Convenience Stores

Minneapolis -- Supervalu on Thursday announced the appointment of Kathy Persian as senior VP and chief information officer of the company.  

Persian joined Supervalu in 2010 as group VP retail and merchandising systems, and later moved to group VP corporate planning, analysis and business process.

She replaces Wayne Shurts, who resigned to accept a position with another company.

Prior to Supervalu, Persian served as senior VP international business process and operations for Best Buy Co.

CARY, N.C. — The Pantry, an independently operated convenience store chain in the southeastern United States, announced that Joe Venezia is joining the executive leadership team as SVP operations.

Venezia joins The Pantry from TitleMax. In his new role at The Pantry, he will lead the company’s store operations and be focused on driving sales, improving store productivity, and leading a great store operations team.

Cary, N.C. -- C-store operator The Pantry said Thursday it has named Joe Venezia as senior VP operations for the chain.

Venezia most recently worked at TitleMax, and before that served in regional general manager positions at Wal-Mart.

BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Just Born has introduced new Halloween-themed candies under its Peeps and Mike and Ike brands.

New Peeps snack size mini marshmallow chicks are 34 individually wrapped treats adorned in orange, green and purple. The new Mike and Ike Mummy's Mix limited-edition flavor mix, packaged in a 5-oz. theater box, includes lemon, orange, grape, lime and raspberry flavors. What's more, the new Mike and Ike variety bag features Mike and Ike original fruits, RedRageous! and Zours flavors, and is available in both 40-count and 63-count sizes.

Arlington, Va. -- Retailers are up in arms over the proposed settlement filed in July of antitrust lawsuits filed by merchants against Visa, MasterCard and the nation's largest banks. A total of nine associations representing a broad swath of the retail industry expressed their reservations to members of Congress on Thursday, charging that their interests were not represented and asking Congress to reject that settlement.

QUINCY, Mass. — Stop & Shop customers and associates helped abate hunger by donating nearly $400,000 through the company’s first ever Healthy Ideas Food for Friends program. As part of the company’s hunger relief efforts, Stop & Shop will donate 100% of the funds to regional hunger relief agencies across the Northeast.

Dallas -- SRS Real Estate Partners has been selected to represent Shopko in the disposition of its outlot properties and vacant properties in 19 states across the Midwest and western United States.

The outlots range in size from 14,000 sq. ft. to 219,000 sq. ft., and the vacant properties range in size from 18,700-sq.-ft. retail locations to a 214,000-sq.-ft. industrial property.

Shrewsbury, Mass. -- Charter Realty & Development said it has arranged six leases, totaling 33,191 sq. ft., in the White City Shopping Center located in Shrewsbury, Mass.

Planet Fitness will open a 19,079-sq.-ft. facility, Elements Massage will open a 3,520-sq.-ft. unit, which was co-brokered with Blake Commercial, and Two Ovens will open a 3,532-sq.-ft. restaurant, which was co-brokered with Gallivan & Co.