Supermarket/Grocery

New York -- Brookshire Brothers has launched a facility-wide lighting update, including in-store, parking lot, exterior signage and refrigerated case fixtures.

Using a combination of new linear fluorescent lighting and LED technologies -- from GE Lighting, East Cleveland, Ohio -- Brookshire will, once all of its stores have been completed, reduce its annual operating costs more than $235,000.

Sam's Club was among the highest-rated companies for customer service, according to new research from the Temkin Group. Other retailers included Publix, Hy-Vee, H.E.B., ShopRite, Aldi, Giant Eagle and JCPenney.

Other companies earning top marks included Chick-fil-A, credit unions and Starbucks. Meanwhile, companies with the lowest ratings included Charter Communications, Time Warner Cable, Comcast, Citibank, Qwest, Cigna, and Bank of America.

MINNEAPOLIS — Target has donated $30,000 in monetary support and product to assist with Colorado wildfire relief efforts. A $17,500 cash donation was distributed among several American Red Cross chapters in Colorado in addition to $5,000 in product donations for essentials such as water and food. A separate donation of $7,500 in gift cards was given to other nonprofit organizations in the affected areas.

The nation’s convenience stores continued to grow last year creating a peculiar blend of competitive challenges and sales opportunities for Sam’s Club.

MINNEAPOLIS — Food distribution company Nash Finch has named Gary Spinazze as chair of the NFC Foundation for a two-year term. The NFC Foundation is the charitable giving arm of Nash Finch. Board member Paula Docken, business analyst, chair of the community outreach committee was named as chair elect.

WABAN, Mass. — Publix, Hy-Vee, H.E.B., Sam's Club, ShopRite, Aldi, Giant Eagle and JCPenney were among the highest-rated companies for customer service, according to new research from the Temkin Group.

Other companies earning top marks included Chick-fil-A, credit unions and Starbucks. Meanwhile, companies with the lowest ratings included Charter Communications, Time Warner Cable, Comcast, Citibank, Qwest, Cigna, and Bank of America.

Fort Worth, Texas -- Fort Worth-based Trademark Property Co. said Tuesday that Dick’s Sporting Goods will open at Alliance Town Center, located in North Fort Worth.

The 50,000-sq.-ft. store will anchor a 140,000-sq.-ft. Phase 2 of the center. Construction on Dick’s is scheduled to begin in July with opening set for summer 2013.

Alliance Town Center, currently 800,000 sq. ft., is a joint venture of Hillwood and Trademark, and is part of the 17,000-acre Alliance, Texas, master-planned community.

Carmel, Ind. -- Indianapolis-based Kite Realty Group said that Earth Fare will open a 25,000-sq.-ft. store at Rangeline Crossing, formally known as The Centre and located in Carmel, Ind.

Now under redevelopment, the 83,533-sq.-ft. Rangeline Crossing is owned by KRG Centre.

Goldsboro, N.C. -- Casto announced that Harris Teeter will open a 53,000-sq.-ft. store at Memorial Commons, located in Goldsboro, N.C. It is the grocer’s first store in the market.

Harris Teeter is slated to open late 2013, and will join Office Depot, Subway, Starbucks and T-Mobile.

Memorial Commons, a joint venture of Casto and 1st Carolina Properties, is a new neighborhood center located at the gateway to Wayne Memorial Hospital and Wayne County Community College.
 

Waban, Mass. -- Research results released Wednesday by Temkin Group put grocers Publix and Hy-Vee along with credit unions and Chick-fil-A at the top of its 2012 Temkin Customer Service Ratings, which examines how U.S. consumers rate the customer service of 174 large companies across 18 industries.

Other high marks were given by consumers to H.E.B., Sam's Club, Winn-Dixie, ShopRite, Aldi, Starbucks, Giant Eagle and J.C. Penney.