Convenience Stores

As consumers head to retail stores this spring to purchase mowers, chain saws, generators, blowers, trimmers, power washers and a host of other small engine equipment, they will see an important ethanol fuel message from the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI), an international trade association representing 100 small engine, utility vehicle and outdoor power equipment manufacturers and suppliers.

The message to 'Look Before You Pump' will help consumers protect their outdoor power and small engine equipment investments.

Cambridge, Mass. - StopLift Checkout Vision Systems is introducing the Self-Checkout Accelerator, which is designed to immediately flag unscanned merchandise at the checkout and alert the attendant before the customer leaves the checkout, improve customer service at the self-checkout, and prevent false alerts and interventions.  

Bentonville, Ark. – Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is doubling its projected growth of small format stores as the retailer reports declining net income and weak sales growth for the fourth quarter and fiscal year 2014.

Walmart knew fourth quarter results announced Thursday morning were going to be bad and its outlook weak so it gave investors something more substantial to digest by announcing plans to double the number of small format stores it will open this year and an increased omnichannel focus.

Ann Arbor, Mich. - Customer satisfaction improved for a third consecutive year for retail. According to a report released by the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), the retail sector overall gained 1.7% to an ACSI benchmark of 77.9, boosted by higher customer satisfaction with specialty retail stores, supermarkets, drug stores, and gasoline service stations.

New York — Wasabi, a London-based sushi and bento chain, has opened a two-floor 3,400-sq.-ft. store at 561 Seventh Avenue in New York City. Ripco Realty represented the landlord, Handler Real Estate Organization in the transaction. CWM represented the tenant.

The flagship space is Wasabi’s first branch in the United States. With 36 locations in the United Kingdom, the chain plans to expand throughout Manhattan over the next 18 months.

New York -- Walgreens will provide a first-hand look at its net zero-energy store during Chain Store Age’s 50th annual SPECS Conference, which will be held March 9 -12, in Grapevine, Texas.  

New York — Retail developer Edens has selected four finalists for its annual Retail Challenge, a nation-wide student competition for the most compelling new retail concept. The announcement of the winner kicks off this year’s smART: The Art of Retail conference.

Both the Edens Retail Challenge and smART aspire to incubate new ideas, share knowledge and identify the next generation of industry thought leaders.