Supermarket/Grocery

Irvine, Calif. -- Mimi's Cafe said Thursday that Scott Miller has been named VP finance, effective immediately.

Miller most recently was the CFO at El Gallo Giro, a multi-unit taqueria. He also spent 10 years in various financial leadership roles at Carlson Restaurant Inc., with the T.G.I. Friday's and Pick Up Stix brands.

Mimi's Cafe was recently acquired by Le Duff America , parent to the Bruegger’s Bagels and la Madeleine banners, and has 145 locations in 24 states.

With 6,700 stores in 12 markets, Tesco is a formidable competitor globally, but Walmart won’t have to worry about competing with the company on its home turf.

Cranston, R.I. -- Boston-based The Wilder Cos. said Thursday that the second phase of the multi-phased strategy to expand, reconfigure and redevelop Garden City Center, in Cranston, R.I., is officially underway.

The project involves turning vacant former large-format retail spaces into a mix of mid-sized and smaller specialty retailers, including the state’s first Corner Bakery Café which signed a multi-year lease.

London -- A Thursday report by Bloomberg said that retail sales in the U.K. fell a more-than-expected 0.8% (excluding fuel) in March compared to February, impacted by unseasonably cold weather and a still-sluggish economy.

Target may not cater to exactly the same shopper as Walmart, but there is enough overlap between the two companies to know that reports of weakness out of Minneapolis are never a good sign in Bentonville.

Knoxville, Tenn. -- CHM said that its Northshore Town Center mixed-use property will add First Tennessee Bank and ORNL Federal Credit Union to its tenant roster.

The two financial institutions will join fast-casual pizza restaurant Uncle Maddio’s, scheduled to open its first Tennessee location at Northshore Town Center later this spring.

Washington, D.C. -- Grocery retailers, wholesalers and food industry state association executives representing more than 30 states assembled in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday to urge Congress to act on pro-business reforms that impact their industry.

With only 12 stores, Fairway Foods is so small it can scarcely be called a regional supermarket chain, but that didn’t stop the company from completing a successful public stock offering on Wednesday.