Supermarket/Grocery

Bruce Dayton, the father of Minnesota's governor and a key figure, along with his four brothers, in building the massive retailing business that became Target Corp., has died. Dayton, 97 and the last of the brothers to die, also launched the B. Dalton bookstore chain in 1966, the Star Tribune reported. [Star Tribune]

For much of the past decade Kroger's growth stragey has depended on acquiring regional grocery chains. But Kroger's move to acquire a beloved MIdwestern chain has many shoppers there in an uproar.

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Huntsville, Ala. -- RCP Companies announced the opening of the first phase of The Shops at Merchants Walk located in Huntsville, Alabama. The property features 90,000-sq. ft. of shopping and dining experience, including the only Whole Foods Market in North Alabama along with high-end shopping options. The development extends Parkway Place retail node and connects it to the Central Business District.

Amazon.com has been busy expanding its same-day Prime delivery options across the U.S., and now it is hopping the pond.

Amazon U.K. has launched Amazon Pantry, a nationwide service for Prime members. Amazon Pantry offers more than 4,000 everyday grocery items, including food and drink, household supplies, baby and child care, pet, and health and beauty products.

Target's board of directors has added a former executive of the retailer's largest supplier.

The board announced it has elected Melanie Healey, former group president, North America, of the Procter & Gamble Company, as a new director, effective immediately.

Grocery e-commerce has thus far mostly been the province of large vertical players like Kroger, mass merchandisers like Target and Wal-Mart, and online platforms like Amazon and Instacart.

However, a successful regional grocer is throwing its Stetson in the grocery e-commerce ring. Texas-based H-E-B, one of the nation's largest regional grocery retailers with more than 370 stores in Texas and Mexico, is making 50,000 food, drugstore and general merchandise products available to purchase and ship at its corporate site.

Westside Market, a local New York City grocery retailer, is partnering with Instacart for delivery to the Upper West Side neighborhood.

Instacart customers on the Upper West Side will now have access to an assortment of Westside Market items, all delivered in as soon as one hour. Instacart will deliver from a select Westside Market location to start (110th Street and Broadway), and Instacart prices are the same as Westside Market's in-store prices. Westside Market has five stores in all.

Retailers are feeling confident about their overall financial situations, but less so about omnichannel investment.

This is a main finding from the 7th annual CIT Group Retail Outlook study conducted among 250 senior middle-market retail executives by Harris Poll. Although respondents are generally projecting growing sales and revenue, many feel significant investment toward innovation in an omnichannel strategy -- including website, mobile and social media channels -- will be needed to remain competitive.