Convenience Stores

NEW YORK — Discount grocer Aldi has opened its first-ever New York City-area store in the borough of Queens.

The store, which is located in Rego Park, marks the first of three grocery stores the company plans to open in New York, including new locations in the Bronx and Bay Shore, Long Island.

Aldi, which offers a limited assortment of items, said it will bring its standard floor plan to Queens, which includes wider-than-typical 8-ft. aisles.

Cincinnati -- Kroger Co. announced late Wednesday that executive VP Donald E. Becker died Wednesday after suffering an aneurysm. He was 62 years old.

Becker started with Kroger as a clerk in 1969 in the Cincinnati-Dayton area and worked his way up to hold several leadership positions. In 2004, he became executive VP, a role in which he led the company's merchandising and purchasing among other duties, the company said in a statement.

Queens, N.Y. -- Discount grocer Aldi said Thursday it will open its first-ever New York City store on Feb. 18. The new store is located in the borough of Queens.

Aldi, which offers a limited assortment of items, said it will bring its standard floorplan to Queens, which includes wider-than-typical 8-ft. aisles.

The Queens store is the first of three grocery stores the company plans to open in the area, including new locations in the Bronx and Bay Shore areas.

Okay, stop snickering. Target this week revealed that the name of its new small format stores would be CityTarget. The company offered that nugget in connection with news that it would open a small-format store in downtown Chicago at the Sullivan Center development located in the heart of downtown at South State Street and Madison.

London -- A survey released Thursday said sales growth at Britain's Tesco PLC, the world's third biggest retailer, will outpace its major international rivals -- including Wal-Mart Stores -- in coming years as it expands in Asia, the Associated Press reported.

The report by London-based food and grocery analyst IGD says that Tesco will grow its business at a compound annual rate of 7.5% between 2010 and 2015, taking sales to euro106 billion ($143 billion).

New York City -- Family Dollar Stores received a buyout offer on Tuesday from a New York hedge fund at $55 to $60 per share, a 36% premium over yesterday’s closing price. The offer, which values the company at up to $7.6 billion, was made by Trian Group, which is headed by activist investor Nelson Peltz.

Trian Group has been accumulating shares of the discount retailer in recent months, and Peltz has met with management to discuss ways to boost its performance.

Middletown, N.J. -- Fameco Real Estate, L.P. said that Bone Fish Grill and Hand & Stone Massage have signed leases at the Chapel Hill Shopping Center, in Middletown, N.J.

Chapel Hill Shopping Center is a 64,507-sq.-ft. community shopping that was renovated four years ago and is anchored by a 45,000-sq.-ft. Whole Foods supermarket.

Bone Fish leased a 5,400-sq.-ft. endcap position. The restaurant is expected to open in September. Hand & Stone leased 3,600 sq. ft. of in-line space. The retailer is expected to open in April.

By Kenneth A. Gruskin, [email protected]