News

Publix Q1 profit up 4.8%
Lakeland, Fla. -- Publix reported that its profit rose 4.8% to $493.7 million in its first quarter.

Sales increased 4.1% to $7.8 billion, with a 4% increase in same-store sales.

Publix estimated that its sales were negatively impacted by 1.3% due to the later Easter this year.

Effective May 1, Publix’s stock price increased from $30.15 per share to $32.50 per share. Publix stock is not publicly traded and is available only to current Publix employees and members of its board of directors.
Study: 64% of U.S. households own smartphones
Arlington, Va. -- The dominance of the mobile channel is illustrated in a new survey from the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), which reveals that two-thirds (64%) of U.S. households now own smartphones, surpassing ownership of basic cell phones 51%) for the first time, according to a new study.

Retail veteran Andrea Weiss, digital expert Bill Mirabito form consulting firm

New York -- Andrea Weiss, a 30-year retail veteran, and Bill Mirabito, a digital innovator, have teamed up to form The O Alliance, a consulting firm designed to help retailers better target today’s, multichannel digitally-savvy shoppers.
Nivea Haus, Berlin

Few brands have translated their essence to the physical space as successfully as Nivea does in its Berlin flagship, Nivea Haus (House). Fashioned in the company’s signature ultra-blue and white hues, the store offers shoppers an immersive experience.
In the Spotlight: Urban Development

When building an urban store, be prepared for anything, and make friends with your local Economic Development Corp. early, said retailers and a developer at the “Setting Up Shop Downtown” session.
It’s critical to get the local community on board and solicit their comments early, advised Terry Pratt, senior tenant coordinator of Philadelphia-based PREIT, particularly regarding lighting and signage.
In the Spotlight: Demographics, Retail Trends

When it comes to success in retail, the old mantra of “location, location, location” has been largely replaced by “customer, customer, customer.” That was one of the themes of the SPECS workshop session, “It’s All in the Demographics.”
“Yes, it’s about demographics, but it’s more than demographics. It’s about the lifestyle embedded in the demographics,” explained Bill Stinneford, executive VP retail, Buxton, Fort Worth, Texas, which provides customer analytics for site selection, marketing and e-commerce.
In the Spotlight: Lighting Trends

Lighting plays a critical role in retail, and is rapidly evolving to meet changing regulations and customer needs. Dr. Laura Prestwood Thompson, director of the TCU Center for Lighting Education, Texas Christian University, discussed how stores and restaurants in 2025 will light their interiors and looked at the technologies and trends that will impact retail lighting during the SPECS workshop session, “Lighting 2025.”
“The quality of light is key,” Thompson said. “You create an aesthetic for your brand that impacts the customer experience.”
In the Spotlight: Disaster Readiness

The increased severity and frequency of storms and other catastrophic events has put a white-hot spotlight on disaster planning. No retailer can afford to be unprepared. Three disaster readiness experts shared insights on how retailers can best avoid catastrophe before it happens during the SPECS workshop session, “Disaster Zone — Before the Storm.”
Moderator Gregg Beatty, president of embc, kicked things off by reviewing the “three Rs” of dealing with a disaster — readiness, response and recovery.
In the Spotlight: HVAC and Refrigeration

Heating, ventilation and air-conditioning technology is in the midst of a dramatic evolution brought on by a variety of factors, including regulations, retailers’ needs for technological sophistication, operational and cost efficiency, and ease of implementation and use. These and other topics were discussed in the SPECS session, “Evolution, Revolution: The Future of HVAC and Refrigeration.”
Session moderator Bob Keingstein, president of Boss Facility Services, asked panelists to discuss several pointed questions focused on different key areas of the evolution of HVAC.
In the Spotlight: LEDs

A stellar retail panel — Mark Friedman, manager of retail facilities, Coldwater Creek; Eric Johnson, director of store planning, design and construction, Brookshire Brothers Ltd.; and Bob Valair, director of energy and environmental management, Staples — shared first-hand accounts of their LED deployments and plans going forward at the SPECS session, “LED Lessons Learned, Strategies for the Future.”
In the Spotlight: Technology

Technology is no longer the sole province of “IT geeks,” or even marketers and finance executives — it is also now a focal point of such operational departments as store planning, energy management, construction management and real estate.
In recognition of the huge impact technology is having on store operations, SPECS 2014 held a series of hands-on tech boot camps, with the first one devoted to design, development and facilities, the second to operational technology, and the third to social media trends and tools.
Urban March

Redevelopment continues to ignite retail
One of the most fascinating aspects of our ongoing economic recovery is the paradigm shift with respect to commercial development priorities. In the wake of the recession, new development has largely taken a backseat to redevelopment as developers and retailers alike have set their sights on opportunities in core urban markets that have been historically underserved.