Home Improvement

Conshohocken, Pa. -- Ikea said Thursday it plans to install solar energy panels on five more of its U.S. locations – all of them in the Midwest. Installation is slated for summer 2012 completion and will expand Ikea’s solar presence to nearly 85% of its U.S. locations. 

Atlanta -- Home Depot Inc. said Thursday that its spring hiring numbers match last year’s, with plans to bring on 70,000 seasonal workers for the spring season.

Last year, about half of the seasonal workers were hired permanently as cashiers, sales, lot and garden staffers.
 

Fort Worth, Texas -- Edge Realty Partners announced several Sears concept planned openings in Texas. 

Sears Outlet leased a 30,577-sq.-ft. space in Ridgmar Town Square located in Fort Worth, Texas. Sears Appliance Showroom leased a 5,500-sq.-ft. space in Timber Creek Crossing in Dallas.

And Sears Outlet leased a 35,398-sq.-ft. space in Cottonwood Creek Village Shopping Center located in Allen, Texas.
 

Roswell, Ga. -- PGA Tour Superstore plans to open a 60,000-sq.-ft. store in the Chicago area in late spring 2012, followed by an additional location in the area later in the year. The two Chicago metro stores will be the company’s first locations in the Midwest.

The first store will be located in Schaumburg at the site of the former Great Indoors store at Golf Road and Meacham Road near Woodfield Mall, the largest mall in Chicagoland. The location of the second store will be announced at a later date.

INDIANAPOLIS — Electronics retailer Hhgregg announced that it has lowered its third-quarter forecast, reflecting weakness in the video category.

The company said that fiscal third quarter comparable-store sales are estimated to have increased 3.9%, with the video category expected to have decreased 4.8%, the appliance category expected to have increased 6.8%, the home office category expected to have increased 91.4% and the other category expected to have decreased 7.1%. 

STOCKHOLM — Stefano Marzano has been appointed chief design dfficer, a new role at Electrolux.  

ATLANTA — Goody is launching for 2012 its first-ever heat styling products that are slated to hit Target and Walmart shelves in March.

The new collection is comprised of the Goody Heat Flash Dry blow dryer, Smart Temp blow dryer and Wave Creator styling iron.

Washington, D.C. -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has added three hydrocarbons as acceptable alternatives in small commercial refrigerators and freezers through EPA’s Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program.