Convenience Stores

San Jacinto, Calif. -- Circle K Stores, Inc. has broken ground on its newest flagship prototype in Southern California, a 4,500-sq.-ft. convenience store offering fresh food, a gas station with eight fuel pumps, and a self-serve state-of-the-art carwash. The combo concept, located in the city of Jacinto, is expected to be open for business in late 2014.

Fort Worth, Texas -- RadioShack is partnering with Defense Mobile Corp., a Connecticut-based veterans mobile service company to be the exclusive national retailer for Defense Mobile's new nationwide 4G LTE mobile services.

RadioShack will begin offering Defense Mobile's branch branded mobile services exclusively to the 51.6 million members of the U.S. military community, including those actively serving (including members of the Reserve and National Guard), veterans and their family members, planned for September.

Goodlettsville, Tenn. -- Dollar General Corp. on Thursday reported earnings of $251.3 million for the second quarter, in line with expectations, even as its sales decelerated. The company also said it still wants to buy Family Dollar Stores, even though the rival discounter rejected Dollar General’s bid of its $8.95 billion offer last week.

Chile is the top destination for emerging market retail expansion, followed by China, where retail sales totaled a whopping $3.7 trillion in 2013, according to the 2014 A.T. Kearney Global Retail Development Index.

With Uruguay, Brazil, Peru, Panama, Colombia, Costa Rica and Mexico also in the index of top emerging economies ready for retail expansion, Latin America continues to show strength as a regional retail growth market.

By definition, successful retailers are very good at logistics.    

“Compared with other industries, retailers are a benchmark of logistical efficiency for moving items through their distribution channels and on to shelves in a timely way,” said Jim Griffin, senior VP sales, PODS, whose detached delivery system allows placement of containers in tough-to-reach and hard-to-fit locations.
    
Griffin spoke with Chain Store Age about how logistics efficiency can add to a retailer’s bottom line.
    
What are some of the most

Columbus, Ohio – Express Inc. beat Wall Street expectations for both profit and revenue during the second quarter of fiscal 2014. The retailer, which is facing a possible takeover battle, reported better-than-expected net earnings of $6.9 million, down 59% from $16.9 million in the year-ago period. The company also increased its annual profit forecast.

With all the attention being paid to mobile commerce, wearable technology and other cutting-edge developments in the world of retail IT, the in-store POS terminal is sometimes taken for granted.

Oak Brook, Ill. – As official NFL restaurant sponsor, McDonald's is launching the national McDonald's Tailgate Photo Sweepstakes. McDonald's customers can use QR codes on McDonald's medium beverages with NFL-themed packaging to access exclusive online NFL Now video content.

Customers can also use QR codes on McDonald's medium fries to access the McDonald's Pick The Play Sweepstakes and enter for the chance to win NFL-related prizes – including a trip for two to Super Bowl XLIX in Arizona.