Corporate Governance

Dallas -- J. C. Penney Company announced that as part of its turnaround efforts it will close 33 underperforming stores across the country. The shutterings, which will result in the elimination of about 2,000 positions, are expected to result in an annual cost savings of approximately $65 million, beginning in 2014.

DURHAM, N.C. — Bashas’, a family owned and operated supermarket retailer in the western United States, recently installed energy-efficient LED lighting from Cree, to better illuminate its Tempe, Ariz., location.

The newly renovated store features luminaires powered by Cree TrueWhite technology, delivering superior light quality that helps make products more attractive to customers, while enjoying the benefits of a quick payback and an anticipated energy savings of 47% over the store’s previous design.

New York -- In an effort to expand its service capabilities, Lowe's has partnered with Porch.com, a home improvement network that connects homeowners with over 1.5 million professionals.

The partnership aims to connect customers with home improvement pros for nearly any project outside of what Lowe's currently offers as part of its installation services.

Atlanta — Moe’s Southwest Grill has signed a deal to bring 18 new restaurants to Sacramento and Santa Cruz over the next seven years. This is the franchiser’s first push into California.

HKM II is the franchise group behind the California expansion. HKM II owns 42 quick-serve burger restaurants throughout Northern California, Southern Nevada and Arizona.

Chris Saridakis, president of eBay Enterprise, a division of eBay, has resigned for personal reasons, according to the company.

An external search will be conducted for a successor, the company said. Until the search is completed, Tobias Hartmann, VP, omnichannel operations and international, will serve as the company’s interim head.

Saridakis had served as president of eBay Enterprise since June 2011, following the company’s acquisition of GSI Commerce (renamed eBay Enterprise in 2013), where he was part of that company’s management team.

Duluth, Ga. -- Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores has selected NCR Corp. to install NCR point-of-sale software and technology in its more than 300 locations across 39 states.

Traditionally, Love’s has replaced a quarter of their POS devices each year. But the retailer decided a complete refresh of 1,800 devices to solid state technology with greater processing power and screen size, gives them an immediate ability to create a better customer experience across their footprint.
 

Christine Day is going from CEO of Lululemon to CEO of healthy food brand Luvo.

"Christine's unbridled passion for retailing and consumer insight adds an important component to elevate Luvo into the consumer mainstream," said Luvo founder and president Stephen Sidwell. "We look forward to Christine's guidance for the brand, helping Luvo take the lead in the national movement that delicious, nutrient-dense food can be affordable, convenient and easily accessible."

King of Prussia, Pa. -- Rigid technology can be a prohibitor in omnichannel growth, especially for mid-market retailers, according to a new study by eBay Enterprise. The report, 2014 Omnichannel Benchmark Study, found that that mid-sized retailers are behind their larger competitors in implementing omnichannel experiences and inflexible technology is the biggest factor in prohibiting retailer maturity and growth.

Other key findings include: