Discount Store

A record 700 new Dollar General stores are slated to open in 2014, the company announced Thursday morning after reporting third-quarter results and tempering its full-year sales forecast.

Same-stores sales at Dollar General increased 4.4% and total sales increased 10.5% to $4.38 billion during the third quarter ended Nov. 1. Profits increase 14% to $237 million from $208 million and earnings per share increased 19% to 74 cents from 62 cents.

Philadelphia -- Five Below reported that its net sales increased by 27.9% to $110.7 million, from $86.6 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2012. Same-store sales rose 9.0%.

Net income was $1.7 million compared to $0.7 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2012.

New York -- Eddie Lambert’s ESL Partners has reduced the size of its stake in Sears Holdings Corp. disclosing in a regulatory filing on that it now owns 48.4% of its shares, down from 55.4%.

In a statement, Lampert said that his fund had distributed 7.4 million shares in Sears to investors who wanted to withdraw money from his firm.  He said that he had not sold any of his personal holdings.

New York – Give your project the recognition it deserves — enter Chain Store Age’s 32nd annual Retail Store of the Year design competition. The entry deadline is December 23, 2013.

More than 20 competition categories are featured, including department stores, supermarkets, discounters, restaurants, convenience stores, specialty stores, service, sustainability and pop-up stores. This year, for the first time, the competition also includes the category of in-store digital innovation.

New York -- Michael’s has leased a 21,400-sq.-ft. former Circuit City store at the Torrington Fair shopping center in Torrington, Conn.

Wal-Mart, Price Chopper and Petco anchor the center, which is now 100% leased, although there is an outparcel that may be developed in the future. Charter Realty & Development www.chartweb.com and Lornell Realty made the deal.

Matthews, N.C. -- Despite the growth in e-commerce, Americans still prefer to make most holiday gift purchases in stores close to home, according to a recent national survey conducted for Family Dollar.

Seven-in-10 consumers say they describe themselves as in-person shoppers, while only 30% say they would be best characterized as online shoppers. Also, more than half of surveyed consumers say they expect to travel 10 miles or less when looking for the majority of their gifts this season.

Matthews, N.C. – Americans prefer to make most gift purchases in stores close to home. Seven-in-10 consumers in a recent survey conducted for Family Dollar say they describe themselves as in-person shoppers, while only 30% say they would be best characterized as online shoppers.

Seattle -- Nordstrom announced plans to further expand its Los Angeles-area presence with the addition of a Nordstrom Rack at Janss Marketplace in Thousand Oaks, Calif.

The approximately 40,000-sq.-ft. store is scheduled to open in fall 2015. The Rack location at Janss Marketplace is a development by Seritage Realty Trust, a division of Sears Holdings Corporation.

Nordstrom has operated a full-line store approximately one mile from the new Rack location at The Oaks since 2008.