Convenience Stores

Miami — El Balcon de las Americas is bringing its Colombian food menu to Westfork Plaza in Pembroke Pines, Fla.

Terranova Corp. represented the shopping center in the transaction. The 2,335-sq.-ft. location at Westfork Plaza is the young chain’s fifth location in South Florida.

Parkesburg, Pa. — CVS/Pharmacy recently opened a 7,940-sq.-ft. store at the Parkesburg Shopping Center in Parkesburg, Pa. CVS purchased the business of the location’s previous occupant, Longenecker Pharmacy, an independent, family-owned chain.

The 56,652-sq.-ft. development is exclusively leased and managed by Levin management www.levinmgt.com. The center serves a population of more than 34,600 people within a five-mile radius. Average household income is more than $67,500. Daily traffic count is about 23,800 vehicles.

Dallas — CBRE’s National Retail Investment Group www.cbre.com has arranged the sale of Cottonwood Commons on behalf of Columbus Pacific Properties www.columbuspacific.com. The 191,893-sq.-ft. Class A retail center in Albuquerque sold to Cole Real Estate Investments www.colecapital.com.

WASHINGTON — The National Retail Federation has issued statements from president and CEO Matthew Shay and chief economist Jack Kleinhenz on the July employment numbers.

NRF pegged retail job gains at 37,000 in July, with increases in general merchandise, food and beverage and building and garden supply stores.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Guitar Center is trying out a new communications strategy and media policy and has appointed Christopher Ian Bennett as the company's first-ever VP of communications and corporate affairs.

In his previous role, Bennett led Best Buy Canada's corporate communications department under Mike Pratt, who is Guitar Center's new CEO.

Camp Hill, Pa. — Rite Aid had another month of positive sales growth in July, the retail pharmacy chain said Thursday.

Rite Aid said same-store sales for the four-week period that ended last Saturday increased by 1.3% compared with the same period last year. The increase included a 0.7% increase in front-end same-store sales and a 1.6% increase in pharmacy same-store sales. Same-store scripts increased by 0.4%. Total sales for the month were $1.898 billion, a 0.9% increase over $1.881 billion last year.

CARLISLE, Pa. — Ahold USA has appointed Nick Bertram as its senior VP store strategy and execution, the supermarket operator said Thursday.

Bertram previoulsy worked for Jewel-Osco, where he oversaw operations across Illinois, Indiana and Iowa. He was also senior VP of Supervalu and worked in executive positions at Walmart in Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania. His new position at Ahold USA will be based out of the company's Carlisle, Pa., headquarters.

Less than a year after Walmart International named Lev Khasis to the role of president and CEO of new formats, the former Russian retail executive is heading back to his homeland to lead a financial institution.

CARLISLE, Pa. — Ahold USA has appointed former Jewel-Osco executive Nick Bertram as its SVP store strategy and execution.

At Jewel-Osco, Bertram oversaw operations across Illinois, Indiana and Iowa. He was also SVP of Supervalu and worked in executive positions at Walmart in Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania. His new position at Ahold USA will be based out of the company's Carlisle, Pa., headquarters. 

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Higher sales in the retail and distribution segments had a favorable impact on Spartan Stores’ consolidated net sales for the first quarter ended June 22, which increased 1.4% to $612.4 million compared to $603.9 million last.