Supermarket/Grocery

Publix Super Markets and Weis Markets reported respectable second quarter sales growth, but profits were harder to come by.

Publix, the nation’s fifth largest supermarket chain, said sales for its second quarter increased 6.6% to $7.5 billion, with 1.3% of the gain related to the timing of Easter. Same store sales increased 6.3%. Despite the top line improvement, Publix said profits increased slightly less than 1% to $404.1 million from $400.9 million while earnings per share increased by a penny to 52 cents.

Grand Rapids, Mich. - Meijer is running an omnichannel back-to-school promotion offering Back-to-School Bucks, which are available through print and the Meijer digital coupon program, mPerks. Furthermore, customers can customize their own sale and save more than $35 on general merchandise and health and beauty care products the weekend of Aug. 15-16.

Sunbury, Pa. – Net income at Weis Markets Inc. plummeted close to 47% during the second quarter of fiscal 2014, compared to the prior year period. Weis reported net income of $12.8 million, compared to $21.18 million a year earlier.

Weis cited company reinvestment and price discounting as driving the net income decline. Second quarter sales increased 4.5% to $691.9 million, from $662.1 million and same-store sales increased 2.9%.

Bedminster, N.J. -- Dental practice Brighter Dental Care has leased 2,600 sq. ft. of the second floor at The Hills Village Center in Bedminster, New Jersey, according to Levin Management, exclusive leasing and managing agent for the 110,800-sq.-ft. center.

This year, the National Retail Federation has chosen Chicago’s Art Potash, owner of Potash Markets, as its first Retail Champion of the Year. Potash was recognized at NRF’s annual Retail Advocates summit on Capitol Hill.