STORE SPACES

Mississauga, Ontario -- Target announced that an additional 44 store locations in Canada have been awarded LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certification. This means that all 68 newly launched Target locations have been awarded LEED certification, a first for a major retailer in Canada.

Target is pursuing LEED certification for all 124 stores scheduled to open in Canada this year through the LEED Volume Program, which streamlines the certification process for buildings in both Canada and the U.S.

Mason, Ohio -- Pearle Vision will unveil its new store design on Sept. 17 in Legacy Village, Lyndhurst, Ohio. The new Cleveland-area location features a completely remodeled design, which includes everything from a new brand logo and signage to modernized displays and a completely transformed floor plan. The store design is by WD Partners, Columbus, Ohio.

New York -- Some retailers are raising the bar for engaging brick-and-mortar shoppers with clever, inventive experiences, while others are missing the boat when it comes to making in-store connections. 

“Up & Coming Brands; Brands in Need of a Refresh,” an exclusive Chain Store Age digital report from Interbrand Design Forum, provides an up-close look at the brands that are exceeding expectations and those that are falling behind.

Columbus, Ohio -- Fitch announced that Gina Noda has joined the company as business development director. She previously served as director of business development for Sargenti Architects, and prior to that spent 15 years at Scorpio Construction as director of marketing.

Based in the New York City area, Noda will be responsible for expanding Fitch’s presence on the East Coast, as well as across the country.

New York -- Pure Madness Chocolate has announced a partnership with iconic fashion accessories retailer Henri Bendel in New York City for a pop-up space.
   
Pure Madness Chocolate will be available at the Henri Bendel flagship store on Fifth Avenue Sept. 4 to Sept. 9.

The brand will have a pop-up space on the second floor of the Henri Bendel 5th Avenue flagship store from Sept. 4 to Sept. 8.

New York -- Kimco Realty and NRG eVgo, part of NRG Energy, opened the Bay Area’s first electric vehicle charging station, at Westlake Shopping Center, Daly City, Calif.

Naperville, Ill. -- OfficeMax Inc. announced the opening of its first Chicago-area Business Solutions Center format, with a 3,900-sq.-ft. location in the Streeterville neighborhood.

New York -- Swedish fast-fashion giant H&M will open its largest location to date, a 63,000-sq.-ft. flagship in New York City’s bustling Herald Square. Scheduled to open in fall 2014, the four-level store will be located in Herald Center, a JEMB Realty property. The landlord’s broker is CBRE.