Retail

Canton, Mass. – Dunkin’ Brands plans to open 17 new franchise Dunkin’ Donuts stores in west and central Texas in the next several years.

Evergreen Park, Ill. — Cole Real Estate Investments has acquired a 49,225-sq.-ft. portion of the 450,000-sq.-ft. Evergreen Marketplace in Evergreen Park, Ill., for $9.9 million. Mid-America Real Estate Corporation represented the seller, Sterling Bay Companies.

The center is located just north of the northwest corner of Western Avenue & 95th Street in the near Chicago suburb of Evergreen Park. Meijer, Menards, Michaels and Ross Dress for Less. Cole purchased the portion featuring Michaels and Ross.

Trick or treaters looking for a different type of costumer this Halloween will want to head to Target, a retailer that knows a few things about differentiation.

The company has teamed up with fashion and costume designer and former Project Runway contestant Chris March to create an exclusive line of larger-than-life Halloween wigs. The collection of wigs which retails for $20 or less is said to serve as a centerpiece of Target’s seasonal presentation merchandised under a large skeletal sign that says, “fright done right.”

Greenwood Village, Colo. — Maui Wowi Hawaiian plans to open a shop in Northwoods Mall in Peoria, Ill. Slated to open in early October, the new Maui Wowi franchise shop will continue the brand’s expansion in Illinois.

Maui Wowi currently has more than 450 operating units in seven countries.

Walmart awarded a $500,000 grant to the Northwest Arkansas Council to support the advancement of healthy living and economic improvement initiatives throughout Northwest Arkansas. 

The grant is part of a three-year commitment by Walmart to fund the Greater Northwest Arkansas Development Strategy, a regional growth and development plan spearheaded in 2010 by the Northwest Arkansas Council, local chambers of commerce and other organizations. 

Willow Grove, Pa. — Blo/Out Blow Dry Bar has opened its third area location at Willow Grove Park in Willow Grove, Pa., near Philadelphia. The no-appointment 1,300-sq.-ft. salon offers eight styling techniques plus Blo/Out Express, a 20-minute dry styling treatment.

Seattle -- Starbucks Coffee Company on Monday opened two flagship stores in Beijing, China. The new Beijing flagship stores were designed by members of the in-house Starbucks global design team and the local Starbucks China Design Studio, one of 18 international design offices worldwide. One store is a “coffee tribute” store at Kerry Center and one is an “eclectic chic” 24-hour store in the Taikoo Li Sanlitun district.

MIAMI — Ryder System, a leading commercial transportation and supply chain management solutions provider, has appointed Karen Jones as SVP and chief marketing officer. She will report to chairman and CEO Robert Sanchez.

Jones will be responsible for leading both the Fleet Management Solutions and Supply Chain Solutions marketing departments and integrating the management of all marketing and brand related activities across Ryder.