Omnichannel

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. — Customers looking to get their hands on the new Google tablet can now do so at Staples, as the retailer is offering the Nexus 7 for pre-sale. Nexus 7 8GB and 16GB will be available in Staples stores nationwide and at Staples.com for just $199 and $249 respectively later this month.

New York -- Drugstore retailer Duane Reade, a division of Walgreens, is expanding its Manhattan footprint with a second distinct location in the city’s Financial District. The new, 22,000-sq.-ft. store boasts a number of amenities, and—in a first for a U.S. drug store—also features a museum-quality exhibit that pays tribute to the neighborhood and hallowed grounds of downtown Manhattan. 

TOWACO, N.J. — Bosco brand chocolate syrup is making its Walmart debut in 530 stoes in 12 Eastern states including Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia.

Bosco which comes in a 22 ounce squeeze bottle is all-natural and vitamin-fortified. Walmart will sell Bosco for $1.98.     

Foot Locker is debuting a new retail brand, The Locker Room, in the United Kingdom. The format was unveiled at the end of 2011, in Brent Cross Shopping Centre, North London. Two additional stores opened in spring 2012, in Birmingham’s Bullring shopping center, and in London’s Lakeside center.

The customer experience is fueling IT spending like never before. That was my main takeaway from Oracle Retail CrossTalk 2012, which was held June 26 -28, in Chicago. The following are some insights and observations from a few of the speakers at the event.

Gary Penn, VP e-commerce, Quiksilver:
“Handheld traffic is growing exponentially, and so is the revenue. You have to address it. If you don’t, you are leaving a good part of your audience out in the cold.”

Fort Worth, Texas -- Dallas-based Cypress Equities said that drycleaner The Laundry will open at the mixed-use development West 7th, located in Fort Worth, Texas.

The 963-sq.-ft. shop is slated to open later this year.

West 7th’s retail and office components are being developed by a Cypress Equities company and the residential component by Columbus Realty Partners.
 

Home Depot has announced the expansion of its major appliance brands by adding Whirlpool, Electrolux and Frigidaire in a limited number of stores and on Homedepot.com.

The appliances will be available through the company's Depot Direct delivery network and available to be ordered in all U.S. stores. Depot Direct includes more than 3,000 appliances delivered and installed to the customer's home within one to five days of purchase. Appliance purchases through Depot Direct include free delivery and haul-away.

Greenwich, Conn. -- Private investment firm Starwood Capital Group announced that an affiliate of Starwood has completed its acquisition of a 90% majority interest in seven U.S. shopping centers from the Westfield Group.

Westfield retained a 10% minority interest in the portfolio.

Starwood also announced that it has formed a new subsidiary, Starwood Retail Partners, to be based in Chicago, to oversee the management of the newly acquired assets and has named Scott Wolstein, co-founder of DDR, as its CEO.