Supermarket/Grocery

By Julie S. Lucht, [email protected]

Charlotte, N.C. — Harris Teeter will open a 61,000-sq.-ft. store in Baltimore, making it the chain's first in the city and seventh in Maryland.

The store, which will be located in the McHenry Row neighborhood of Baltimore, opens its doors on Dec. 7. The supermarket places strong emphasis on fresh foods, items-to-go and perishable items, Harris Teeter said.

The chain also is applying for LEED certification for the location, noting the supermarket will include electric vehicle charging stations and an integrated refrigeration.

West Hartford, Conn. -- Jacksonville, Fla.-based Regency Centers said that Chipotle Mexican Grill will open a new restaurant at Corbin’s Center, located in West Hartford, Conn.

The 3,500-sq.-ft. restaurant is slated to open October 2012.

Corbin’s Center, at 186,163 sq. ft., is anchored by Trader Joe’s alongside national retailers such as Best Buy, Old Navy and Toys “R” Us.

The new year will see a changing of the guard in the chief executive’s office of several big retailers. Here are four to watch:

Costco
The torch has been passed at Costco Wholesale Corp., with president and COO Craig Jelinek stepping into the very big shoes of the company’s longtime chief executive and co-founder Jim Sinegal (effective January 1, 2012).

New York City -- The Brookshire Grocery Co. announced that Trent Brookshire, SVP/DMM was elected to the company’s board. He is a fourth generation member of the company’s founding family.

New York City -- A coalition of retail organizations, including the National Retail Federation, the Food Marketing Institute and the National Association of Convenience Stores, have filed a lawsuit charging that the Federal Reserve failed to comply with a new law requiring it to reduce fees bank charge retailers when shoppers use credit cards.

The law, which went into effect Oct. 1, said that banks could charge a maximum of 21 cents when consumers use a debit card, down from an average of 44 cents per transaction.

Tarrytown, N.Y. -- DLC Management Corp. said Tuesday that it has executed four new anchor deals over the last three-month period.

In Jonesboro, Ga., PJS Market will open an 80,160-sq.-ft. retail mini-mall at Tara Crossing Shopping Center, in a space vacated just four months earlier. This is PJS Market’s second location in Metro Atlanta and is expected to open by the end of the year.

Tustin, Calif. -- Present Value Properties said it has represented Menchie's in six California lease transactions for the frozen yogurt purveyor.

A Menchie's franchisee signed a five-year lease for 1,637 sq. ft. in Orange, in a center anchored by Petco and Michaels. Menchie's will open in first quarter 2012.

In Whittier, Menchie’s will open a 1,250-sq.-ft. shop at Santa Fe Springs Plaza in early 2012. The center is anchored by Food For Less, and is currently undergoing a remodel.