Retail

Increasingly, retailers are using ambient lighting to impact the in-store experience. Andrew Peck of Enlighten Luminaires spoke with Chain Store Age about retail lighting trends and the rapidly expanding use of LEDs.

What are the biggest concerns when it comes to illuminating merchandise?

Retailers are most concerned about the way products look, and enhancing the shopper experience.

Where does LED lighting fit into this scenario?

Minneapolis - The Tile Shop will expand its presence by 20 stores to 108 locations by the end of 2014, and also remodel 15 to 20 locations.

“Through our store layout and sales associates, who offer project planning, design counsel, tile recommendations and installation guidance, we are able to meaningfully connect with our customers and meet their individual project needs with affordable tile and natural stone products, building a foundation for an ongoing relationship,” said Carl Randazzo, senior VP of retail for The Tile Shop.

Technology is no longer the sole province of “IT geeks,” or even marketers and finance executives — it is also now a focal point of such operational departments as store planning, energy management, construction management and real estate.

In recognition of the huge impact technology is having on store operations, SPECS 2014 held a series of hands-on tech boot camps, with the first one devoted to design, development and facilities, the second to operational technology, and the third to social media trends and tools.

Mixed-use project Celebration Pointe is set to move forward

For Gainesville, Fla.-area residents, these are exciting times. Celebration Pointe, one of the more distinctive mixed-use projects in the state of Florida, is about to hit a significant milestone: The initial phase of the ambitious, $170 million development broke ground in April with site preparation and significant public infrastructure upgrades.

The increased severity and frequency of storms and other catastrophic events has put a white-hot spotlight on disaster planning. No retailer can afford to be unprepared. Three disaster readiness experts shared insights on how retailers can best avoid catastrophe before it happens during the SPECS workshop session, “Disaster Zone — Before the Storm.”

Moderator Gregg Beatty, president of embc, kicked things off by reviewing the “three Rs” of dealing with a disaster — readiness, response and recovery.

Mid-America celebrates 30 years in the retail real estate information business

Mike George likes to say that his company is in the retail real estate information business. “Our clients buy, sell and lease retail real estate,” said George, principal and president of Oakbrook Terrace, Ill.- based Mid-America Real Estate Group. “Clients that buy and sell real estate rely on us for information that helps them make the best business decisions. When clients hire us to manage and lease shopping centers, they want our information-based decisions.”

When building an urban store, be prepared for anything, and make friends with your local Economic Development Corp. early, said retailers and a developer at the “Setting Up Shop Downtown” session.

It’s critical to get the local community on board and solicit their comments early, advised Terry Pratt, senior tenant coordinator of Philadelphia-based PREIT, particularly regarding lighting and signage.

Preparation is key when it comes to natural disasters