Convenience Stores

Goodlettsville, Tenn. – Dollar General Corp. is upping the ante in its $9.1 billion bid to purchase Family Dollar Inc. by making a hostile takeover offer to Family Dollar stockholders of $80 per share. This offer beats the $74.50 per share, $8.5 billion offer Family Dollar has accepted from Dollar Tree Inc, and is a 32% premium over the closing price of $60.66 for Family Dollar stock on Sept. 9.
 

CVS Health has named Mary Langowski EVP for strategy, policy and market development, effective Oct. 14.

Langowski will join CVS Health from international law firm DLA Piper where she serves as the chair of the Health Care Policy and Regulatory Practice and the co-chair of the Food and Beverage Sector.

Houston – Shipley Do-Nuts has signed a development agreement with Adkins Development Corp. to accelerate expansion in the Dallas/Fort Worth market. The agreement requires Adkins to open a minimum of 60 stores during a 15-year period.

Bentonville, Ark. – Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is reportedly planning to do away with its Wal-Mart Express banner. According to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, an internal corporate memo indicates that Wal-Mart will rebrand its 21 Express stores, which average about 12,000-sq.-ft., to its larger 45,000-sq.-ft. Neighborhood Market banner in the next few months.

Fort Worth, Texas – Analyst firm Wedbush Securities is reportedly advising clients that a bankruptcy is “imminent” at RadioShack. According to Barron’s, Wedbush has lowered its target price for RadioShack to $0, citing concerns including inability to secure lender approval for 1,100 proposed store closings and general weakness in the consumer electronics sector.

Canton, Mass. – Baskin-Robbins is expanding its footprint in Southern California with both existing and new franchisees from San Diego to Bakersfield, California. Existing Baskin-Robbins shops also are available throughout Southern California.

Whole Foods is aiming to make life for customers in 15 cities a little more convenient. The company has entered into a partnership with grocery delivery service Instacart that enables customers to have Whole Foods Market products delivered to them in one hour.

Customers will soon also be able to place orders via Instacart and pick them up local participating Whole Foods Market stores, making Whole Foods the first national Instacart partner to offer the in-store pickup service.

Oak Brook, Ill. - Dollar Tree has signed a 12,767-sq.-ft. lease at Pelham Manor Shopping Plaza in Pelham, New York, bringing the center to 100% leased for the first time since it opened in 2008. The 228,000-sq.-ft. center caters to the surrounding neighborhoods of Pelham Manor, Mount Vernon, New Rochelle, and the north Bronx.

Acquired in 2013, the center features national retailers such as BJ's Wholesale Club, PetSmart, Michaels and more. Dollar Tree will be located next to Five Guys Burgers and Fries and is expected to open in early November.