Displays & Signs

Destination Maternity Corp. is showing off a new superstore prototype, in Virginia Beach,Va. The 5,000-sq.-ft. store has a "discovery" or open floor plan that offers customers different paths to explore the space. Larger graphics, new fixtures and tables and enhanced fitting rooms  create a modern, inviting environment.  Merchandise is displayed in lifestyle zones, with elevated presentations of categories. There are also new mannequins, and more of them.

Sam’s Club was Walmart’s best performing division during the third quarter and holiday plans outlined by president and CEO Rosalind Brewer suggest that could be the case in the fourth quarter as well.

Same store sales at Sam’s increased 1.1% and total sales increased 2.1% to $12.4 billion a while with traffic was up among both business and individual members. Operating profit increased 9.2% to $474 million.

London -- Disney U.K. is teaming up with Harrods to open a Cinderella-inspired "Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique" at the world famous department store, marking the first time that a Disney Parks and Resorts concept has been recreated in the United Kingdom. The boutique will be the centerpiece of partnership between Disney and Harrods that also includes a dedicated Disney Store, which opened on Nov. 1. .

New York -- Starbucks Coffee Company and Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) on Thursday unveiled the first-ever Starbucks store on a train. The train’s maiden voyage will take place on the train line running from Geneva Airport to St. Gallen in Switzerland on Nov. 21 at 6:36 a.m.

Seattle -- PlayNetwork, a leader in branded entertainment media experiences, announced it is providing music programming and installing state-of-the-art media systems for the Levi's brand in 1,500 stores around the globe, including all U.S. locations.

Portland, Ore. -- Bettery announced that it has teamed up with Safeway to give consumers a convenient way to adopt reusable household batteries, not only reducing their environmental footprint but also saving them money.

Bettery Swap Stations – kiosks for purchasing and exchanging rechargeable batteries – are being installed this month at multiple Safeway locations, starting with stores in Portland, Seattle and surrounding communities.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Walmart will start unveiling its Black Friday deals on Thanksgiving at 6 p.m., which is two hours earlier than last year, and stagger them throughout the night and all Black Friday weekend. The retailer is also offering a special incentive to employees who work on Thanksgiving Day: a 25% discount on an entire purchase this holiday season."

New York -- European Wax Center, a national chain offering waxing services for men and women, has taken space in two upper west side locations, according to Winick Realty Group, which represented the tenant in both transactions.

European Wax Center will occupy 1,500 sq. ft. at 2409 Broadway between 88th and 89th Streets. NGKF represented the landlord, 2409 Broadway Associates.

Holiday shopping continues to encroach on Thanksgiving with Walmart the latest retailer to reveal plans that its promotional activity will begin at 6 p.m. with an expanded range of featured items, price guarantees, deeper inventory levels and detailed crowd control procedures.

Interactions, a company that organizes event marketing and product demonstrations for retailers and brands, has appointed Jerry Slater as VP of operations.

Slater will lead Elite Marketing Interactions, the company’s in-house group dedicated exclusively to Meijer, the Grand Rapids, Mich.-based retailer that operates 203 supercenters and grocery stores throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky. In his new role, Slater is responsible for overseeing the company’s day-to-day operations and will be based in the Grand Rapids office.