Distribution

Bentonville, Ark. – Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. will reportedly decide how it will proceed with retail plans in India this month. According to Reuters, Wal-Mart’s Indian partner Bharti Enterprises will decide if it wants to continue working with Wal-Mart based on those plans.

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.
 

Ikea shares lessons learned from 39 diverse installations

Sustainability is a cornerstone of home furnishings retailer Ikea, its brand and its business plan, reflecting the company’s Swedish heritage.

Distribution centers are evolving to keep pace with demands of omnichannel retailing

Distribution centers have evolved alongside trends such as just-in-time manufacturing and the rise of overnight shipping. Now they are changing again, this time to accommodate omnichannel consumers.

Feelgoodz leverages shipping solutions to deliver savings and customer service

Feelgoodz Inc. likes to create a customer environment that is as carefree and comfortable as its signature merchandise: eco-friendly flip-flops.

Although the company operates one store in Raleigh, N.C., its e-commerce site serves as its primary direct-to-consumer selling channel, meaning that smoothly functioning order fulfillment is of paramount importance to maintaining positive customer-service vibrations.

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.

Harris Teeter’s shareholders voted to approve the previously announced merger agreement among Harris Teeter, Hornet Acquisition and Kroger.

Approximately 98.6% of the votes cast were in favor of the agreement, representing approximately 82.5% of Harris Teeter’s outstanding common stock as of Aug. 22.

New York -- Artisanal Brands, a marketer and distributor of specialty, artisanal and farmstead cheeses and other specialty food products, has signed a long-term lease on a new Artisanal Cheese Center in New York City with cheese aging caves, production and office facilities, as well as the first retail outlet to be owned and managed by the company.  
   

Seattle -- Amazon.com announced plans to add more than 70,000 full-time seasonal jobs in its U.S. fulfillment centers this holiday season, a 40% increase rise over last year. The company said it hopes to eventually convert many of those temporary seasonal opportunities into permanent roles.

Columbus, Ohio -- JC's 5 Star Outlet, formerly the outlet store division of J.C. Penney, is winding down operations and closing its 15 stores. "Going out of business" sales will start Wednesday, offering shoppers deeper discounts than the usual outlet prices of 25% to 75% off retail.

The 5 Star Outlet stores, which had been designated for closure by J.C. Penney, were acquired by SB Acquisitions in October 2011, and rebranded JC's 5 Star Outlet.