can succeed in a tight real estate market with limited capital
Even as the economy continues on a path of slow improvement, brick-and-mortar retailers still find themselves in a real estate market with few vacancies and even fewer new malls under construction. In addition, corporate management remains reluctant to expend any more capital than it feels is absolutely necessary to meet immediate needs.
Changing Perceptions

Discount retailing has undergone a major transformation in recent years
Toward the end of 2008, it became painstakingly obvious to retailers that impulse spending was out and frugal saving was in. Faced with an imminent recession, staggering job loss and quickly depleting discretionary and savings accounts, consumers began to shift their focus to value. The impact of such a large-scale economic event and an abrupt consumer focus shift would appear to alter the fundamental realities of retail.