Convenience Stores

Chicago -- RKF has announced three promotions for brokerage professionals in its Chicago office. Lara Keene has been promoted from senior director to managing director. Since joining RKF in May 2012, Keene has advised a variety of retailers including Allen Edmonds, Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt, Forever 21 and Fig & Olive, and currently works with Bareburger, Piada, Alexis Bittar, IT’Sugar, L’Occitane en Provence, Rent the Runway and Sam Edelman. Most recently, she secured a 3,400-sq.-ft. flagship for Zadig & Voltaire and an 850-sq.-ft.

Fresh & Easy is bringing back its Shop for Schools fundraising program with some notable improvements. Powered by the national fundraising program eScrip, it will kick off in time for the start of the 2014/2015 school year.

New York -- Smoking Vapor.Phoenix, which manufactures and sells electronic cigarettes, has opened a store in Phoenix, and plans to open four more locations in the coming months, according to a report by Phoenix Business Journal.

The 1,200-sq.-ft. store sells e-cigarettes, e-cigars and related products. Smoking Vapor operates a handful of kiosks in Phoenix-area malls. The kiosks will close as retail locations open.

The e-cigarette industry has grown into a $1.7 billion market, according to Wells Fargo.

Sears Holdings’ Shop Your Way membership program and social shopping community has expanded its rewards program with the addition of more than 50 brand-name partners, which means members will be able to earn rewards through more places than ever.

"Members are already shopping for many of these products and services and now they can be rewarded for it," said Eric Jaffe, SVP of Shop Your Way. "Our goal is to make it easy to earn rewards wherever you shop, and our growing partner network shows we are poised to deliver."

Lakewood, Colo. - Einstein Bagels has signed a lease for a 2,466-sq.-ft. store at Kendallgate Shopping Center in Miami. The retailer will take space within a freestanding retail building alongside AT&T in the Center’s plaza.

Einstein Bagels has already begun construction at its new location and expects to open in late August 2014. Berkowitz Realty Group served as the leasing representative on behalf of the ownership group, Kendallgate Center Associates, Ltd.

Retail sales generally improved in June, helped by good weather and big discounts as retailers look to clear inventory for the back-to-school season.
 
Costco Wholesale Corp. reported a 6% increase in June same-store sales, helped by higher fuel prices. Its results topped Wall Street estimates.

Excluding the impact of foreign exchange rates and gasoline prices, Costco’s same-store sales increased 6% for the five-week period ended July 6. The metric rose 5% in the United States and 7% overseas.  

New York -- Retail sales generally improved in June, helped by good weather and big discounts as retailers look to clear inventory for the back-to-school season.
 
Costco Wholesale Corp. reported a 6% increase in June same-store sales, helped by higher fuel prices. Its results topped Wall Street estimates.

Excluding the impact of foreign exchange rates and gasoline prices, Costco’s same-store sales increased 6% for the five-week period ended July 6. The metric rose 5% in the United States and 7% overseas.  

Brentwood, Tenn. – Tractor Supply Co. reported sales for the second quarter of fiscal 2014 increased 8.8% to $1.58 billion, from $1.46 billion in second quarter 2013. This figure was slightly below consensus analyst estimates of $1.6 billion.