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.

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.

NEW YORK — Néstle plans to launch a cup version of its popular Butterfinger candy bar next year, and will introduce the Butterfinger Peanut Butter Cups in a Super Bowl commercial.

The company calls it one of its biggest candy launches and said it will be the first time it showcases one of its brands during the big game.

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.

Somerville, Mass. – Merlin Entertainments has reportedly broken ground on a new Legoland Discovery Center location at the 50-acre, mixed-use Assembly Row development in Somerville, Mass. According to the Boston Globe, the 44,000-sq.-ft. store will open in May 2014.

The store will be the only Legoland location in New England and employ about 100 people. Other retailers planning to open stores at Assembly Row include Nike, Brooks Brothers, Chico’s, and J.P. Licks.

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.

New York — Famous Footwear has leased its second Manhattan location at 48-50 West 14th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues in Union Square, according to Winick Realty Group. The 7,800-sq.-ft. store is a block-through retail site with 50 feet of frontage on 14th Street and 25 ft. of frontage adjacent to the New School entrance on 13th Street.

Ripco represented Famous Footwear in the transaction. Winick represented the landlord, CB Developers.