Convenience Stores

There are a wide range of experiments in the marketplace right now, and plenty of angst related to same-day delivery of products and consumer’s desire for more immediate e-commerce gratification. Walmart, Amazon and others appear intent on unlocking what is seen by some as the next big thing in retail, but an interesting piece by Fox Business bring a new perspective to whether shoppers care. Click here to read more. 

Washington, D.C. -- The National Retail Federation penned a letter to Speaker of the House John Boehner and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, asking Congress to pass a one-year delay of the Affordable Care Act’s employer mandate.  

The impending House vote follows the Administration’s announcement earlier this month of a one-year delay of the employer mandate provisions.

Dick's Sporting Goods plans to open its first Field & Stream branded store this August in Cranberry Township, Pa., as part of the company's ongoing strategy to drive growth with speciality store concepts. The company also recently opened its first True Runner speciality store in its hometown of Pittsburgh.

SAN DIEGO — Petco is showing customers that it takes the “Happier People” part of its motto seriously with its latest exclusive product offering from Kusin & Kusin Ltd.: Reviver Pets Freshening Swipes, the first-ever reusable, dry-application freshening swipe for use on pets and their humans.

CITY OF COMMERCE, Calif. — 99 Cents Only Stores announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and full-year fiscal 2013 ended March 30, 2013.

The company's net sales increased 9.7% to $434.8 million for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2013 compared to $396.4 million for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012. Same-store sales, calculated on a comparable 13-week period, increased 4.4%.  

Greenwood Village, Colo. -- Red Robin Gourmet Burgers has named Cathy Cooney as senior VP and chief people officer of the burger chain. Cooney will be responsible for leading the development and execution of human resource strategies.

Before joining Red Robin, Cooney served as executive VP of human resources for Carefusion, a $4 billion medical technology company.

New York -- Muscle Maker Grill has moved from its Eighth Avenue Manhattan location, which was damaged by Hurricane Sandy, to Seventh Avenue between 16th and 17th Streets in Chelsea, according to Winick Realty Group. The new Muscle Maker will open in late summer or early fall.

Winick represented Muscle Maker, and Duell Management, the landlord, was represented in-house.

Fort Worth, Texas -- Brewsters Burger Bar and Chiro One Wellness Centers have leased space in the Fort Worth mixed-use development of West 7th, according to Cypress Equities, the property’s developer.

Brewsters Burger Bar will open a 2,969-sq.-ft. location in December of this year.

Chiro One Wellness Centers will open a 2,563-sq.-ft. location in fourth quarter 2013. It will be the tenth Chiro One in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area.

Virginia Beach, Va. -- Divaris Real Estate has represented the landlords in the renewal of five leases covering more than 18,500 sq. ft. in Hampton Roads, Va., retail properties.

Two of the leases were with Willow Oaks Associates, landlord of Willow Oaks Village Square Shopping Center in Hampton. The City of Hampton renewed a 7,778-sq.-ft. space, and Virginia ABC renewed its 3,300-sq.-ft. lease.

Mattress Firm renewed for 3,982 sq. ft. with JLP Chesapeake, owner of the Crossways Shopping Center in Chesapeake.

Minneapolis -- Retailer promotion activity continued to grow with a 21.6% increase to more than 11.3 billion pages in the first half of 2013, with Walmart leading in retailer activity, according to Kantar Media’s Marx report. Following on Walmart’s heels were Walgreens, Target and Family Dollar.