Convenience Stores

Remade center means new train station for Illinois town
The town managers of New Lenox, Illinois, needed a new train station, so they bought a shopping center. It was three years ago that Mayor Tim Baldermann and New Lenox purchased the Rock Island Station Shopping Center, according to the Chicago Tribune. It invested more than $3 million in the site, which included buying out the businesses of the four stores there, demolishing them, and doing an environmental clean-up.
New center gives boost to Georgia town
A new Publix-anchored center has brought 200 jobs and new shopping and dining opportunities to the 14,000-plus residents of Moultrie, Georgia, according to The Moultrie Observer. “We’d had 26 ribbon cuttings through March. There’s a lot of new businesses expansions, adding a few people here and there. Our unemployment rate continues to drop.” said Darrell Moore, president of the Moultrie-Colquitt County Development Authority.

The most valuable brands in the world are...

Technology giants, including a retailer, dominated an annual ranking of the world's most valuable brands.
Study: Despite slower adoption, e-commerce is making its mark in grocery

Click-and-collect boxed-meal delivery services are encouraging more customers to make online grocery shopping part of their weekly routine. Currently, 97% of all consumer-packaged goods (CPG) dollars are still being spent in brick-and-mortar retail stores. However, the popularity of click and collect boxed-meal delivery services has 28% of shoppers purchasing groceries online regularly.
Former Target merchandising exec joins specialty coffee retailer

A Target veteran has joined the leadership team of Caribou Coffee. John Butcher, who most recently served as senior VP merchandising: beauty and DermStore, has been tapped as president of Caribou Coffee. Butcher joined Target in 1997, working his way up through the ranks serving in various operations and merchandising roles, including serving as VP and general merchandise manager, electronics.
C-store giant expands U.S. store footprint

Alimentation Couche-Tard has closed on the biggest transaction in its history. The Canadian company announced that it has completed its $4.4 billion acquisition of CST Brands. The deal will add approximately 1,300 stores to the Couche-Tard portfolio, including 666 locations in Texas.
Five takeaways about the new Walgreens-Rite Aid deal

The drug store industry awoke Thursday morning to arguably the biggest story of the year — the news that Walgreens and Rite Aid had agreed to scrap their original merger agreement one more time, this time in favor of a much smaller, seemingly more manageable deal to purchase 2,186 Rite Aid stores for $5.18 billion in cash. In the first several hours following the announcement of the deal, Chain Store Age sister publication, Drug Store News identified five important takeaways from the blockbuster agreement.
Food stamp cuts could cost retailers $70.7 billion

Proposed cuts in food stamp benefits could cost the the retail industry billions — with supermarkets and discounters taking the biggest hit. AlixPartners estimates that retail collectively stands to lose $70.7 billion during the next 10 years if the proposed cuts in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (commonly referred to as food stamps) turn into reality, CNBC reported. The budget proposed by the Trump administration calls for $191 billion in cuts to the program between 2018 to 2028.
Fred's Pharmacy adopts poison pill ahead of merger deadline

Fred’s Pharmacy is taking action to protect itself as the deadline for the Federal Trade Commission’s decision on Walgreens Boot Alliance’s proposed acquisition of Rite Aid merger draws closer.
Convenience store chain in big expansion move

QuikTrip Corp. is expanding into two new markets. The convenience-store chain plans to open a total of 100 stores in the San Antonio and Austin (Texas) areas. Construction is expected to begin this winter, with the first locations scheduled to open in the summer of 2018. The expansion marks QuikTrip's first new market entry in six years. In 2011, the company launched its Carolinas division, adding 75 stores in Charlotte, North Carolina and Greenville, South Carolina.
Walmart Canada’s digital channel takes on Amazon

While Amazon expands its physical presence, Walmart Canada is taking its own swipe at the online giant — by moving in on its turf.
U.K.-based grocery giant jumps into the one-hour delivery game

Tesco is launching a one-hour delivery service — a move that will enable the chain to go head-to-head with Amazon. The U.K.-based supermarket giant introduced its new Tesco Now app, which enables shoppers in central London to choose from a range of 1,000 products, and have them delivered within an hour. Merchandise crosses categories such as fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, bakery goods and dairy, as well as pet, baby, health and beauty products.