Home Improvement

Hastings, Minn. -- Mid-America Real Estate announced it recently secured a new retail lease on behalf of Westview Shopping Center in Hastings, Minnesota.

Ace Hardware signed a lease for 14,980 sq. ft. at Westview Shopping Center located at the corner of South Frontage Road and Pleasant Avenue.

Ace Hardware will anchor the 130,395 sq. ft. center that is also home to Sterling Drug. The location is expected to open in spring 2016.

H-E-B is blazing another new trail in the online grocery market with a special holiday promotion.

The Texas-based grocery chain is hosting 12 Days of Deals, online only, Dec. 5 through Dec. 16. Each day, HEB says, it will feature a doorbuster deal with something for everyone, from TVs and toys, to crockpots and coolers.

The minimalist Japanese lifestyle brand Muji has opened its largest U.S. location yet, a two-level, 12,000-sq.-ft. flagship on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. It’s the company’s fifth location in the Big Apple.

The store, designated as Muji’s U.S. flagship, includes such extras as an embroidering station where customers can have their items customized, choosing from more than 100 designs, and an Aroma Lab, where shoppers can create custom scents choosing from some 48 essential oils.

A four-year, $400 million upgrade has transformed Macy’s Herald Square flagship. But for all the modernization, there is a signature element of the store that remains as is: the Otis wooden escalators—20 in all— that have been in operation for as long as 95 years.

EDENS announced it acquired Casa Linda Plaza, one of the oldest shopping centers in the Dallas, Texas. The 323,000 sq. ft. center, was first opened in the late 1940s.

Casa Linda Plaza is located five miles northeast of downtown, situated on three of the four corners at the intersection of Buckner Boulevard and Garland Road. The center is anchored by Albertson's and Petco, as well as, mix of local and national retailers including Pie Wei, Torchy's Tacos, El Fenix Restaurant, Highland Park Cafeteria, and Elliott's Hardware to name a few.

Asurion Retail Solutions has introduced an unlimited device protection plan to help retailers build stronger, more connected relationships with small businesses and consumers.

The new initiative is a first-to-retail product innovation, according to Asurion, that allows retailers to serve as a single-source destination for customers’ protection coverage needs across an unlimited number of devices purchased from any retailer.

Oak Brook, Illinois-based Ace Hardware Corporation reported third quarter 2015 revenues of $1.3 billion, an increase of $148.5 million or 13.2% from third quarter 2014. Net income was $54.2 million for third quarter 2015, an increase of $16.9 million or 45.3% from last year.

"We are delighted to announce the best third quarter sales and profit in Ace’s history," said John Venhuizen, President and CEO, Ace Hardware Corp. "The credit falls squarely on the shoulders of our world-class retailers, associates and corporate teammates.”

Ten years ago, the CEO of Walmart and the president of Environmental Defense Fund hiked together on Mount Washington in New Hampshire. Along the way, Lee Scott of Walmart (now retired) and Fred Krupp of EDF talked about climate change and the environmental challenges of our time. They also talked about ways that Walmart could drive positive environmental change in its product lines and operations.