Convenience Stores

Greensboro, N.C. -- High-end grocer The Fresh Market is making a stand in California, as it prepares to open its first three stores in the state.

According to a Tuesday report by Investor’s Business Daily, Fresh Market has signed leases and begun construction on one store in Santa Barbara, one in Palo Alto and a third in Roseville. The grocer said it expects to open its first store in the state either late this year or early 2013.

Deerfield, Ill. -- Walgreen Co. has entered into an agreement to acquire Stephen L. LaFrance Holdings Inc., the owner and operator of the USA Drug chain, for about $438 million, gaining stores in several Southern states. The acquisition comes on the heels of Walgreens’ announcement that it was buying a 45% stake in Alliance Boots GmbH for $6.7 billion last month to expand globally.

Shoppers at Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) stores are being encouraged to think clean this summer as part of a promotion involving Unilever.

The global consumer products company is offering a “Salute to Clean Sweepstakes,” in which customers eligible to shop at AAFES stores can enter to win a $1,000 gift card.

“Exchange shoppers can really clean up this summer,” said AAFES chief of staff Col. Thomas Ockenfels.

The deadline for entry to win one of the 15 gift cards is July 19.

FORT WORTH, Texas — Kroger has opened a Signature store in the Fort Worth, Texas, market.

The 100,000-sq.-ft. store, which includes a fuel center, places more emphasis on an interactive customer experience and offers more natural and organic foods, chef-prepared meal solutions and ethnic and gourmet food choices. Along with the fuel center, the new store features a pharmacy and offers a vast wine and beer selection. Kroger currently has 30 Signature stores in the Dallas-Fort Worth market.

Philadelphia -- Fameco Real Estate said that its Center City leasing team has signed seven new retail leases in Philadelphia.

On Walnut Street, Chipotle leased 2,300 sq. ft., Swarovski leased 1,800 sq. ft., and Urban Igloo entered the market with its first lease.   

Carlisle, Pa. -- Ahold subsidiary Giant Food said it has commenced its conversion of 15 former Genuardi's stores. The announcement follows FTC approval of Giant Food’s plan to acquire 15 Genuardi's stores, located in the greater Philadelphia area, from Safeway.

During the conversion process, five stores at a time will temporarily close for about a week. The three-phase staggered approach is expected to be completed on July 22.

A soon-to-open Cabela’s store in Rogers, Ark., will test the viability of a large format store in a small market.

The opening of the 100,000-sq.-ft. Cabela’s store is slated for Thursday, August 30 and was strategically timed to kick off the Labor Day weekend. A ribbon cutting planned for 8:45 will be followed by appearances from outdoor personalities and celebrities, family events and merchandise giveaways.

Family Dollar’s third quarter results were not as good as expected, but only marginally so, and the company’s growth strategy and potential to steal traffic from Walmart remain intact.

Arlington, Va. -- The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) gave voice to concerns after Thursday's Supreme Court ruling that  upheld the individual-mandate within the Affordable Care Act.

“With the Supreme Court decision now behind us, the focus must turn to the employer-mandate and the effect that impending changes to employer-sponsored coverage will have on the nearly 170 million Americans who receive health care through their employer,” said RILA president Sandy Kennedy.

New York -- Brookshire Brothers has launched a facility-wide lighting update, including in-store, parking lot, exterior signage and refrigerated case fixtures.

Using a combination of new linear fluorescent lighting and LED technologies -- from GE Lighting, East Cleveland, Ohio -- Brookshire will, once all of its stores have been completed, reduce its annual operating costs more than $235,000.