Retail

Seattle — AmazonFresh recently launched a new tool called the Amazon Dash that allows users to scan items or speak the items aloud as part of a new way to shop for groceries without having to go into the store or shop online.

Friendswood, Texas — The 1.2-million-sq.-ft. Baybrook Mall in Houston is getting another 550,000 sq. ft. The mall owner, General Growth Properties, and the landowner, a CDC Houston-managed entity, have formed a joint venture to carry out he project. Work will begin in early May and completed by the 2015 holiday season.

Grand Rapids, Mich. -- Meijer announced that it has selected U.S. Vision as its exclusive vision center in its stores moving forward in an effort to enhance its retail healthcare services across the Midwest.

U.S. Vision, a separately owned and operated company based in Glendora, N.J., is currently a tenant in 50 Meijer stores in Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, and Ohio, and has plans to open 19 more vision centers in Meijer stores this year. All of its vision centers will be renamed "Meijer Optical" by the end of the month.

Hamilton, Bermuda -- Signet Jewelers Limited and Zale Corporation have announced the expiration of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended, in connection with the proposed acquisition of Zale by Signet.

The expiration of the HSR Act waiting period satisfies one of the conditions to the closing of the proposed acquisition, which remains subject to approval by Zale’s stockholders and certain other customary closing conditions.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Holdings announced that William Hutchinson will join the company as senior VP and president, supply chain. Hutchinson, who most recently served as VP of global fulfillment and logistics for Dell, succeeds Raj Penkar who has led the company's supply chain business unit since 2011. Penkar will retire from Sears Holdings on May 31.

In his new role with the company, Hutchinson will be accountable for all aspects of the company's supply chain, including distribution, transportation, customs compliance and global sourcing.

Ankeny, Iowa -- Casey’s General Stores has selected Softeon’s warehouse managements ystem (WMS), as well as its load planning, yard management, and labor management applications, to improve efficiency and accuracy of its DC operations and drive additional throughput from existing DCs to enable them to support addition of new retail stores in the same physical footprint.

Menomonee Falls, Wis. -- Kohl’s Department Stores has debuted its new brand campaign, based on the word “Yes.” A 60-second commercial, featuring designer Vera Wang, unveils the “Yes” campaign using striking visuals and artists’ renderings of the letters “Y,” “E,” and “S.”

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Holdings Corporation completed its spin-off of Lands' End Inc. on April 4. The specialty apparel company has now been separated from Sears Holdings and its common stock is expected to begin regular-way trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol "LE" on April 7.