Store Systems

Basking Ridge, N.J. -- Verizon Business, which delivers integrated, secure IT solutions to many of the world’s largest retailers, said it predicts the following five trends will shape the retail industry in the coming year.

Mobile, Ala. -- Centro Properties Group announced that Marshalls has opened a 26,000-sq.-ft. store at Springdale Mall, located in Mobile, Ala.

New York City-based Centro Properties Group is the owner of Springdale Mall.

Abilene, Kan. -- Duckwall-Alco Stores reported Friday that its loss for the quarter ended Oct. 31 widened from $1.4 million to $2 million.

The small-town retailer also reported that revenue dropped 0.6% to $110.5 million. Same-store sales decreased 2.3%, which was an improvement over the second-quarter same-store sales drop of 7.2%.

Smyrna, Ga. -- Westchester, Ill.-based Tri-Land Properties announced that it has received zoning and financing approval for The Crossings at Four Corners in Smyrna, Ga. Tri-Land has sold eight acres of the project to Cincinnati, Ohio-based Kroger Co.

Cole Taylor, a Chicago based lender, is providing the construction financing for the project.

El Segundo, Calif. -- Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market has announced a partnership with REC Solar, a leading solar electric system provider in the United States, to install roof-mount solar systems on nine stores in Arizona. The installation of the systems will begin in March 2011.

The combined 410 kW of installed solar systems will produce an estimated 620,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) annually, the equivalent of reducing 22 million lbs. of CO2 emissions -- or removing 28 million car-driven miles -- over the next 25 years.

Ann Arbor, Mich. -- Borders Group posted sales of  $470.9 million for its third quarter ended Oct. 30, a decrease of 17.6% from the same period a year ago. Same-store sales declined by 12.6%.

The company posted a loss from continuing operations in the third quarter of $74.4 million, versus a loss $37.7 million a year ago.

New York City -- After five consecutive months of year-over-year declines, overall average tickets grew 0.4% in November, after declining 1.7% in October, according to  First Data. The company’s SpendTrend analysis for November 2010 includes same-store consumer spending via credit, signature debit, PIN debit and EBT cards at U.S. merchant locations, which are compared with November 2009.

Dallas -- 7-Eleven has agreed to acquire ExxonMobil's retail interests in 183 Florida sites. The transaction, expected to close early in 2011, is subject to standard closing conditions and regulatory approvals. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.