Supply Chain & Merchandising

Ikea is submitting plans to the City of Norfolk, Virginia, to open a 331,000-sq.-ft. store.   Pending approvals, construction of the proposed store could begin in spring 2017, with an opening in summer 2018. The retailer said it would evaluate potential on-site power generation to complement its current U.S. renewable energy presence at nearly 90% of its U.S. locations.  

Circuit City is reportedly getting closer to a relaunch.  

After 44 years of service, Donna Giordano, president of the Ralphs division of The Kroger Co., is retiring.   Giordano’s retirement from the company will be effective July 23. She joined the company's King Soopers banner as a courtesy clerk in 1972, while still in college, and was named store manager at King Soopers in 1982. Giordano later held various director-level positions in key areas, including advertising, bakery, general merchandise, grocery, and pharmacy.   

Launched in 2013, Drizly facilitates the sale and delivery of alcoholic beverages online. Chain Store Age recently visited the company’s Boston-based headquarters and spoke with Nick Rellas, co-founder and CEO, about Drizly’s business model and the evolution of e-commerce.   What made you decide to enable the online sale and delivery of liquor?

Specialty apparel retailer Lands' End is making a number of new executive appointments in the marketing and merchandising areas of the company.

Nordstrom Inc. has re-evaluated its near-term needs for e-commerce infrastructure.   The luxury retailer has decided to postpone the planned opening of a West Coast fulfillment center dedicated to fulfilling digital orders until 2020 or later.  

The Kroger Co. is installing cutting-edge exit signs as part of a $4 billion store- investment program.   The chain is deploying photoluminescent exit signs developed by Cincinnati start-up MN8 at all new and renovated stores nationwide. The LumAware signs differ from standard glow-in-the-dark products in that they also emanate light. The signs, which consumer no energy, eliminate the need for batteries, light bulbs, electricity or maintenance.  

Five Below is adding two more stores to its already considerable Texas portfolio.    The fast-growing extreme-value retailer will open two stores in the Rio Grande section of Texas, in the towns of Brownsville and Mission, on June 24, 2016, giving it a total of 53 locations in the state.    The Rio Grande area stores are two of approximately 85 new Five Below stores is opening in 2016,  on top of  71 new stores it opened in 2015.