Consumer Electronics

Indianapolis -- Electronics and appliances retailer Hhgregg said Friday it is planning to open as many as 20 new stores in the Chicago market this fall.

According to a report by the Chicago Tribune, the openings would make the Chicago area the largest market for the chain, with 11% of its 174 stores.

Hhgregg is leasing former Circuit City, Linens ’n Things and Wickes Furniture sites, and plans to open a DC to support the Chicagoland expansion, it said.

New York City -- Italian eyewear maker and retailer Luxottica Group SpA said Thursday it will acquire two specialty sunglass retailers in a deal worth about $23 million in a move to gain entry to the Mexican market.

Luxottica’s deal to buy Stanza and High Tech includes more than 70 stores that will eventually be rebranded as Sunglass Hut locations.

Borders Group on Thursday won bankruptcy court approval to liquidate approximately 200 stores in a deal that may bring in $175 million to creditors. The sales will begin Feb. 19, allowing Borders to take advantage of the President’s Day holiday, typically a major shopping weekend.

Hilco Merchant Resources LLC, SB Capital Group, Tiger Capital Group LLC and Gordon Brothers Group won the bidding to handle the liquidation sales, according to Bloomberg.

Toy Fair took over the Javitz Center in New York City this week, and amidst the fun was some serious business as toy companies showcased what they hope will be the next big thing. Just take the Sing-a-ma-jigs line from Mattel. Introduced at last year’s Toy Fair, the harmonizing toy was a major holiday hit, and retailers who got their hands on them reaped the benefits.

New York City -- Foot Locker said Thursday it has named Allen I. Questrom, along with Guillermo Marmol, to its board of directors, bringing the total number of directors to 11.

Questrom, the former chairman and CEO of J.C. Penney Co., Barneys New York and Federated Dept. Stores, now Macy’s, is currently a senior advisor to Lee Equity Partners.

Marmol is president of Marmol & Associates, and has a long background in information technology and systems.

Minneapolis -- Another Target store is coming to downtown Chicago as the retailer disclosed it would open a small-format store under the new CityTarget banner in the Sullivan Center development at South State Street and Madison.

New York City -- J&R Electronics stays customer-centric by partnering with Microsoft to keep its customer data up-to-date and available to staff both online and in the stores.

Click here to find out how the retailer is looking to Microsoft technology, specifically Microsoft Dynamics AX for Retail, to help its drive their business moving forward.

ST. LOUIS — Aisle411, a mobile retail navigation service that helps shoppers locate products down to the shelf location, on Tuesday announced its service now is live in more than 1,000 stores with the addition of three markets — Las Vegas, Los Angeles and San Diego.

Other markets identified for expansion included Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Houston, Minneapolis, New York, Phoenix, Sacramento, Calif., Seattle and Washington, D.C.