Store Systems

JCPenney is not dead yet. New shops and free haircuts may help.

Retail pundits eager to write JCPenney’s obituary may want to wait until after the back-to-school season as the struggling retailer revealed several intriguing merchandising moves reminiscent of the tactics CEO Ron Johnson employed during his tenure running Apple stores. And in an unconventional buzz-building, traffic generating move the company said it would offer free haircuts to kids at its salons throughout August.

Wayne, N.J. -- Toys “R” Us on Tuesday said that by the end of 2012 it will have opened eight new stores and remodeled 13 existing locations to the side-by-side Toys “R” Us/Babies “R” Us model.

The retailer said the 21 stores across 13 states are representative of its strategy to bring both concepts together in an integrated store format.

Denver -- National Grocers by Vitamin Cottage said Tuesday that its first Arizona store – in Flagstaff – has opened, and will be joined by two additional stores located in Sedona and Prescott.

The privately owned regional grocery chain, which operates 56 stores in 12 states, incorporated environmentally friendly elements into the Flagstaff store. Energy-efficient features include motion light sensors, 100% post-consumer content tiles, polished concrete flooring and commercial-grade LED lights.  And the chain is 100% shopping bag free.

BURLINGTON, Mass. — Alco Stores has selected OrderMotion's OMX platform to provide the back office technology to serve its new e-commerce site.

Newport Beach, Calif. -- JustEnough Software, a provider of demand management solutions for retailers, distributors and brand owners worldwide, announced that Five Below has selected its merchandise financial planning solution.

Epicor Software Corporation and True Value Co., announced the continuation of an agreement naming Epicor as True Value's recommended Epicor(R) Eagle(R) point-of-sale (POS) solution provider.

This 3-year agreement provides more of True Value's retailers the opportunity to benefit from Epicor solutions, according to the companies.

New York -- Richard Schulze, the founder of Best Buy, is recruiting a team of managers to run the company should his attempt to take the company private be successful, according to a report by Bloomberg.

“He is talking to people he trusts. There is a small group he’d like to have with him in righting the ship,” J.D. Wilson, senior VP of enterprise capabilities, said in an interview with Bloomberg.

Wilson said his position is being eliminated as part of Best Buy’s planned cutbacks.

New York -- Modell's Sporting Goods has added a mobile component to its MVP loyalty program. The sporting goods retailer is using Key Ring Reward Cards’ mobile coupon and customer acquisition platform to introduce mobile into its loyalty marketing mix for its 150 retail locations.