Starbucks Coffee Co.

Seattle -- Starbucks Corp. reported Thursday that it scored record results in the quarter ended July 3, prompting the retailer to accelerate its 2012 new store opening targets to 800 net new stores globally.

Starbucks grew profits 34% in the third quarter, to $279 million from $208 million in the year-ago period. Sales rose 12% to $2.9 billion from $2.6 billion, topping Wall Street estimates.

Same-store sales globally surged 8%, buoyed by a 6% increase in traffic and a 2% increase in average ticket.

Ashburn, Va. — Jacksonville, Fla.-based Regency Centers said Mathnasium and Zinga Frozen Yogurt have leased space at Ashburn Farm Market Center, located in Ashburn, Va.

Mathnasium has leased 1,529 sq. ft. and Zinga has leased 2,264 sq. ft. Both businesses are slated to open in September, bringing the center to 100% leased.

The 91,900-sq.-ft. shopping center is anchored by a 49,000-sq.-ft. Giant, alongside national retailers, such as Starbucks, Subway, Domino’s Pizza and Supercuts.

Aguora Hills, Calif. -- Jacksonville, Fla.-based Regency Centers said it has leased space in Aguora Hills, Calif. to GNC, which will open a new store at Twin Oaks Shopping Center.

GNC has leased 1,050 sq. ft., bringing the center to 97% leased.  The tenant is slated to open for business in fall 2011.  

Aguora Hills, a 98,399-sq.-ft. shopping center, is anchored by Ralphs, alongside RadioShack, Rite Aid, Wells Fargo Bank and Starbucks. 

Seattle -- Starbucks said Monday that it is dividing responsibilities for its business into three global regions (instead of the current two, U.S. and international) in order to accelerate global growth.

The company has appointed three of its executives to lead the three regions: Asia; the Americas: and the combination of Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Cliff Burrows will expand his current role as president, Starbucks U.S. to president, Americas, with responsibility for the United States, Canada, Mexico and Latin America.

NEW YORK — Duane Reade, which is owned by Walgreens, is opening on July 6 its 22,000-sq.-ft. flagship store that has a decided “up market focus” with exclusive services and amenities never seen before in a Duane Reade or any other drug store.

The innovative 24-hour store is located at 40 Wall St., which is known as the "Crown Jewel of Wall Street" and once held the title of the tallest building in the world.

New York City -- Walgreens’ Duane Reade division on Wednesday will open its most ambitious and elaborate store to date, a flagship in downtown Manhattan. The 22,000-sq.-ft. drug store, located at 40 Wall Street, will have an upscale focus, and feature a number of exclusive services and amenities aimed at the Wall Street clientele.

Seattle -- Starbucks Corp. launched an application Wednesday that lets customers purchase goods with their Android smartphones. The company already has similar applications nationwide for BlackBerry and iPhone and iPod touch in January.

The application also allows customers to load their Starbucks loyalty card accounts, check card balances and find stores nearby, and it notifies customers of promotions and other discounts.

PLANO, Texas — Things just got a whole lot more interesting in the mid-tier department store space now that JCPenney has hired former Apple executive Ron Johnson to be its CEO. Johnson is a former Target merchandising executive who for the past 11 years oversaw the growth of Apple’s wildly successful and widely heralded retail operation.