Convenience Stores

Oxford, Mich. -- X Team, an international alliance of retail real estate advisors, announced that Detroit-based partner Stokas Bieri Real Estate represented Center Management in the purchase of The Promenade at Waterside in Oxford, Mich.

Boston -- The Wilder Cos. announced the addition of Jo-Ann Fabric & Crafts at two of its New Hampshire shopping centers.

Jo-Ann Fabric and Crafts recently opened at Belknap Mall, the only enclosed shopping mall north of Concord. The new store joins Peebles Department Store, Shaw’s, Maurices, Lakes Region Jewelers, CVS and Dunkin Donuts at the 218,500-sq.-ft. mall.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — In honor of Earth Day, Sears Holdings is currently offering several discounts and product promotions designed to help customers improve their environmental performance. These include up to 25% off all Energy Star qualified appliances at Sears plus up to 25% off all dryers plus extra 5% off all appliances with your Sears card through April 19.

Energy efficiency is one of the key benefits of using LED lighting. But there are plenty of other reasons to incorporate LEDs into retail stores, Sally Lee, applications marketing manager for Osram Sylvania, told attendees at the session, “Spotlight on LED: Getting the Dirt on Rare Earth Minerals.”

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Food Marketing Institute on Monday selected nine finalists for the 12th annual Store Manager Awards competition, which identifies exceptional store managers who generate sales growth, provide great customer service, lead outstanding store teams and serve the community in unique ways. Among the nine, three winners will be named on May 1 in Dallas at the FMI2012 convention and retail trade show.

Keeping a store open during a remodel versus closing it until the work is completed was the theme of the SPECS session, “Open Store Remodels: Best Practices for Maintaining the Customer Experience and the Focus on Sales.” The session was part of the Ground-Up Construction and Remodeling workshop track.

Although the speakers had experience with both methodologies, they focused more on ways to keep the store open during the process.

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — Supervalu is moving ahead with its sustainability efforts by increasing the number of stores that will divert 90% or more of their waste from local landfills by the end of the current fiscal year.

Solid-state lighting took center stage at the SPECS Sustainability session, “LEDs: Perception and Reality.”

Speaker Leigh Savage, national accounts manager, GE Lighting, debunked many of the myths that surround LED lighting. They included:

• LEDs produce no heat at all. FALSE

• LEDs are more efficient than any other light source. NOT NECESSARILY.

• LEDs are still too expensive to use in retail applications. FALSE