Discount Store

Aldi now has three co-presidents overseeing its rapidly expanding U.S. business following the promotion of Brent Laubaugh.

Laughbaugh, a 20 year veteran of the company, currently serves as VP of the Aldi division based in the Pittsburgh suburb of Saxonburgh, was named co-president of Aldi U.S. In that capacity, he joins David Behm and Chuck Youngstrom who will continue in their roles as co-presidents. All three report to Aldi CEO Jason Hart.

March promises to be a busy month for Shopko.

The retailer will open 10 Shopko Hometown stores in late March, bringing its total number of stores opened this year so far to 12.

The company plans to continue to accelerate the expansion of its Hometown format with additional locations through 2017. Developed over the past five years to augment Shopko’s larger store model, the concept is focused on serving the needs of smaller rural communities. Stores average 15,000 sq. ft. to 35,000 sq. ft.

Sam Dushey took the reins of his family-owned business, discount department-store chain Shoppers World, when he was just 27. The company was founded by his grandfather, an immigrant from Syria, in the 1930s, and then expanded upon by Dushey’s father, uncle and cousin.

Fred’s Super Dollar continues to see sales increases as 2016 continues. The company reported Thursday that for the four weeks ending Feb. 27, it saw net sales of $171.1 million, a 12% increase over the same period last year. The announcement follows January’s sales, which also increased 12% over the same four weeks in 2015. Comparable store sales rose 0.8% for the month, compared to flat comps in February 2015.

Chicago -- CBRE recently completed the sale of two retail centers in the Chicago, Illinois suburbs for $14.8 million.

Regency Square, a 43,361 sq. ft. center, located in Huntley, Illinois is 97% leased. The center is anchored by Aldi and includes tenants Athletico, Jimmy John’s, Little Caesar’s and SportClips. CBRE represented the seller, Interstate Partners. Regency Square sold for $10.8 million. CBRE’s Derrick Almassy and Rich Frolik represented Interstate Partners in the sale to Hamilton Partners.

A strong report on Friday from the Labor Department shows that retail employment was up 51,100 jobs in February on the heels of a gain of 52,100 in January.

Compared with February 2015, retail jobs were up by 247,300. The numbers exclude gasoline stations, automobiles and restaurants.

Ross Dress for Less announced three new stores, part of the retailer’s 2016 expansion program, which calls for 70 new locations.

Ross will open a new store and relocate a store in Mobile, Alabama on March 5. The new 25,000-sq.-ft. West Mobile store is located in Westwood Plaza, one mile east of the Mobile Regional Airport. The Mobile location is a 25,000-sq-ft. store that relocated into the McGowin Park East Shopping Center at the southeast corner of Interstate 65 and Highway 90.