Appliances

New for spring at the world's largest home improvement retailer: an integrated shopping experience.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recognized Sears Holdings Corp. with a 2015 Energy Star Partner of the Year – Sustained Excellence Award. Sears Holdings, an Energy Star partner since 1998, will be honored for its long-term commitment to energy efficiency.

99 Cents Only Stores is accelerating its expansion plan with several new stores planned for 2015.

The retailer just opened nearly 10 new stores this week in California, and plans to open more later this year.

The company says it will celebrate its store openings this week in California by selling flat screen LCD TVs for only 99 cents to the first nine customers in line on Grand Opening Day. The next 99 customers in line on opening day may purchase an iron for only 99 cents. Other 99 cent deals will follow for additional customers.

Stoughton, Mass. -- Ikea has gone live with the expanded solar energy array atop its store that opened nine years ago in Stoughton, Massachusetts. The 51,516-sq.-ft. solar panel addition consists of a 318-kW system built with 1,248 panels, and will produce 385,900 kWh more of electricity annually for the store. It sits atop a 58,575-sq.-ft. store extension completed last summer.

Sears has teamed up with organizers of a next-generation athletic event that involves slogging through mud to promote its best-selling Kenmore brand in stores, online and via social media.

The Kenmore brand announced that for the second consecutive year, it will be the official household appliance sponsor of the Dity Girl Mud Run, the original women-only national 5K obstacle and race event.

Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores is rearranging its appliance retail strategy to better speak to customers and their changing priorities.

Conshohocken, Pa. -- Ikea announced plans to install a fuel cell system at its location in Emeryville, California. Consistent with the retailer’s focus on emerging energy technologies, is the first Ikea in the world to convert biogas into electricity through a clean electro-chemical process. The fuel cell system will be installed, commissioned and activated by this summer, 2015.

Ikea contracted Bloom Energy, Sunnyvale, California, for the design, development and installation of the fuel system.

Merrillville, Ind. – Membership-based buying club DirectBuy has named Curt Fisher VP of sales. He brings more than 20 years of experience customer relationship management in Fortune 500 companies, including the past three years as Chicago-area general manager of residential HVAC manufacturer Goodman Manufacturing.

New York -- High-end home appliances and outfitting retailer Pirch will open its first store in the Northeast, at Garden State Plaza in Paramus, New Jersey, on March 28.  

The 20,000-sq.-ft. store, the company’s eighth to date, allows shoppers to "test-drive" a carefully-curated collection of premier kitchen, bath, laundry, and outdoor living brands in a highly interactive and sensory environment.

Indianapolis – Just in time for the annual college basketball championship tournament, Hhgregg is running an omnichannel “March Markdown” promotion. From March 16 – April 6, customers can enter up to four times per day via Facebook, online, or by sharing the Hhgregg “Acrobatic Dunk Madness” video.