Convenience Stores

Report: GameStop bids on RadioShack leases
GameStop is trying to boost the number of its stores by bidding on 163 leases from RadioShack Corp, according to Bloomberg.

The news service reports that Spring Communications, the wireless unit of GameStop, submitted and won a significant bid for the leases.
Ex-Giant Food exec hired as Albertsons/Safeway CAO
The recently merged Albertsons and Safeway organization has appointed Justin Dye as chief administrative officer of the combined company. Lee Wilson, who previously held this position with the company, has elected to stay in his role as consultant and not go forward as an officer with the newly combined organization.

RPAI acquires Cedar Park Town Center

Austin, Texas -- Retail Properties of America, Inc., closed on the acquisition of Cedar Park Town Center, a 181,000-sq.-ft. community center located in Cedar Park, an Austin, Texas submarket. The purchase price was $39.1 million.

The property is situated at the intersection of two major freeways, with visibility and access to more than 73,000 vehicles per day. Cedar Park is shadow-anchored by Costco and is 94.5% occupied and leased to a lineup of national and regional tenants, including At Home, Chipotle, BJ’s Brewhouse and In-N-Out Burger.
Mid-America handles sale of The Plaza at Prairie Ridge

Pleasant Prairie, Wis. -- Mid-America Real Estate Corporation’s Investment Sales team recently brokered the sale of The Plaza at Prairie Ridge located in Pleasant Prairie (Kenosha County), Wisconsin. The 9,035-sq.-ft. three-tenant center was purchased by Mark Cosenza, VP of Oak Brook, Illinois-based Inland Real Estate Acquisitions, Inc. The seller was Milwaukee-based Evo Properties, LLC.
Survey: Few consumers report recent bad retail experience

Waban, Mass. – In a sign that retailer efforts to enhance customer service may be working, few consumers report having a bad experience with a retailer in the past six months. According to a new Temkin Group report, “What Happens After a Good or Bad Experience, 2015,” only 4% of consumers report having a bad experience with a retailer.

Six retailers are at a 1% reporting level for bad customer experience: True Value, Costco, Bed Bath & Beyond, Ace Hardware, Gap, and Staples.
Long John Silver’s names Sonic brand exec CEO

Louisville, Ky. - Long John Silver's has named James O'Reilly as CEO. O'Reilly brings to the role more than 20 years of food service executive experience, including his most recent stint as chief brand officer for Sonic Drive-In.

In addition, O'Reilly has served in a variety of domestic and international leadership positions for food service and CPG companies including Einstein Noah Restaurant Group, Yum Brands, and Procter and Gamble.
Wendy’s adds former Microsoft marketing head to board

Dublin, Ohio - The Wendy's Co. has increased the size of its board of directors from 10 to 11 members and elected Michelle "Mich" Mathews-Spradlin to serve as a director of the company, effective immediately.

Prior to her retirement in 2011, Mathews-Spradlin worked at Microsoft Corp. for 18 years, where she served, among other roles, as chief marketing officer and senior VP. In this position, she oversaw the company's global marketing function.
Webinar: Redmond offers seamless customer experience with VeloCloud

Redmond Inc., a vertical retailer of agricultural products, is meeting the challenges of providing a seamless customer experience head-on by using a cloud-based WAN from cloud-based networking provider VeloCloud. Connecting stores, distribution centers and warehouses with effective omnichannel capabilities using VeloCloud's cloud-delivered capabilities, Redmond has grown by 800% in the last 10 years as it has evolved into a sophisticated and seamless retail operation.
American Express launches program to help smaller merchants combat fraud

New York -- American Express has officially launched its Small Merchant EMV Assistance Program, which was announced last October by President Obama. The nationwide campaign was created to help U.S. small merchants fight fraud through a $10 million reimbursement program designed to accelerate adoption of EMV payment terminals. It will also arm small merchants with knowledge about EMV’s security benefits.
Brixmor Property Group upgrades 39 centers with energy-efficient lighting

New York -- Brixmor Property Group announced that in 2014, it completed lighting upgrade projects at 39 shopping centers, for an estimated combined energy reduction of 68%, or 6,100,000 kilowatt hours annually. That is equivalent to the annual carbon emissions from electricity used in 585 homes or the greenhouse gas emissions from more than 10 million passenger vehicle miles.
Report: Aldi sees opportunity for 450 Texas stores

Essen, Germany – Global discount supermarket retailer Aldi Inc. is thinking big when it comes to Texas. According to the Dallas Morning News, Aldi sees potential for as many as 450 stores in the Lone Star State.

This would be part of a larger expansion program, announced in November, that would grow Aldi’s total U.S. store count by 650 units to about 2,000 by 2018. Southern California is another major growth target for the chain.
Dunkin’ Donuts plans 3 franchise stores in Missouri

Canton, Mass. – Dunkin’ Donuts has signed a multi-unit store development agreement with a new franchise group, Donut World, LLC, to develop two Dunkin' Donuts restaurants and one combination restaurant with its sister brand Baskin-Robbins, in Columbia and Jefferson City, Missouri. The group's first restaurant is planned to open in Columbia this summer and the remainder will open in 2017.