Retail

Amazon grows fulfillment infrastructure for large items
The latest planned fulfillment center for Amazon.com will have a big impact on operations in the South. The e-tail giant will open a new 600,000-sq.-ft. facility in Braselton, Georgia. When opened, it will create more than 500 new full-time jobs. Amazon currently has more than 1,500 full-time employees at its existing facilities in the state. Employees at the Braselton center will pick, pack and ship large items for customers like household décor items, sporting equipment and gardening tools.
Starbucks, Shanghai
The design of Starbucks’ flagship in the new Disneytown at Shanghai Disney Resort was inspired by the craft of coffee and the magic of Disney — and the latest in ordering technology. Located in the entertainment district just outside the main entrance to the theme park, the store is topped with a specially crafted wind vane that evokes the playfulness of Disney with the iconic Starbucks siren.

Home furnishings retailer expanding in Southeast

Ikea is submitting plans to the City of Norfolk, Virginia, to open a 331,000-sq.-ft. store. Pending approvals, construction of the proposed store could begin in spring 2017, with an opening in summer 2018. The retailer said it would evaluate potential on-site power generation to complement its current U.S. renewable energy presence at nearly 90% of its U.S. locations.
Former consumer electronics powerhouse charging up for store reboot

Circuit City is reportedly getting closer to a relaunch. The new owner of the defunct consumer electronics chain is currently working with brokers from CBRE to open a 6,000-sq.-ft. to 9,000-sq.-ft. prototype store in Dallas, reported consumer electronics industry publication Twice. The relaunched business will also include a dedicated e-commerce site, as well as a presence on digital marketplaces such as Amazon.
Circuit City charging up for store reboot

Circuit City is reportedly getting closer to a relaunch.
Study points up importance of the human touch in shopping journey

A traditional, low-tech customer service feature can help prompt shoppers to follow the path to purchase. According to a new study from technology services company Mindtree, “Mindtree Shopper Survey 2016,” good old-fashioned human sales associates have a big impact on consumers moving from thinking about a purchase to actually making one.
Drug Store News, Mack Elevation co-host new 10x Thought Leadership Forum

The roster of speakers for the Aug.
CVS Pharmacy in 2,900-store healthy food commitment

CVS Pharmacy is upping its game on food.
Discount retailer in expansion mode

Meijer is on the move again. The company on Tuesday opened a 192,000-sq-.ft. supercenters in Flossmoor and Round Lake Beach, Illinois. The two new stores are part of an investment of more than $400 million in new and remodeled stores that Meijer is making this year, which is creating 3,000 new jobs across the Grand Rapids, Mich.-based retailer's six-state foot print.
Victoria’s Secret exec joining department store retailer

Belk Inc. is expanding its senior leadership team. The company, which operates 293 stores in 16 Southern states, named Randy Whitaker as executive VP, chief stores officer, effective June 27. He comes to Belk after more than 15 years at Victoria’s Secret, having most recently served as executive VP of store operations. His previous roles at Victoria’s Secret include senior VP of finance, real estate and stores, and VP of real estate integration.