Retail

Dallas -- The 49th annual SPECS conference officially kicked off on Monday morning at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas with two kinds of inspiration: Greg Buzek, present of IHL Consulting Group, introduced the Retail Orphan Initiative, and U.S. Navy Seal Scott Taylor presented Afterburner Black Ops, challenging the audience of retailers in design, construction, facilities, store planning and development to use Seal techniques to run their organizations.

Minneapolis -- Target Corp. said Monday that it will open 17 southwestern Ontario, Canada store on March 19 and another four on March 28, on the heels of three successful pilot-store launches in the area.

The added slate of openings, said Target, will allow the retailer more opportunity to volume-test in advance of April grand opening dates.

Charlotte, N.C. — Harris Teeter Together in Education (TIE) on Monday donated more than $385,000 to participating TIE schools during the second of three payouts of the 2012/2013 school year, raising the program total to $18.7 million since 1998.

Washington, D.C. -- A report released Monday by the National Retail Federation said that the average person celebrating Easter this year will spend about $145.13 on candy, décor, apparel and food – with is flat with last year’s $145.28.

NRF, through its Easter Spending Survey conducted by BIGinsight, estimated that total spending will reach an estimated $17.2 billion this year.

Boston — Raley’s Family of Fine Stores, a privately held supermarket chain with a presence in Northern California and Nevada, has partnered with BzzAgent, the social marketing arm of Dunnhumby, to develop the first grocery retailer advocacy online platform to further enhance its new loyalty program, Something Extra.

New York -- The Jones Group Inc. announced Monday it has appointed Greg Clark as chief marketing officer, effective immediately.

Clark will oversee global marketing and brand identity, including spearheading digital media strategy, brand development and creative.

Clark most recently served as the SVP creative marketing for J. C. Penney.

By Krisha Brooks, VP engineering services, GMR

Whether the facility is a restaurant or retail storefront, owners and managers can agree sufficient lighting plays a key role in exterior facility safety. On a superficial level, lighting plays a significant role in presenting a warm and inviting storefront for customers. However, from a personnel, customer and branding standpoint, having adequate lighting in place that is regularly maintained, inspected and positioned makes an important difference towards alleviating safety and liability concerns.

New York -- Swedish fast-fashion powerhouse H&M is revving up its U.S. expansion. The retailer opened 40 stores in the United States in 2012, and hopes to open even more this year, according to a report in Women’s Wear Daily.

H&M, as previously reported, will open a 42,500-sq.-ft. flagship at 4 Times Square, in Manhattan, that will boost an enormous LED billboard signage display. The retailer will also open a store on Fifth Avenue at 48th Street that, at 57,000 sq.-ft., will be its largest in the world to date.