Supermarket/Grocery

Pensacola, Fla. -- Westwood Financial Corp. announced it has acquired the Shoppes at Milestone, a fully-leased shopping center located in Pensacola, Florida. The 19,700-sq.-ft. shopping center is shadow anchored by Publix and is the firm’s seventh Florida property.

Retailers surely expect to move a lot of salty snacks and beer ahead of Super Bowl Weekend, but candles too?

That’s just one of the more interesting items a new survey reveals as the product categories most impacted by the big game. IRI released data detailing the sales lift of various food, beverage and consumer product categories in the run up to Super Bowl Sunday.

The number of U.S. businesses with solar energy installations grew to a new high in 2015. Enterprises ranging from family-run companies to some of the country’s biggest corporations are producing their own energy, cutting operating expenses, and achieving environmental sustainability.

A recent report from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) provides data and insights into the diverse mix of corporate offices, office buildings, retail, manufacturing, data centers, distribution and logistics centers, and convention centers that have gone solar.

Upper Darby, Pa. -- Metro Commercial Real Estate announced that is has negotiated the sale of the 307,000-sq.-ft. Home Depot Plaza in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania.

The purchaser, a life insurance company, values the long-term nature of the anchor leases, Home Depot and Acme, and the population density of the area.

Houston -- SRS Real Estate Partners welcomes Jonathan Hicks as SVP and co-market leader in the Houston office. Hicks will lead the Houston office alongside team member, Cody Persyn.

"The addition of Jonathan to our Houston office complements our existing business immensely," said Woody McMinn, president of North American brokerage. "Cody's depth and tenure at SRS, and around the country, joined with Jonathan's market contacts and local industry involvement, are going to make a great market leader team."

Woodstock, Ga. -- Transwestern’s Southeast Investment Services Group announced it brokered the disposition of East Cherokee Village Shoppes for $13 million. New Orleans-based PMAT Cos. acquired the 128,667-sq. ft., Publix-anchored shopping center is located in Woodstock, Georgia. Transwestern VP Fred Victor and managing director Kevin Markwordt represented the private seller.

When it comes to e-commerce, the top driver is actually something the experience doesn’t offer.

According to two surveys of online shoppers in the U.S. and Canada conducted by Bizrate Insights, a division of Connexity, in December 2015 and January 2016, a leading 55% of respondents cited the lack of crowds, traffic and hunting for parking as a top reason to buy online. Another 46% said shopping online takes less time than shopping in stores, while 46% also mentioned free shipping.

Kroger is changing the way it organizes beer, wine and liquor on its store shelves by asking a private distributor to charge alcohol companies for placement, according to a report from Time magazine. (Time)

Food Lion is feeling good about recently reaching the milestone of 1 million Facebook fans, and is sharing the positive vibes.

In recognition of this social media achievement, Food Lion is donating 1 million meals to those in need. The meals will be donated to Feeding America in the form of a monetary donation (Feeding America provides an average of 11 meals for every dollar donated) and distributed evenly among 30 local Feeding America member food banks within the grocer's service area. The donation will span across its 10-state footprint.

UberRush is not the only online delivery provider looking to expand its reach.