Distribution

Goodlettsville, Tenn. -- Dollar General isn’t letting its failed bid for rival Family Dollar slow its momentum. On Saturday, Dollar General announced it is entering three new states: Oregon, Maine and Rhode Island. The expansion will give it stores in a total of 43 states nationwide.

Dollar General already operates more than 11,700 stores, but entry into the three new states gives it more greenfield expansion opportunities to pursue while Dollar Tree is busy integrating the recently acquired Family Dollar chain.

Jackson, Miss. – Newk’s Eatery is entering the San Antonio, Texas area as part of a broader expansion plan that includes 30 new franchise and corporate stores in 2015. The fast-casual dining chain has signed a franchise agreement with Stephen Kuehler, who will lead the chain's expansion into the San Antonio area.

Who needs Family Dollar? After a failed bid to acquire its smaller rival, Dollar General is on the move and extending its presence to three new states.

Loblaw is already Canada’s largest retailer and it plans to stay that way by spending more than $1 billion this year on new stores, e-commerce expansion and supply chain improvements.

As Canada's largest network of corporate and independently owned retail stores and formats, each employing between 20 and 300 employees, Loblaw's investment is expected to create more than 20,000 jobs through store staffing and construction.

Framingham, Mass. – Staples Inc. underwent a difficult fourth quarter of fiscal 2014 as the company swung from a profit to a loss on special charges, faced investor pressure to change its board, sluggish sales and deal with fallout from its plan to acquire its largest competitor.  

Foot Locker Inc. is riding the wave of shoppers’ growing desire for athletic footwear -- especially trendy basketball shoes -- into all-time record sales.

Putting aside all the challenges at Staples – weak demand, activist investor pressure to change its board and an uphill battle to acquire its largest competitor – one aspect of the company’s business is encouraging.

Although the company’s results for the fourth quarter were not good on either an as reported or adjusted basis, the commercial division achieve respectable sales growth and in the fourth quarter was the most profitable of Staples three business segments.

Residents of Texas and Oklahoma will have two more places to buy guns this month when new Gander Mountain Company stores open with huge firearms departments.

Gander Mountain will open two new locations in Texas and Oklahoma on March 12. The new store in Killeen continues the brand's major expansion into the Texas market and will be the 20th store in the state. The new location in Tulsa marks Gander Mountain's entry into Oklahoma and the 27th state overall.

New York -- Grocery distributor and retailer SpartanNash has promoted Dave Staples, current executive VP and CFO, to COO. Staples will oversee all three operating segments of the company: retail, wholesale and military distribution. He will continue to serve as CFO until his replacement is hired.

Staples joined SpartanNash in January 2000, serving as the company’s executive VP and CFO since November of 2000

Grocery distributor and retailer SpartanNash is looking to a former Walgreens executive to help drive growth.

Derek Jones, currently SpartanNash’s EVP, food distribution, has been promoted to president, wholesale and distribution operations. He will oversee the entire supply chain, including military supply chain operations.