Store Systems

Jacksonville, Fla. -- Bi-Lo has announced that it has successfully completed its merger with Winn-Dixie Stores. The two banners now will be subsidiaries of privately held parent company Bi-Lo Holding. Bi-Lo and Winn-Dixie will continue to operate under the same banners, and the company said it does not expect any store closures as a result of the merger.

Arlington Heights, Ill. -- Outdoor gear and apparel retailer Moosejaw said Tuesday that it has adopted the Linea-pro from Infinite Peripherals, in conjunction with Apple iPod touch 4th generation devices, to perform customer checkout from anywhere in its stores.

Lynnwood, Wash. -- Whole Foods Market will open a store in Lynnwood, Wash., on March 15. It is the first Whole Foods location in the Pacific Northwest to use Glycol as a refrigerant, reducing the amount of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) produced by the store.

The store emphasizes a commitment to green practices and environmentally friendly construction, from the LED lighting to the locally sourced, reclaimed Douglas Fir wood visible throughout.

Boston -- New research released by Brodeur Partners uncovered that Baby Boomers and Generation Y’ers think differently about the shopping experience.

According to The Brodeur Partners’ Retail Relevance Study, Boomers see the ideal shopping experience as getting a good deal on a decent product. For Gen Y, it’s more about a stimulating, sensual, “sharable” experience.

New York -- Macy’s on Monday started work on the four-year renovation of its Herald Square flagship in New York City. In the first phase, the retailer is making over its shoe department into what it says will be the “world’s largest shoe floor,” with 300,000 pairs of shoes stepping into a new 63,000 -sq.-ft. space (retail and stock).

Newport Beach, Calif. – U.K. Microsoft Dynamics solution-provider K3 Retail said Monday it has formed an alliance with JustEnough Software to help retailers more effectively plan financials, assortments, markdowns, promotions and allocations with flexibility, accuracy and ease.



By Steven Boon, [email protected]

As retailers strive to be competitive in the current economic environment, many are considering the use of new software solutions to more effectively identify their customers’ wants and desires – and better determine what products they need to have on their store shelves to maximize sales and minimize wastage.

New York City -- Barnes & Noble Inc. said Monday that it plans to expand an in-store pilot boutique from its current 10 units to 25.

The 200-sq.-ft. Penguin store-in-stores sell Penguin book titles and merchandise; the Penguin banner is owned by Pearson PLC.

“The sales have been incremental rather than cannibalizing Penguin sales elsewhere in the store because it’s a different experience,” John Makinson, CEO of Pearson PLC’s Penguin Group, told the Wall Street Journal.