Supply Chain & Merchandising

Chicago -- West Marine will celebrate the grand opening of its Chicago flagship on Thursday, April 23, and continuing through Sunday, April 26.

At 20,000 sq. ft., the Halsted Street location will be the largest West Marine store in the Midwest. The new store will include such features as a state-of-the-art marine electronics display with over 100 units that shoppers can touch and test, and a dedicated "Paddle World" featuring a huge selection of kayaks and stand-up paddleboards, plus a broad range of paddling accessories.

Atlas Technology Group, one of the fastest growing retail technology solution providers in the consumer goods industry, has named a new president.

Pat Lockridge, who has been SVP of sales at Atlas since 2013, has been promoted to president. Nicholas Dozier will remain CEO of ATLAS Technology Group, which is based in Bentonville, Ark.

Aliso Viejo, Calif. -- Johnny Rockets recently signed the largest development deal in the brand's history, with a plan to open 100 restaurants in China, with the first scheduled to open in 2016.

Seattle - Amazon.com Inc. has expanded Prime Now service to Atlanta. The expedited delivery service, offered exclusively as a benefit to Prime members, provides one-hour delivery on tens of thousands of items through a mobile app.

By Ken Nisch

The evolution of shopping based on the consumer mindset that is reflective of the past and targeted for the future can be described as a “Digital Ecosystem.” Much like the proverbial iceberg, this ecosystem has most of the system existing before the consumer “waterline.” Above this waterline exist the elements for which we are most accepting; such as mobile and tablet interface, kiosks across applications ranging from the ATM, to the calling of an Uber cab street side.

Midwestern grocery chain Cub Foods is introducing special needs shopping carts that combine the functionality of a wheelchair with a traditional cart.

The customized carts will be available at all 76 Cub stores in Minnesota, as well as one store in Freeport, Ill., by the end of April.

Amazon.com has added Atlanta to its growing roster of cities with same-day and one-hour delivery.

The ultra-fast Prime Now service, offered exclusively as a benefit to Prime members, provides one-hour delivery on tens of thousands of daily essentials through a mobile app. All Prime members can download the Prime Now app, available on iOS and Android devices, and will be notified when the service is available in their local area.

New York -- The socially conscious outdoor brand Patagonia has embarked on a coast-to-coast tour to encourage people to repair their existing clothes rather than buy new ones. The message, which reflects the brand's socially conscious, environmental positioning, comes at a time of rising popularity for lower-priced fast-fashion items that sometimes are discarded after just a couple of wearings.