Retail Execution

By David Holland, DataSource

Local store marketing, or “neighborhood marketing,” refers to complex and variable distribution based on the needs of individual business locations. Many local marketing campaigns take place in a reactive, disruptive, and last minute environment. These responsive situations provide the greatest opportunity for an emotional connection with the consumer – which is why local store marketing is so important.

Montreal -- Canadian retailer David’s Tea has named Sylvain Toutant as president and CEO. He will be responsible for all operations at the company and oversee its growth in Canada, the United States and around the world. He will also serve on the board of directors.

Most recently, Toutant was president of Keurig Canada, where he accelerated growth through a strategic alliance with Keurig Green Mountain in the United States. He also headed Keurig's operations in the United Kingdom.

Profitect, a leading pattern seeking analytics provider for the retail industry, has added Ahold USA as its latest customer. Profitect is rolled out in Ahold's Giant Landover division.

Ahold USA will leverage Profitect's integrated data to improve its shrink performance by replacing legacy reporting approaches, which require large volumes of information to be interpreted, with automated resolution processes. The Profitect closed loop system creates accountability, the company said, by ensuring employees identify and resolve opportunities impacting the business.

Beachwood, Ohio – Shopping center operator DDR Corp. is commencing a multi-year proactive lease termination initiative aimed at recapturing high-quality anchor store locations across its portfolio. Through this initiative, DDR is collaborating with retailers in the books, electronics, toys, office and traditional department store categories to right-size their real estate footprints by regaining control of locations in advance of natural lease expiration.

Toys “R” Us has appointed Campbell Lennox as managing director of the company’s Australia unit, effective May 26. Lennox will report to Monika Merz, president, Toys “R” Us, Asia Pacific.
 
Lennox joins the company with more than 20 years of retail and management experience, including a series of roles of increasing responsibility in operations and merchandising. He most recently served as GM, merchandise operations for Harvey Norman, an omnichannel retailer, incorporating an integrated retail, franchise, property and digital platform.

Denver — AmCap, Brixmor Property Group and Kimco have selected the Legend Retail Group to represent nearly 2 million sq. ft. of gross leasing area at 10 different retail centers across the Denver metropolitan area. The centers include:

AmCap
• Market Square, at Havana and Mississippi (120,498 sq. ft.; 12,410 sq. ft. available)
• Market Square, at Wadsworth and Jewell (92,759 sq. ft.; 8,090 sq. ft. available)
 
Brixmor Property Group

Chicago - Easy2Find is a new online analytics tool designed to simplify food industry research and intelligence at the unit level. It is a joint service offering that joins foodservice data analytics provider CHD Expert and research and consulting firm Technomic.

Easy2Find lets chains see and understand a restaurant's footprint in any given geographic market and restaurant segment. It is designed to allow users to find where competitors are opening new unit locations and how they impact sales, helping to uncover market expansion potential.

St. Petersburg, Fla. — On the eve of RECon 2014, The Sembler Co. is gunning its development, property management and acquisition motors. The company has more than 2.8 million sq. ft. in various stages of ground-up development. Its leasing and retention rates are at the highest levels in years. And the company’s acquisition program is active as well.

On the development side, Sembler and partner Lennar Commercial are in the predevelopment stage of an 800,000-sq.-ft. regional shopping center called Town Madison in Madison, Alabama.