Corporate Governance

New York -- Convenience-store operator Wawa will license Applied Predictive Technologies’ (APT) merchandise optimization software, adding to Wawa’s current long term licenses for APT’s Test & Learn management system and Market Basket Analyzer. Wawa will leverage the merchandise optimization solution to maximize profitability of space and merchandise assortment plans, assess the impact of each merchandising change, and fine-tune merchandising strategy across more than 600 locations.

New York -- Target Corp. is cutting 475 positions globally, and also will not fill 700 positions that are open worldwide.

“We believe these decisions, while difficult, are the right actions as we continue to focus on transforming our business,” Molly Snyder, a Target spokeswoman, said in an e-mailed statement, as reported by Reuters. “We will continue to invest in key business areas to strengthen our ability to compete and thrive well into the future.”

No specific details were given on the job cuts. 

Pittsburgh -- American Eagle Outfitters said that CEO Robert Hanson, would leave the company, effective immediately. He was appointed to the position in late 2011, after 23 years at Levi Strauss & Co., where he served in a number of executive roles.

Similar to many other teen retailers, American Eagle has been struggling. The company reported a profit of $24.9 million in the three months ended Nov. 2, compared to $78.6 million in the year-ago period. Revenue was $857.3 million, a decline from $910.4 million a year ago.

New York -- The National Retail Federation on late Tuesday sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Speaker John Boehner that called for replacing the magnetic-strip credit and debit cards that are widely used throughout the United States with chip-based cards that store data in an embedded computer micro-chip and require the use of a PIN rather than a signature. The chip-based cards are widely used in Europe, Asia and Africa.

Chevy Chase, Md. — Simon Property Group has promoted Sean Mayo, former director of strategic partnerships for Simon Business Ventures, to regional director of marketing, east region of The Mills portfolio.

Chicago  — R.P. Wurster has acquired the 49,967-sq.-ft. Plainfield Commons in Plainfield, Ind., for $6.35 million. The 100% leased community shopping center features anchor tenants Dollar Tree and Shoe Carnival. Shadow anchors include Target, Kohl’s, Pier One Imports and PetSmart.

Mid-America Real Estate Corp. in cooperation with Mid-America Real Estate Corp. — Indiana brokered the transaction on behalf of the seller, RPD Catalyst.
 

New York — ProHealth has signed a lease for a 10,913-sq.-ft. location at an endcap of the 187,650-sq.-ft. Glen Oaks Shopping Center in the Glen Oaks section of Queens, according to The Feil Organization, the center’s owner and manager. The lease brings the open-air center to 99% leased.

The medical services provider is renovating the façade and expanding the existing space to increase its frontage on Union Turnpike. ProHealth expects to open in March.

Seattle — Nordstrom has broken ground on a fulfillment center at Conewago Industrial Park in Elizabethtown, Pa. It will be the company’s third fulfillment center. The 672,000-sq.-ft. building, with a 470,000-sq.-ft. mezzanine, is scheduled to open in summer 2015.

In its first three years, the new center will create nearly 400 full-time positions and additional opportunities for part-time and seasonal jobs. Looking ahead, Nordstrom expects to increase staffing to 700 full-time positions or more.

Dallas — Two new Dickey’s Barbecue Pits will open on January 23, one in Lumberton, Texas, and another in Fairmont, W. Va. Both will offer the first 50 customers gift cards for up to $50.

The Lumberton location will be franchise owner Andy Maredia’s second Dickey’s franchise in the area. He plans to open more locations in the future.

The Fairmont franchisees Joe and Bonnita Pena plan to open five additional locations.

New York — Walgreens will host a grand re-opening of its 24/7 flagship store in Union Square, Manhattan, on Jan. 23. The store opened originally in 2001.

Walgreens is the nation’s largest drugstore chain with fiscal 2013 sales of $72 billion. The company operates 8,200 drug stores in 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.