Events

Whole Foods had a difficult 2015 that included falling sales and stock value, as well as a pricing scandal. However, as Marketplace Business reports, Whole Foods is looking to regain its footing in 2016 with help from a redesigned, IT-centric customer experience. [Marketplace Business]

Whole Foods had a difficult 2015 that included falling sales and stock value, as well as a pricing scandal. However, as Marketplace Business reports, Whole Foods is looking to regain its footing in 2016 with help from a redesigned, IT-centric customer experience. [Marketplace Business]

Photos: Sam Dushey before his appearance on “Undercover Boss,” (photo, left) and after he underwent his undercover transformation (photo, right). Via CBS.com

For the retailing industry, 2015 was another year of seismic shifts as merchants continued to keep pace with the evolving digital landscape. It was also a busy year of executive comings and goings. Here is my pick of industry executives — all new to their positions — to keep an eye on in 2016.

Nintendo World in Rockefeller Plaza in New York City is getting a big upgrade.

The two-level store, which opened in 2005, will temporarily close on Jan. 10, and then reopen on Feb. 19, with a new look and a new feel. The overhaul will include an updated interior design, new demo units for Wii U and Nintendo 3DS, a 15-ft. gaming screen and more fun elements.

In addition, a large bronze coin installed at the store entrance will display the store’s tagline: “Where everyone comes to play.”

Westfield Corporation established Westfield Labs in 2013 with the purpose of innovating the retail environment. And this year the company did just that with the opening of BESPOKE at Westfield San Francisco Centre. The 37,000-sq.-ft. space incorporates co-working, event and technology demo spaces all under one dome. With an eye for retail, and a heart for tech, Westfield wanted to create a place where fashion runway shows and hackathons could happen side by side.

With 2016 upon us, many employers find themselves nervously awaiting what election-year politics might bring to their doorsteps. Retailers and restaurant operators, more than ever, have been thrust front and center into the political landscape, with labor issues at the top of candidate’s agendas as well as the subject of numerous ballot issues at the state and local level. As a result, the business models and labor practices of entry-level employers are being evaluated by the public in much the same way the candidates are.

Chain Store Age’s annual SPECS conference is the must-attend event for retail and restaurant executives involved in the design, construction, and maintenance of stores. This year’s show — to be held March 13-15, 2016, at the Hilton Anatole, Dallas — is shaping up as one of the best ever, with presentations by Target, Under Armour and The Container Store to name but a few.