Convenience Stores

Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores on Monday released its "2011 Global Responsibility Report." According to the report, the chain has made steady year-to-year improvement towards its goals of creating zero waste, using 100% renewable energy and selling products that sustain people and the environment.

Roseland, N.J. -- McDonald's New York Tri-State Area and its franchisees said Tuesday they are looking to hire new crew and restaurant management positions in more than 600 restaurant locations throughout the area on April 19.

The one-day event is part of a nationwide initiative for McDonald's and its franchisees with a target to hire up to 50,000 new employees at restaurants across the country.  

Target was in the top half of a group of 33 pharmacy retailers ranked by readers of Consumers Reports in the publication’s May issue. Target’s pharmacy received a score of 88 out of a possible 100, which put it well ahead of larger pharmacy operators such as CVS and Walgreens, both of which scored 82 and last-ranked Walmart, which scored 78.

Target began its in-store recycling program just nine months ago, and some of the early numbers from the program are staggering. Between April 2010, when the program was launched, and December 2010, the company collected and recycled more than 170 million shopping bags and more than 1.4 million pounds of cans and bottles. In addition, the company said it collected roughly two million units of small electronic items such as MP3 players and cell phones.

Atlanta -- A report released Monday by First Data Corp., which tracks year-over-year same-merchant activations, redemptions and reloads of merchant-branded prepaid cards in the United States, including spending, gift, incentive and promotional cards, revealed that delayed post-holiday redemptions and incentives drove activations in first quarter 2011.

Oakbrook Terrace, Ill. -- Mid-America Asset Management said that several retail leases have been completed at six shopping centers in Chicago’s western suburbs. Mid-America is the exclusive leasing representative of each of the centers.

The Shops at South Elgin (South Elgin, Ill.) signed a lease for 6,604 sq. ft. with independent health food/vitamin retailer Fruitful Yield, to expand the current tenant’s space by 3,264 sq. ft. The newly expanded store is expected to open June 1.

Hermosa Beach, Calif. -- Jacksonville, Fla.-based Regency Centers said it has leased restaurant space in Hermosa Beach, Calif., at Plaza Hermosa shopping center to The Counter. 

The burger restaurant has leased 2,837 sq. ft. and is slated to open for business in July.

The 94,939-sq.-ft. shopping center is anchored by Vons, alongside national retailers such as CVS/pharmacy, Aaron Brothers, Jamba Juice and The UPS Store.

Located just 10 miles northwest of downtown Atlanta in Smyrna, Ga., The Crossings at Four Corners is currently undergoing a complete revitalization. The 153,000-sq.-ft. redevelopment, which officially broke ground on Feb. 8, includes the installation of a new traffic signal at the north end of the property, the renovation of approximately 60,000 sq. ft. of retail space and the addition of several outparcels. The true core of the project, however, will be the brand new, 96,000-sq.-ft. Kroger Food store.

Daqing, China -- QKL Stores said Monday that it opened a new hypermarket store, its 51st, in Hailin County, Heilongjiang Province, on April 15.

The new store by Northeast China’s leading regional supermarket chain is approximately 7,300 sq. meters and is located in a small shopping center in a newly developed residential area which can serve over 80,000 potential customers.

When it comes to speed and accuracy, helpfulness and courtesy, knowledge and personal service, the pharmacy at Walmart ranked dead last in a survey of Consumers Reports subscribers that appears in the May issue of the publication.