Retail

New York -- In a surprise announcement on Tuesday, Apple Inc. said its retail senior VP John Browett abruptly left the company on Monday. Another senior-ranking staffer iOS software senior VP Scott Forstall, will exit next year.

Deerfield, Ill. -- Walgreens said Tuesday it has formally set up a new company, jointly owned with Alliance Boots, as part of the strategic partnership’s synergy program.

The new company, called Walgreens Boots Alliance Development GmbH, is based in Bern, Switzerland.

Covington, La. -- Stirling Properties announced that Sam’s Club has opened at its River Chase shopping center, the largest open-air retail center in St. Tammany Parish.

The 136,000-sq.-ft. Sam’s Club features a fuel station and pharmacy, and joins anchors Target, Belk and J.C. Penney at the master-planned, mixed-use development.

Atlanta -- The Home Depot said Monday it has completed its merger transaction with U.S. Home Systems, an exclusive supplier of kitchen and bath refacing products to the home-improvement chain.

The transaction was approved by the stockholders of USHS at a special meeting held on Oct. 26, and USHS’ common stock ceased trading on the Nasdaq at market close.

Toronto -- Canadian luxury fashion retailer Holt Renfrew & Co. said Monday it will launch a new discount chain called hr2, with a first store in March in Quebec, followed by planned locations across the country by 2015.

It said the stores will range in size from 25,000 sq. ft. to 35,000 sq. ft., smaller than Holt Renfrew’s nine department stores, and targeting women age 25 and up.

Dallas -- Jewelry wholesaler and retailer DGSE Cos. said Friday it has named James J. Vierling as president, CEO and chairman of the board.

Vierling, previously president of Southern Bullion Coin & Jewelry which was recently acquired by DGSE, succeeds William Oyster in all three positions.

London -- Barnes & Noble said Monday that its subsidiary Nook Media will partner with U.K.’s largest supermarket chain Asda to sell the Nook reader in 300 Asda stores across the U.K.

Barnes & Noble said it plans to expand the expected number of U.K. retail outlets to over 2,500 and include various online retail platforms as well. Terms of its deal with Asda weren’t disclosed.

Bolingbrook, Ill. -- Ulta Beauty said Monday that it has named DSW Inc. president and CEO Michael MacDonald to its board of directors, effective Oct. 24.

Prior to joining DSW in 2009, MacDonald served for three years as chairman and CEO of ShopKo Stores. Prior to that, he spent 16 years with Carson Pirie Scott and with Saks Inc. after it acquired Carson Pirie Scott in 1998.