Home Improvement

Chicago -- Englewood Construction’s restaurant and retail groups have recently broken ground on four projects, completed three projects and started work on one expansion project across the country.   In the Chicago area, Englewood’s restaurant group recently broke ground on an 11,265-square-foot, ground-up Cooper’s Hawk Winery and Restaurant in Oaklawn, Ill., and an expansion for the popular Purple Pig restaurant on Michigan Avenue in downtown Chicago. 

Westport, Conn. -- Charter Realty & Development said that it has leased space in Parker Harding Plaza in Westport, Conn., to The Shade Store. The Shade Store took 1,600 sq. ft., joining area tenants Patagonia, Nike, J Crew, GAP, Vineyard Vines, Pottery Barn, Coach, Talbots, Williams-Sonoma, Brooks Brothers, Sunglass Hut, Starbucks and many more.    

Specialty retailer Tile Shop announced a senior leadership transition involving long time CEO Robert Rucker and current COO Chris Homeister.

The company said Homeister, a former Best Buy merchant who joined Minneapolis-based Tile Shop a year ago, would be elevated to the role of CEO effective Jan. 1. He replaces current CEO Robert Rucker who founded the company 29 years ago. Rucker will remain with the company on a full time basis until Aug. 1, 2015 as an advisor and board member.

Mooresville, N.C. -- Lowe's Companies Inc. has named 3M, Stainmaster and Truper as the company's 2014 Vendor Partners of the Year. The companies were selected for their commitment to product quality, innovation and customer service.   

With technology products at the top of many wish lists this Christmas, The NPD Group’s top analyst covering the product category weighed in with a dozen expectations for the holiday season.

“The tech industry faces even more intense pricing and promotion than last year’s holiday shopping season,” said Stephen Baker, vice president of industry analysis at NPD. “The challenge of surpassing the impressive start to last year’s holiday season will be addressed head-on by the market’s emphasis on competitive offerings.”

Minneapolis –- An increase in selling, general & administrative (SG&A) expenses helped reduce net income at Tile Shop Holdings Inc. to $1.5 million, down 63% from $4.05 million in the same quarter the prior fiscal year. In addition, founder and CEO Robert Rucker will retire as CEO effective Jan. 1, 2015 and be replaced by current COO Chris Homeister, who will join the board of directors early in 2015.  

Mooresville, N.C. -- Lowe's announced that it will enter its first two stores in Manhattan. The home improvement giant has two locations slated to open in the second half of 2015, one at 2008 Broadway at West 68th Street, and a second at 635 6th Avenue at West 19th Street.  

Corte Madera, Calif. -- RH (Restoration Hardware Holdings) announced today the opening of its store, RH The Gallery, in West Hollywood, Calif.       With nearly 40,000 total interior and exterior square feet, the space features artistic abstractions and never-seen-before collections of home furnishings in a gallery setting.