Home Improvement

Toano, Va. -- Lumber Liquidators is expanding its board of directors from eight to nine members with the appointment of Nancy M. Taylor as a Class III director effective April 1. Taylor currently serves as the president and CEO of Tredegar Corp., serving in such roles since January 2010, and is a member of Tredegar's board of directors.

The backyard chicken movement is a consumer trend that likely went undetected by the insights teams at most retailers, but not Tractor Supply.

The nation’s leading farm and ranch store has developed an innovative promotion called “Chick Days,” and is touting the benefits of raising backyard poultry with the promotional piece, “Raise Your Roost.” A dedicate landing page at TractorSupply.com also features a wide range of chicken products to help customers raise a healthy flock.

Atlanta - With consumer confidence and the real estate market on the rise, many homeowners are ready to begin home remodeling or maintenance projects. According to an online survey conducted on behalf of SunTrust Banks Inc. by Harris Poll, 56% of homeowners plan to spend money on home improvement projects this year.

Leading global cooler manufacturer Igloo was acquired by Washington, D.C.-based private equity firm ACON Investments from Connecticut-based private equity firm J.H. Whitney.

ACON said J.H. Whitney will continue to maintain a small, but undisclosed, stake in the company. Igloo will continue to be led by chairman and CEO Gary Kiedaisch and other members of the existing management team who are also purchasing significant interests in Igloo in connection with the transaction. The company will focus on continued growth in the outdoors, housewares and sporting goods markets.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. – Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores Inc. opens a new store in Webster, Texas, on March 28. Each Sears Outlet Store, on average, offers shoppers more than 18,000-sq.-ft. of retail space.

Time Inc.'s All You brand is expanding its newsstand distribution beginning with the April 2014 issue, already in newsstands.

In addition to being sold at Walmart, All You will be available at most major retail chains across the country including supermarkets, drugstores and bookstores like Kroger, Publix, Safeway, Target, CVS, Walgreens and Barnes & Noble, in addition to being sold by subscription. This expansion follows a successful rollout across retailers in the Southeast market that began last June.

Virginia Beach, Va. — Divaris Real Estate has announced the signing of two new leases for a combined 7,700 sq. ft. and one lease renewal for 3,612 sq. ft. in the greater Richmond area.

Sherwin Williams signed a new lease for 6,000 sq. ft. of retail space in the Town Hall Shopping Center in Colonial Heights, Va. DRE’s Richmond office represented the tenant in the transaction.

Manhattan Associates’ Floor & Decor, a leading specialty retailer in the hard surface flooring market, has selected Manhattan Associates' transportation management system (TMS) and warehouse management System (WMS) solutions to unify its distribution systems under one platform that will allow the company's to grow.