STORE SPACES

Chuck E. Cheese’s taps Ecova for utility expense, data management services
Spokane, Wash. -- Ecova announced it has been selected Chuck E. Cheese’s to provide utility expense and data management services. Ecova will assist the dining and entertainment company in monitoring, understanding and reducing energy use at approximately 525 locations nationwide.
Ikea’s store in St. Louis to feature Missouri’s largest solar array
St. Louis -- Ikea plans to install solar energy panels on its 380,000-sq-ft. St. Louis store, due to open in fall 2015. Panel installation will begin this spring, with completion before the store’s opening, making the project the largest rooftop solar array in the State of Missouri.

The store’s 259,000-sq.-ft. solar array will consist of a 1.28-MW system, built with 4,085 panels, and will produce approximately 1,780,000 kWh of electricity annually for the store, the equivalent to reducing 1,227 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2).

Neiman Marcus testing ‘smart’ mirror; allows shoppers to compare outfits

New York -- Neiman Marcus is testing interactive mirror technology at its store in Walnut Creek, Calif., that enables shoppers to see how they look in different outfits at the same time. The luxury retailer is set to pilot the technology in two additional locations, including its store in San Francisco.
Report: Stronger economy boosts increase in store construction/renovations

New York -- A.R.E. (the Association for Retail Environments) is predicting a 10% increase in spending on North American retail store construction and renovations in 2015. The forecast, based on a survey of A.R.E.’s nearly 750 member companies and input from the industry association’s economic advisors, represents the sixth consecutive year of industry growth.
Stop & Shop honored with LEED Silver for three stores in Massachusetts

Quincy, Mass. -- The Super Stop & Shop stores in Hyannis, Hyde Park and Wayland, Massachusetts have each received LEED (Leadership in Energy and Efficient Design) silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. (Stop & Shop has 13 superstores, which are LEED certified.)
FRCH annouces new director, new business development

CINCINNATI– FRCH Design Worldwide announced that Thomas Smith has joined FRCH as director, new business development for the firm’s Retail/Mixed-Use practice. Smith will be based in Los Angeles and will be responsible for establishing new relationships for the firm throughout North America, supporting offices in Cincinnati, New York and a soon to be established office in Los Angeles.
Show goes on while Schimenti Construction renovates AMC

Ridgefield, Conn. - Moviegoers are still enjoying the big-screen entertainment at the AMC Theaters in Levittown, New York, even as Schimenti Construction is renovating the ten-theater complex. The company’s first project with AMC, it will be completed in January 2015, in just 95 calendar days from start to finish.
Hooters debuts
Online Shoppers To Brick-and-Mortar Stores: Time for a Facelift

By Steve Jones What’s going to keep people coming back to physical store locations, as comfort levels with e-commerce rise every year? Savvy retailers are fighting technology with technology, refreshing the look and feel of their stores by integrating more gadgets, and using data in a more integrated way to inform strategy. In-store tech helps retailers beat e-tailers at their own game
Dunkin’ Donuts launches green building certification for its stores

CANTON, Mass. - Dunkin’ Donuts is launching its own green building certification program, called DD Green, to help franchisees build sustainable, energy-efficient restaurants. In conjunction with the announcement, the company is celebrating the grand opening of a DD Green certified Dunkin' Donuts restaurant in Long Beach, California. Dunkin' Donuts will work with franchisees and construction managers to build 100 new Dunkin' Donuts restaurants DD Green certified by the end of 2016.