Supermarket/Grocery

New York -- As discounters such as Target, Stein Mart and warehouse club operator Costco posted disappointing same-store sales results in June, TJX Cos. and Ross Stores shone with gains that surpassed Wall Street estimates. TJX saw a same-store sales rise of 7% in June, beating the 4.2% rise predicted by analysts. Ross was up 7% for the month, after Wall Street forecast a 4.8% increase. Sales rose 12% to $886 million in June. Both chains raised their second-quarter profit forecasts.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens will acquire 144 stores operating under USA Drug, Super D Drug, May's Drug, Med-X and Drug Warehouse banners in an agreement valued at approximately $438 million.

Carlisle, Pa. -- Ahold subsidiary Giant Food said it has commenced its conversion of 15 former Genuardi's stores. The announcement follows FTC approval of Giant Food’s plan to acquire 15 Genuardi's stores, located in the greater Philadelphia area, from Safeway.

During the conversion process, five stores at a time will temporarily close for about a week. The three-phase staggered approach is expected to be completed on July 22.

FORT WORTH, Texas — Kroger has opened a Signature store in the Fort Worth, Texas, market.

The 100,000-sq.-ft. store, which includes a fuel center, places more emphasis on an interactive customer experience and offers more natural and organic foods, chef-prepared meal solutions and ethnic and gourmet food choices. Along with the fuel center, the new store features a pharmacy and offers a vast wine and beer selection. Kroger currently has 30 Signature stores in the Dallas-Fort Worth market.

Throughout the retail industry and beyond, Walmart has earned a reputation as a leader in executing sustainable improvements that deliver positive results for consumers, communities and the company’s bottom line. Andrea Thomas, who joined Walmart in 2007, was appointed the company’s first senior VP sustainability in August 2010. Thomas talked with Chain Store Age contributing editor Connie Gentry about what sustainability means at Walmart and how the company leverages its scale to make the biggest possible impact for global good.

A soon-to-open Cabela’s store in Rogers, Ark., will test the viability of a large format store in a small market.

The opening of the 100,000-sq.-ft. Cabela’s store is slated for Thursday, August 30 and was strategically timed to kick off the Labor Day weekend. A ribbon cutting planned for 8:45 will be followed by appearances from outdoor personalities and celebrities, family events and merchandise giveaways.

CARLISLE, Pa. — Giant Food has commenced its conversion of 15 former Genuardi's stores.

The announcement follows Giant Food, an Ahold subsidiary, getting the green light from the Federal Trade Commission for its plan to acquire 15 Genuardi's stores, located in the greater Philadelphia area, from Safeway.

During the conversion process, five stores at a time will temporarily close for about a week. The three-phase staggered approach is expected to be completed on July 22.

New York -- U.K. retailing giant Tesco PLC could give up its American supermarket venture, Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market, if the chain continues to disappoint and not make a profit, RetailWeek and other British news organizations reported.

In remarks at the company’s annual meeting on Friday, Tesco CEO Philip Clarke said: “If we see there is no chance of success, we’ll do as we’ve just done in Japan,” referring to Tesco’s deal this month to exit that market.