Retail

Orlando, Fla. -- Cuhaci & Peterson Architects said Tuesday it has been awarded contracts to design three Ale House restaurants — in Winter Park, Fla., Queens, N.Y., and the Philadelphia area.

The restaurants average 10,000 sq. ft. each.
 

Boucherville, Quebec, Canada -- Canadian home-improvement chain Rona Inc. announced Tuesday it has named Robert Sawyer as president and CEO, effective next month.

Sawyer was previously an executive at grocery chain Metro Inc.

Rona’s acting CEO Dominique Boies will remain as company CFO.

Washington, D.C. -- The Rappaport Cos. and Principal Real Estate Investors announced a joint venture to acquire retail assets throughout the Mid-Atlantic region.  

The program launched with the recapitalization of approximately 1 million sq. ft. of retail space in four retail centers located in Northern Virginia.  

Middletown, N.Y. -- National Realty & Development Corp. said that Chipotle Mexican Grill will join Orange Plaza with a new 4,625-sq.-ft. store.

Orange Plaza is an 815,000-sq.-ft. power center located in Middletown, N.Y. and anchored by Walmart Supercenter, Home Depot, Kohl’s, Burlington Coat Factory, Marshalls, Bed Bath and Beyond, and Staples.

New York -- The Jones Group Inc. announced Monday it has appointed Greg Clark as chief marketing officer, effective immediately.

Clark will oversee global marketing and brand identity, including spearheading digital media strategy, brand development and creative.

Clark most recently served as the SVP creative marketing for J. C. Penney.

Deerfield, Ill. — Walgreens has announced several updates to its mobile app, most notably the ability to print from Instagram, as well as upload more than five pictures simultaneously for in-store prints. The updates apply to iPhones and Android devices.

Amarillo, Texas — Hastings Entertainment reported that net income was approximately $1.2 million, or 15 cents per diluted share, for the fourth quarter ended Jan. 31, compared with a net loss of approximately $8.4 million, or $1.00 per diluted share, for the same period last year. Net loss was approximately $9.3 million, or $1.14 per diluted share, for the fiscal year ended Jan. 31, compared with a net loss of $17.6 million, or $2.05 per diluted share, for the fiscal year ended Jan. 31, 2012.

Dallas -- The 49th annual SPECS conference officially kicked off on Monday morning at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas with two kinds of inspiration: Greg Buzek, present of IHL Consulting Group, introduced the Retail Orphan Initiative, and U.S. Navy Seal Scott Taylor presented Afterburner Black Ops, challenging the audience of retailers in design, construction, facilities, store planning and development to use Seal techniques to run their organizations.