Convenience Stores

Deerfield, Ill. -- Responding to the announcement by CVS Caremark that its plans to stop selling tobacco products in its stores, Walgreens stated that the category has been under review at its stores, too.

Walgreens has been evaluating its tobacco line for “some time,” and, according to spokesperson Michael Polzin, it “will continue to evaluate the choice of products our customers want, while also helping to educate them and providing smoking cessation products and alternatives that help reduce the demand for tobacco products.”

City of Commerce, Calif. – 99 Cents Only Stores is opening three new stores on Thursday, Feb. 13. The stores are located in Scottsdale, Ariz., Carson, Calif., and Humble, Texas.

The Scottsdale store is approximately 14,000 sq. ft., the Carson store is approximately 17,000 sq. ft. and the Humble store is approximately 12,000 sq. ft. All three will feature a perishable food department, including produce, dairy and frozen foods.

Belmont, Calif. -- SunEdison, a solar technology manufacturer and provider of solar energy services, announced the completion of a 306 kW DC (direct current) solar system for Whole Foods Market in Brooklyn, N.Y.

SunEdison designed the system using an innovative parking canopy structure that collects rainwater while protecting customers from the elements. The two companies have worked together since 2004 and have jointly deployed 1.5 MW (megawatts) of solar projects.

Shoppers Drug Mart posted an increase in fourth quarter sales driven by gains at the front end and strength in prescription count growth.

Sales for the quarter were Canadian $2.75 billion, an increase of 0.9% compared with the year-ago period. Same-store sales increased 1.2% during the quarter.

New York — Juice press has announced plans to open five new locations in New York City in the spring and summer of this year. The locations include Chinatown, Tribeca, Midtown, Bridgehampton and the World Financial Center.

The new locations will bring the juice press total to 19.

Oklahoma City -- Hobby Lobby announced it will open 70 stores throughout the United States in 2014, for a total of 625 locations nationwide.

The arts and crafts retailer said that as part of its expansion it will enter the states of Vermont and Oregon this year.
 

Target plans to open a new store in the city of Kahulu — its first on the island of Maui in Hawaii — in March 2015. The store will be located on Hookele Street as part of the Pu‘unēnē Shopping Center.

The 140,000-sq.-ft. store will feature Target’s everyday essentials and exclusive brands along with a selection of fresh produce, fresh packaged meat and pre-packaged baked goods, as well as a Starbucks and a Target Pharmacy.

Tampa, Fla. — RMC Real Estate Services recorded a transaction volume of $79.5 million in 2013, encompassing 1.4 million sq. ft. within its RMC Property Group and RMC Ross Realty divisions. Leasing activity included 279 transactions, encompassing 905,000 sq. ft., valued at a total of $49.1 million. Investment activity closed 20 deals for $30.4 million, spanning 532,000 sq. ft.