Store Systems

By Tricia Downing, VP, FRCH Design Worldwide

Westlake, Ohio -- TravelCenters of America said it has completed its acquisition of 31 convenience stores/gas stations in Kentucky and Tennessee for $67.9 million. The deal was first announced on Nov. 14.

Deerfield Park, Ill. – Most Walgreens stores will be open until midnight through Christmas Eve, and most stores will be open Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, including 1,600 24-hour locations. On Christmas Day, most non-24-hour stores will be open from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m.

Millburn, N.J. – A 30-year-old man was fatally shot during a carjacking at The Mall at Short Hills, an upscale shopping center in Millburn, N.J. According to the Newark Star-Ledger, the man and his wife were entering their Range Rover on a parking deck at around 9 p.m., on Dec. 15, following an evening of holiday shopping at the mall when two men fired multiple shots.

Office Depot plans to expand 3D Systems Cube 3-D printing services to 150 Office Depot stores nationwide as a result of positive customer feedback.

Boca Raton, Fla. – Office Depot is expanding 3D Systems Cube 3-D printing services to 150 Office Depot stores nationwide.

Customers can experience 3-D printing demonstrations in stores in eight states or print on their own by purchasing the Cube or CubeX applications from www.officedepot.com. Participating states are California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Nevada, Oregon and Texas.

Fort Worth, Texas — RadioShack has opened a new concept store in Fairfax Center II in Fairfax, Va.

The new concept stores feature a speaker wall where customers can compare 13 different speakers; interactive displays with headphone demo stations; technology explained by touch-screens and apps; brands such as Apple, HTC and Samsung as well as mobile carriers including AT&T, Sprint and Verizon; and a do-it-yourself area where customers can plan projects.

By Graeme McVie, VP, LoyaltyOne, [email protected]

Statistics tell the story: the U.S. population is getting older at a dramatic rate. The Department of Health & Human Service’s Administration on Aging estimates that nearly 55 million people – nearly one-in-six – will be age 65 or older by 2020, compared with 40 million in 2010.