Events

London -- An increasing number of U.K. consumers are spending more time at the nation’s shopping centers, according to a newly launched weekly statistic released Wednesday by the International Council of Shopping Centers and Path Intelligence.

Brooklyn, N.Y. -- Charter Realty & Development said it has leased 43,842 sq. ft. for an Alamo Drafthouse Cinema at the City Point Development in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Alamo Drafthouse Cinema features an upscale theater-restaurant combination. City Point will have seven screens of new releases, repertory programming and the Alamo’s signature programming with seating for over 900 moviegoers.
 

New York -- In a Tuesday night address at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York City, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. president and CEO Mike Duke didn’t shy away from discussing the fiscal cliff, saying that the current debate is having a negative impact on consumer spending.

New York -- Give your new store and renovation projects the recognition they deserve:  Entries are now being accepted for the 31st annual Chain Store Age Retail Store of the Year Design Competition, which will celebrate outstanding retail and restaurant design.  More than 20 categories are featured, ranging from supermarkets and discount/mass merchants to specialty stores and pop-up stores. Entries may be submitted by retailers, designers, architects or suppliers.

Denver -- Office Depot will celebrate the ‘Office Depot Grand Opening Street Party” on Dec. 15 in downtown Denver. The one-day action sports exhibition was created to showcase Office Depot’s new store concept and kick off the company’s commitment to being one of the sponsors of X Games Aspen 2013.

We’ve all seen the footage that’s become an annual ritual for media outlets reporting on Black Friday: long lines, stampeding crowds and frantic shoppers. But the real drama is how stores fare once the dust settles, and this year was no exception. The length of the lines isn’t the ultimate Black Friday metric; it’s the bottom lines for retailers around the country that tell the tale.

WEST AURORA, Ill. — Gatorade and USA Today High School Sports have named Lauren Carlini of West Aurora High School as the 2012-13 Gatorade National Volleyball Player of the Year.  

Carlini received the news at West Aurora High School from 2012 Olympic silver medalist April Ross, who earned Gatorade National Volleyball Player of the Year honors in 1999-00.

Atlanta -- Dollar volume growth remained solid at 5.8% in November, down from 6.7% in October, according to the First Data SpendTrend analysis for the full month of November 2012 compared with November 2011. SpendTrend tracks same-store consumer spending by credit, signature debit, PIN debit, EBT, closed-loop prepaid cards and checks at U.S. merchant locations.