Retail

With cases of influenza rising across the Midwest, Meijer is participating in a new study by offering free testing for flu and strep throat at its stores in Michigan and allowing its pharmacists to dispense prescription drugs as necessary under a protocol developed by a physician who's also involved.

Aliso Viejo, Calif. — John Rockets has opened its first restaurant in Guarulhos, Brazil, a suburb of Sao Paulo. It is the brand’s 100th location outside of the United States.

Franchise partners Antonio Augusto Ribeiro de Souza and Nicolli Ciappina de Souza operate the restaurant at Shopping Internacional, a large retail center with 2.4 million visitors per month. The partners have committed to opening 29 additional restaurants in Brazil over the next 10 years.

Christine Day is going from CEO of Lululemon to CEO of healthy food brand Luvo.

"Christine's unbridled passion for retailing and consumer insight adds an important component to elevate Luvo into the consumer mainstream," said Luvo founder and president Stephen Sidwell. "We look forward to Christine's guidance for the brand, helping Luvo take the lead in the national movement that delicious, nutrient-dense food can be affordable, convenient and easily accessible."

Los Angeles — PizzaRev has signed agreements with four franchisee groups covering territory in five states. The deals will lead to the opening of new units in San Diego and Orange counties in California plus Utah, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota. Here are brief profiles of each group:

NEW YORK — Unilever’s Clear Scalp & Hair has tapped model Miranda Kerr to be the newest face — and hair — for Clear Scalp & Hair in the United States, giving her the title of the brand's first global brand ambassador.
 
Debuting this month, Kerr will star in a national advertising campaign appearing on TV, in print and on digital properties.

King of Prussia, Pa. -- eBay Enterprise has launched a ship-from-store solution, which the company calls a game-changing initiative that retailers can deploy within 99 days to effectively leverage their physical store inventories while gaining advantages in margin and shipping cost.

Seattle -- Nordstrom plans to open a full-line store in the heart of downtown Toronto, at Toronto Eaton Centre.

Construction of the approximately 213,000-sq.-ft., three-level store is set to begin in March 2014, with the store opening slated for fall 2016. Toronto Eaton Centre is owned and managed by The Cadillac Fairview Corp. Ltd.

Dallas -- J. C. Penney Company announced that as part of its turnaround efforts it will close 33 underperforming stores across the country. The shutterings, which will result in the elimination of about 2,000 positions, are expected to result in an annual cost savings of approximately $65 million, beginning in 2014.