Retail

Framingham, Mass. — Staples has launched its own Windows Store app for Staples.com. The app provides customers with access to Staples Rewards and features tools that make it easier for small businesses to research and shop for everything they need for their business or home office, the company said.

San Francisco — Williams-Sonoma reported that fourth-quarter earnings per share grew 15% to $1.34 and that quarterly revenue grew to $1.406 billion versus $1.268 billion in 2011, with comparable brand revenue growth of 4%.

Fiscal 2012 earnings per share grew 14% to $2.54. Net revenues for the year grew to $4.043 billion versus $3.721 billion in fiscal year ended January 29, 2012 with comparable brand revenue growth of 6.1%.

New York — The Deloitte Consumer Spending Index remained steady in February primarily as a decline in initial unemployment claims and a rise in real average hourly earnings offset negative forces.

Jacksonville, Fla. — Anthea Jones has assumed the role of president at Bi-Lo. He will continue to serve as SVP operations.

Jones comes to the position from the Bi-Lo side of the recent merger between regional supermarkets Bi-Lo and Winn-Dixie. He signed on with Bi-Lo in 1999 after 17 years at Food Lion. He also is the immediate past board chairman for the Global Market Development Center.

Jones succeeds Michael Byars in the position. Randall Onstead continues as president and CEO of the combined company, Bi-Lo Holdings.

New York -- CVS Caremark has donated $250,000 to the Chicago State University’s College of Pharmacy for the development of the CVS Caremark Student Center and Technology Laboratory.

“This donation will help to improve the College’s physical space and technological resources, which greatly enhances student success within the College of Pharmacy. To say thank you is an understatement,” stated Dean Miriam Mobley Smith with the College of Pharmacy.

Dublin, Ohio -- The Wendy's Co. announced Tuesday an agreement with The Eljuri Group to develop 20 Wendy's restaurants in Ecuador.

As the largest business group in Ecuador, Eljuri said it expects to open the first two Wendy's locations in 2013 in Guayaquil, a coastal city with a population of 2.3 million people.  

Boca Raton, Fla. -- Real estate development firm Fimiani Development said that it has named Lindsey Alexander and Meredith Housman as VPs of leasing for the company.
 
Alexander and Housman will work with Simon Property Company, Kite Realty Group, Kimco and Office Depot and will focus on landlord representation as well as tenant representation.

Alexander was previously with Woolbright Development and Housman with Equity One.

Waban, Mass. -- Research results released Tuesday by consulting firm Temkin Group revealed, among retailers, Sam’s Club and Amazon earned top marks.

According to the 2013 Temkin Experience Rankings which queried 10,000 U.S. consumers about customer service issues across 246 companies in 19 industries, Sam's Club and Amazon earned the top spots in the retail sector and RadioShack was the lowest rated retailer for the third consecutive year.