Target, Inc.

By Sherry Orel, [email protected]

Retail today is supposed to be all about the experience. After all, it’s so easy to shop online. And yet so many retailers could be providing a much richer customer experience if they only made a few simple changes that meet customers needs and expectations.

Los Altos, Calif. – Catalog Spree, which promotes itself as a “digital mall” providing online access to retail catalogs, has added several brands to its mobile shopping app. Retailers — including Forever 21, JC Penney, Kohl's, Target, Toms Shoes, Torrid and Urban Outfitters — now have Catalog Spree “lookbooks” that provide online browsing of catalog-style product selections. Catalog Spree also has added a price watch feature that sends users automatic notifications when prices on desired goods drop to a certain point.

New York  -- Los Angeles is on the fast track to becoming the largest city in the nation to move toward a ban on “single-use” plastic bags after the City Council passed a resolution barring their use in supermarkets, convenience stores and any big retailer, which would include Target and Walmart, that sells groceries.

Minneapolis -- The Target board of directors demonstrated confidence in the company’s cash generating capabilities on Wednesday and agreed to up the company’s quarterly dividend 19% to 43 cents a share.
 
The hefty increase ups the annual payout to $1.72 and moves the company closer to a long-term commitment to increase the full-year dividend amount to $3 by 2017. In addition, the company has established a target of growing earnings per share to $8 over the same time frame, up from $4.26 last year.

MISSISSAUGA, Ont. -- Target announced that its first 24 store locations in Ontario (Canada) have been awarded LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certification. As previously announced, the discounter is seeking LEED certification for all 124 stores scheduled to open in Canada this year.

Corpus Christie, Texas -- Susser Holdings Corporation announced that its Striples LLL brand has Sid Keswani as senior VP store operations. Keswani brings to Stripes more than 18 years of retail operations experience with Target, most recently as senior VP for the Southeast region of the United States.

Stripes announced that company veteran Richard Sebastian has taken on the role of senior VP of facilities, construction and will be responsible for the company's maintenance, new store and capital expenditure programs.   

Dallas -- CBRE’s National Retail Investment Group arranged the sale of Bryan Towne Center to Lamar Cos. for an undisclosed amount. The 52,268-sq.-ft. retail center serves the Bryan-College Station metropolitan area in Texas.

Shadow-anchored by an adjacent Target store, the five-year-old center includes six acres of undeveloped land that can accommodate an additional 230,225-sq.-ft. of retail space, said CBRE.

The center is 66% occupied. Key tenants include Dollar Tree, Rack Room Shoes, Maurice’s and rue21.

Queens, N.Y. -- Onex Real Estate Partners announced its latest lease deal for The Shops at Sky View Center, as fashion boutique Limited Editions For Her will open a 4,000-sq.-ft. store at the Flushing, Queens center.

The store will be located across from Old Navy on Level D and is slated to open in June. “Obtaining a retail space at The Shops at SkyView Center is the perfect vehicle for Limited Editions For Her to continue its New York expansion and broaden its customer base,” said Brad Guth, VP retail for Limited Editions For Her.