Convenience Stores

Dick’s Sporting Goods does combo store
Dick’s Sporting Goods is putting two of its formats under one roof in the Austin, Texas, market. The retailer will open a Dick’s Sporting Goods and Field & Stream store on Friday, March 3 at The Parke in Cedar Park, Texas. It will be Dick’s 677th store and 29th Field & Stream store nationwide. There are currently three other Dick’s Sporting Goods stores in Austin.
What the Age of the Connected Customer Means for Brick-and-Mortar Retailers
For years, retail was neatly divided into two categories: e-commerce and brick-and-mortar. But with the advent of smartphones, digital and physical worlds are melding together, creating a new retail environment in which almost every customer journey involves both online and offline activity. This is particularly true for Generation Z consumers, the first generation to have grown up with digital technologies at their fingertips and who now make up 25% of the total U.S. population.

These three retailers are tops in corporate reputation

Another corporate ranking, another first place finish by Amazon. The online giant came out on top in Harris Poll’s annual corporate reputation rankings report. The poll measures the reputations of the 100 most visible companies in the United States as perceived by the general public.
Dollar General enters new territory

The ever-expanding Dollar General has entered its 44th state. The discounter opened a store in Hankinson, North Dakota. The company plans to open six additional locations in the state through spring 2017.
Starbucks’ social gifting feature launches in China

Starbucks has extended its social gifting promotions into China, where it has launched a major expansion program to double its stores within the next five years. The coffee giant’s new “Say It With Starbucks” program, created by Starbucks and Weixin, China’s leading mobile social communications app, enables users to gift a Starbucks beverage or digital gift card via a social gifting platform.
Pharmacy services segment fuels CVS Health Q4 sales

CVS Health on Thursday reported record fiscal fourth-quarter and full-year 2016 results Net revenues for the three months ended Dec. 31 increased 11.7% to $46 billion, up from $41.1 billion in the year ago period.
Report: Malware attacks drop, but ransomware, IoT threats increase

As malware attacks drop, it is becoming clear that cyber-criminals’ weapons of choice are shifting — and retailers need to be ready. That’s “2017 SonicWall Annual Threat Report,” which is compiled from data collected throughout 2016 by the SonicWall Global Response Intelligence Defense (GRID) Threat Network. This includes daily feeds from more than 1 million security sensors in nearly 200 countries and territories.
In-store yogurt cafe coming to Walmart

Target soon won’t be the only discounter to feature an in-store Chobani Cafe. The popular Greek yogurt brand will open a 2,000-sq-.ft. café at Walmart’s new supercenter in the Houston suburb of Tomball, reported the Houston Business Journal. The store is scheduled to open on Feb. 15.
First Look: Dollar General’s new smaller-format store, DGX

Dollar General has unveiled its smaller-store concept, called DGX, in Nashville, Tennessee. A second location is set to open in Raleigh, North Carolina. The new store, which features 3,400 sq. ft. of selling space, is designed to serve urban shoppers in a convenient, easy-to-shop format. The merchandise mix is geared toward instant consumption and includes a beverage bar, coffee station and grab-and-go sandwiches.
Whole Foods Market disappoints

Whole Foods Market on Wednesday reported a disappointing first quarter and also lowered full-year sales and earnings guidance. Net income was $95 million for the quarter ended Jan. 15. The company earned an adjusted 39 cents a share during the quarter, in line with estimates. Total sales in the quarter increased 1.9% to $4.9 billion, less than the Street expected.
Dollar General to open 1,000 stores, two DCs in 2017

Dollar General isn’t boasting when it calls itself one of America’s fastest-growing retailers. The extreme-value discounter will open 1,000 stores and two distribution centers in 2017, resulting In the creation of approximately 10,000 new jobs. The announcement comes as Dollar General is testing a new, smaller-store format under a new banner.
Supermarket chain investing $1.6 billion in store remodels

Discount grocer Aldi is not about to let any new competitors — home-grown or fellow German imports — get the best of it. The retailer has announced an aggressive $1.6 billion investment in its stores, with plans to remodel and expand more than 1,300 of its locations by 2020. The announcement comes as competition heats up in the value grocery segment, which is bracing itself for the entry of Germany’s Lidl. At the same, Whole Foods Market continues to expand its new, less pricey format, 365 by Whole Foods.