Convenience Stores

Starbucks is shuttering its remaining Evolution Fresh stores, but the brand will live on.   The coffee giant will close the two Evolution locations, both of which are in Seattle, but will continue to sell Evolution Fresh cold-press packaged juices in its coffee shops and at supermarkets. It also is launching new flavors.      Starbucks bought the brand in 2011, reportedly with an eye to rolling out stores nationwide. But it never grew beyond a handful of locations.  

Pret a Manger has signed leases for four new stores in Manhattan and renewed leases on three others, reported RKF, which handled the lease agreements.   In its third location at Penn Station, Pret will debut its wine bar concept for the first time in the U.S. This shop will be located near the station entrance on 34th Street and 7th Avenue. The fast-casual chain’s other new locations in the Big Apple will be on West 27th Street in Chelsea, Park Avenue and 39th Street, and in Midtown at 53rd and Broadway.  

The Shops at Stonehenge in Chesterfield County, Virginia, south of Richmond, will be sold in a foreclosure auction this week, according to a report in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.  

GNC Holdings plans to drive customer engagement by rewarding individual customers with targeted incentives.  

Nordstrom Rack announced it would open its first Baltimore store at The Shops at Canton Crossing in spring 2019. It will be part of the center’s 90,000-sq.-ft. Phase II addition, which is expected to begin construction in November.  

Amazon’s new convenience store may not have cashiers, but a new product category will require someone to check shopper IDs.   Along with its sandwiches, salads and snacks, Amazon plans to sell beer and wine from its AmazonGo store in Seattle, Recode said.   

Chain Store Age is proud to announce the 2017 Breakout Retailer Award winners. In its second year, the award honors emerging retail/restaurant concepts that are innovative in their segment and show strong potential for growth.    

When it comes to shopping for groceries, millennials are apparently no fan of supermarkets.   Nearly two-thirds of millennials shop online weekly for groceries, and this demographic has the potential to transform the retail grocery business, according to new research released by Clavis Insight.