Convenience Stores

Walgreens has opened a new two-story, flagship drugstore in the north tower of Chicago’s iconic Wrigley Building.

Assisted by 42nd Ward Alderman Brendan Reilly, representatives from the Magnificent Mile Association, Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce and others, Walgreens executives marked the 27,800-sq.-ft. store’s opening with a ceremonial ribbon cutting.

The Shopko Foundation has announced the recipients of its Shopko Teammate and Family Scholarships for the 2014-2015 school year. The foundation awarded $75,000 in scholarships to 30 students in 9 states.

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Chicago – Groupon has reportedly purchased Canadian coupon app SnapSaves. According to the Canadian Press, Groupon completed the purchase June 13, buying the app for an undisclosed sum from Toronto-based daily deals site Buytopia.

SnapSaves users can take smartphone photos of their grocery receipts and receive refunds on select products. Groupon has been expanding its smartphone offerings in the past year, including the launch of a mobile app version of its website and a smartphone digital coupon feature called Freebies.

Youngstown, Ohio — Chipotle Mexican Grill will debut at the Ohio Valley Mall in St. Clairsville, Ohio, in November. It will be the first Chipotle in the Ohio Valley region. The restaurant’s 2,195-sq.-ft. space is in a building currently undergoing renovation. Two other new merchants, to be announced in the near future, will join Chipotle in the building.

Cafaro affiliated companies own and manage the recently renovated Ohio Valley Mall.

 

Retailers employing variety of solutions to reinvent the checkout

The store is generally considered to represent the “last mile” of the retail supply chain. In recent years, retailers have focused on making this final, crucial step as easy and convenient for customers as possible.

▲ Investing in energy conservation makes business sense: According to ASHRAE, energy is the second highest retailer operating expense. A new white paper by the Retail Leaders Industry Association (RILA) and Schneider Electric notes that recent weather extremes have increased energy costs for retailers, and the trend is expected to continue. Factor in potential electricity price increases in the near future, and increases in energy costs could be significant.

Brussels, Belgium - Delhaize Group has appointed Kevin Holt as CEO for Delhaize America. Holt, formerly president of retail operations at Supervalu, will also become a member of the Delhaize Group executive committee and will start effective July 7 and lead the group’s U.S. operations.

Toronto - Slate Retail REIT has entered into a binding agreement to purchase North Summit Square, a 99% occupied, 224,530-sq.-ft. grocery-anchored shopping center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, for $15.8 million. The property is anchored by Sam's Club.

"We are very excited to announce our first acquisition since listing on the TSX," said Blair Welch, CEO of Slate Retail. "We see several further opportunities to make accretive acquisitions of grocery-anchored centers in attractive markets."

 

Stellarton, Canada – Canadian supermarket chain Sobey’s Inc. has signed a cross-Canada, long-term agreement with loyalty and marketing solutions provider Alliance Data Systems Corp. Under the agreement, Sobeys-owned banners in Atlantic Canada, Quebec, Western Canada, and northwestern Ontario, will remain sponsors in the Alliance Air Miles Reward Program. In addition, other Sobeys-owned banners in western Canada will also issue Air Miles reward miles beginning in fall 2014.