eCommerce

Salisbury, N.C. -- Discount grocery chain Bottom Dollar Food announced Monday plans to enter the greater Pittsburgh and Youngstown, Ohio, markets.

The expansion includes 14 stores that will open in 2012 and slated to create more than 600 jobs.

New Delhi, India -- A Monday report by Bloomberg said that an Indian governmental panel recommended easing market-entry restrictions, making Wal-Mart Stores’ and Carrefour SA’s path into the India retail market potentially much easier.

Citing a finance ministry official as its source, Bloomberg reported that a panel of New Delhi bureaucrats recommended on Friday that overseas companies be allowed to own up to 51% of stores that sell more than one brand if they invest a minimum of $100 million.

CHICAGO — About a week after announcing it would join First Lady Obama and other retailers in bringing more choices to so-called "food deserts", Walmart announced its official presence in Chicago today with the news that it has begun work on a new supercenter in Chatham. According to the company, the store will give more options to residents of Chicago's South Side neighborhood while at the same time creating approximately 400 jobs.

Clifton, N.J. -- North Plainfield, N.J.-based Levin Management Corp. said that Compare Supermarket has signed on to anchor Clifton Plaza in Clifton, N.J.

The 16,000-sq.-ft. lease commitment and Clifton Plaza’s transition to a grocery-anchored property coincide with Levin’s renovation/expansion at the 80,127-sq.-ft. shopping center.

Seattle -- Amazon said Monday it has launched a new app to support AmazonFresh on Android phones.

AmazonFresh, a division of Amazon, is available only in the Seattle area and is a service for ordering groceries online for home delivery.

With the new application, users can shop complete grocery and selected Amazon.com aisles, choose home delivery times, view past purchases, and place orders.

The app also includes features such as barcode scanning and list functionality.  
 
 

Presque Isle, Maine -- Westport, Conn.-based Charter Realty & Development Corp. said it has arranged a lease for 25,000 sq. ft. for a T.J. Maxx store in the Aroostook Center Mall in Presque Isle, Maine.

T.J. Maxx will join Lowes, Sears, J.C. Penney and others in this project. This 525,000-sq.-ft. center is owned by Sitt Assett Management.

Charter Realty currently represents TJX Cos. for their T.J.Maxx, Marshalls, Marshalls Shoes and HomeGoods divisions in various markets throughout the Northeast.
 

Katy, Texas -- Houston-based developer Vista Equities Group reports a rise in lease activity and interest for its mixed-use town center development in Katy, Texas – LaCenterra at Cinco Ranch. The remaining 3,100 sq. ft. of phase one retail space and almost 6,000 sq. ft. of existing office space has been leased.

New retailers include Another Round and Flip Flop Shop. Businesses relocating or adding locations in LaCenterra include Amerejuve Med Spa, Retina Consultants of Houston and Eventsia Group.

It’s a good thing Target is preparing a major relaunch of its digital platform considering traffic to the company’s website has decelerated this year, according to online measurement firm comScore, which publishes a monthly list of the top 50 U.S. Web properties. Target climbed back into comScore’s to 50 ranking in June with 23.8 million unique visitors.