Sales & Marketing

Toms River, N.J. — Ashley Furniture has leased 34,097 sq. ft. at Seacourt Pavilion in Toms River, N.J. The new store is slated to open in April 2014. Metro Commercial Real Estate represented the owner, SP Acquisition Associations.

Ashley Furniture is the top selling furniture store brand in the world and the top retailer of furniture and bedding in the U.S. The company’s stores operate throughout the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Central America and Japan.

Sister publication Drug Store News has learned that Mary Kelly has been appointed EVP and chief merchandising officer at Rexall Pharma Plus.

Kelly, who has more than 26 years of experience leading business teams in Canada and the United States, joins the company after four years at Shoppers Drug Mart, most recently as EVP, merchandising and category management. Prior to that, Kelly served 17 years at Target in a variety of key leadership positions in merchandising and pharmacy, and at Revco Drug Stores and Eli Lilly before that. 

City of Commerce, Calif. – 99 Cents Only Stores is opening its first store in Maricopa, Ariz., on Oct. 10. The new store is approximately 11,615 sq. ft. and will feature a perishable food department, including produce, dairy and frozen foods.

99 Cents Only currently operates 331 retail stores consisting of 238 stores in California, 44 in Texas, 32 in Arizona, and 17 in Nevada.
 

It’s easy these days to get caught up in the frenzy as online sales growth outpaces total retail sales growth. But let’s not lose sight of an important fact: The physical store still remains the most crucial brand touchstone for shoppers. It’s also where the overwhelming majority of retailers still rack up their volume. And according to nearly every reputable forecast, that isn’t likely to change anytime soon.

Sam’s Club maintains its emphasis on health care this month with a traffic-generating promotion tied in with breast cancer awareness.

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month, Sam's Club is offering free women's health screenings to members and non-members on Saturday, October 12 from 11a.m. to 3p.m. at its 576 clubs which contain a pharmacy.

Canton, Mass. – Dunkin’ Donuts plans to develop three new restaurants throughout northern Colorado, in the surrounding areas of Fort Collins, Loveland, Greeley, Windsor, and Estes Park. The first restaurant is expected to open in 2015 and the remainder by 2017.

New franchisees Doug Patterson and Cameron Stapleton signed a multi-unit development agreement. Stapleton will manage and oversee the company's daily operations for each restaurant. Franchise opportunities in the state are still available in Colorado Springs.

JustFab blends fashion, commerce and technology in its first physical store

JustFab, the fast-growing fashion subscription e-commerce brand, has joined the growing ranks of pure online players venturing into brick-and-mortar. The company made its retail debut in Glendale Galleria, Glendale, Calif., opening a 3,000-sq.-ft. flagship that combines digital and traditional retailing.

New York – Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th has launched an e-commerce site that gives shoppers visibility and accessibility to shop for items that may have limited distribution and only in select stores nationwide.
    
In addition, the e-commerce site will offer customers access to Salon Z, a plus-size women’s program not available in all stores.