Logistics

Atlanta -- A just-released report by Jones Lang LaSalle Retail found that three trends — in retail investing, retail expansion and e-commerce — are making national borders increasingly irrelevant to the retail industry. According to Jones Lang LaSalle’s “Global Capital Flows,” retail investment captured 25% of the total global market share of real estate investment in first quarter 2013.

New York -- Amazon has launched an online shopping site in India, but, in line with the nation’s rules, it will only be able to service other retailers.

The e-commerce giant has gone live with an e-commerce marketplace where local retailers can list books and DVDs under Amazon’s banner and use its delivery services to get them to buyers, according to The Financial Times. Amazon will start selling mobile phones and cameras within weeks.

Lubbock, Texas -- United Supermarkets has completed a transaction to acquire Llano Logistics. Llano has operated United’s two distribution centers – in Lubbock and Roanoke – since their opening.

The deal closed May 31 and means Llano, which had been owned by Exel, a subsidiary of Deutsche Post DHL, is now owned by United.

It is the company’s third subsidiary operation in addition to its 52-store supermarket/ convenience store chain. United purchased R.C. Taylor Distributing in 2007 and added Praters Foods in 2009.

Bentonville, Ark. – Wal-Mart is launching an initiative to increase the amount of fresh produce on its shelves. The effort includes buying produce directly from growers for immediate shipment to stores, performing independent weekly fresh produce checks at stores and providing fresh produce training for associates.

New Orleans -- Stirling Properties and JCH Development have announced a joint venture to develop the first 6,000-sq. ft. building of Magnolia Marketplace Shopping Center in New Orleans at the intersection of South Claiborne Avenue and Fourth Street. A second phase of the development will commence this fall at South Claiborne and Toledano.

Atlanta -- The Home Depot announced a single-day effort to prepare residents in storm-prone regions for the upcoming hurricane season. On July 27, Home Depot said it will host Hurricane Preparedness Workshops at more than 700 of its stores from the Gulf Coast to New England.

The expansion of the workshops is one of several preemptive measures the company is taking in preparation for 2013 hurricane activity, which is once again predicted to be above average.

Irvine, Calif. -- KTGY Group announced that Hutton Cos. has launched construction on La Verne Village, a 172-unit mixed-use residential and retail community in La Verne, Calif., located in the San Gabriel Valley, east of Los Angeles.

Situated on the site of a former automobile dealership on 7.69 acres, the La Verne Village luxury apartment homes are integrated within the village-center court, complete with more than 15,000 sq. ft. of integrated retail shopping and dining.

Jacksonville, Fla. -- Bi-Lo Holdings, parent company of the Bi-Lo and Winn-Dixie grocery store brands, has entered into an agreement to buy three chains from Belgium-based Delhaize Group. Bi-Lo said it would acquire substantially all of the stores in the Sweetbay, Harveys and Reid’s supermarket chains from Delhaize for $265 million in cash.