Mass Merchant

Cincinnati -- The Kroger Co. named  Michael L. Ellis, senior VP of retail divisions, as president COO effective January 1, 2014, completing the succession plan announced in September.

In September, Kroger announced that chairman and CEO David B. Dillon will retire as CEO on January 1, 2014, and will continue to serve as chairman through December 31, 2014. He will be succeeded by W. Rodney McMullen, Kroger's president and CO, effective January 1, 2014.

Walmart said its worldwide capital expenditure budget for the 2014 will range between $11.8 billion and $12.8 billion, roughly $200 million less than the company expects to spend during the current year, even as it adds more selling space.

The Bon-Ton Stores plan to close its location in the mall at Steamtown in Scranton, Pa. The company will not renew the lease, which terminates January 31, 2014. The closing will impact approximately 50 employees at this location.

The company acquired the leasehold interests in the Scranton store in 2000. It does not expect costs associated with the closing of the location to be material.

Pittsburgh – Dick’s Sporting Goods is opening new stores in Wyoming and Kentucky on Oct. 25. The new stores are located at the Eastridge Mall in Casper, Wy., and Gary Farms in Bowling Green, Ky.

The Casper store will be Dick’s first store in Wyoming, and the Bowling Green will be the retailer’s ninth store in Kentucky. Dick’s will have a total of 547 stores as of Oct. 25.

Colton, Calif. — The Hodgdon Group, a brokerage, development, construction and project management firm, has converted a former Sam’s Club in Sacramento into a 60,000-sq.-ft/ Burlington Coat Factory.

The new store opened last week. Hodgdon Group Realty and CBRE Sacramento represented the investor in the acquisition of the Sam’s Club building, as well as the landlord in the lease transaction. Retail West Inc. represented Burlington Coat Factory. An additional tenant has leased the remaining space and plans to open soon.

New York -- Walmart brought together 10 moms in Nashville, Tenn., on Wednesday night to air their thoughts about the economy , the federal government and their own household incomes. The gathering — one of several that occurred in different locations throughout the nation — was part on an annual focus group organized by the chain, reported CNNMoney. This year, the discussion focused on a subject very much in the headlines: budgets.

Bentonville, Ark. – Kenyan retailer Naivas reportedly will not sell a controlling interest in the company to Wal-Mart’s South African subsidiary Massmart. According to Reuters, a Naivas executive said the retailer no longer plans to sell 50% plus one share of its stock to Massmart.

By Todd Maute, [email protected]