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. 

Chicago -- According to Technomic's Top 150 Fast-Casual Chain Restaurant Report, fast casual makes up just 14% of the total $223 billion limited-service restaurant segment, but its sales continue to outpace other operators. Fast-casual sales increased 13% in 2012, and the largest chains — those which each made more than $325 million last year — did even better, growing by 16%.

Safeway digested an unprecedented amount of change during the second quarter and still managed to achieve solid profit improvement and a respectable amount of sales growth while strengthening its balance sheet.

Minneapolis – Supervalu Inc. reported a higher net loss and lower net income during the first quarter of fiscal 2014, compared to the first quarter of the prior fiscal year. Net loss totaled $105 million, up from $18 million year earlier, although one-time after-tax charges of $139 million pushed Supervalu into the red. Net sales were $5.16 billion, a 1.5% drop from $5.24 billion a year earlier.

Charlotte, N.C. -- Regional shopping center company Crosland Southeast has acquired 24 former Blockbuster stores from Blockbuster Corporate, spanning North and South Carolina, Louisiana, Tennessee and Florida. Blockbuster vacated all stores at closing, and Crosland Southeast has already sold 11 of the 24.

MINNEAPOLIS — Supervalu reported net sales of $5.2 billion for the first quarter of fiscal 2014, down 1.5%, and net earnings of $85 million, or $0.34 per diluted share. 

The decrease in net sales primarily reflects a decline in identical store sales of negative 3% percent for retail food and negative 1.9% for Save-A-Lot. Identical store sales for corporately operated stores within the Save-A-Lot network were negative 1.2%.

Pleasanton, Calif. – Safeway reported a substantial decline in net income for the second quarter of fiscal 2013 as well as a drop in sales. Adjusted net income for the quarter was $8.4 million, compared to $122.7 million in the same quarter a year earlier. However, after adjusting for various legal expenses and loss from discontinued operations, net income for the quarter would have been $125.1 million.

Bensalem, Pa. -- Philly It Cheesesteaks and MGM Financial Strategies Inc. have signed leases at the 43,550-sq.-ft. Centre Plaza in Bensalem, Pa., according to Levin Management Corp.

Philly It Cheesesteaks opened a 1,700-sq.-ft. in the spring, while MGM Financial Strategies Inc. will follow with a 1,700-sq.-ft. opening this summer or fall.