Convenience Stores

New York -- Private-equity firm Cerberus Capital Management has reached a preliminary agreement to buy Safeway Inc. for over $9 million, the Wall Street Journal reported. The deal is subject to board approval.

As part of the deal, Cerberus would pay roughly $40 a share for Safeway.

The Kroger Co., which recently completed its acquisition of Harris Teeter, reportedly was also interested in making a bid for Safeway. Even if a deal is announced between Cerberus and Safeway, Kroger could still mount a bid.

Duluth, Ga. - NCR has released the NCR Silver subscription-based iPad POS solution aimed at helping small businesses create, run and manage reward programs. Loyalty complements the existing automated email and social marketing functionality in NCR Silver, making it even easier for cafés, shops, restaurants, boutiques, food trucks, and any small business to reward customers for repeat purchases.

Dallas -- Corner Bakery Café has signed a new multi-unit development agreement to open its first restaurants in Indianapolis beginning later this year and the remaining sites over the next six years.

Walmart didn’t mention competitive issues as a source of sales weakness during its fourth quarter, but reports this week from Kroger and Costco indicate they were at least a contributing factor.

Los Angeles — A private buyer has acquired Huntington Plaza, a 57,148-sq.-ft. shopping center in Monrovia, Calif., in the San Gabriel Valley. Anchored by Sprouts Farmers Market and Walgreens, the center was 96% leased at the time of the sale. The tenant roster includes McDonald’s, Jersey Mikes, Flame Broiler, Great Clips and Pacific Dental.

The owner engaged Studley and Colliers International to offer the property for sale. The two companies have jointly handled the leasing of Huntington Plaza for more than six years.

New York – Following a bitterly cold and stormy January that left many retailers with disappointing monthly sales figures, February’s sales results were generally s bit more encouraging. Chain store sales posted a gain of 2.7% for the fiscal month of February on a year-over-year basis, according to a tally of comparable-store sales compiled by the International Council of Shopping Centers.

Walmart’s tepid sales performance in the fourth quarter is water under the bridge, so when Walmart U.S. CEO Bill Simon spoke this week at an investor conference he quickly focused on the growth potential of smaller stores, which are being expanded at a more rapid pace.

Bad weather and a reduction in food stamps didn’t seem to have an effect on Kroger during the fourth quarter as the retailer posted a 4.3% increase in identical-store sales, meaningful profit improvement and offered an optimistic outlook for the year ahead.