STORE SPACES

New York -- Canadian grocery giant Loblaw Cos. will test a new retail concept called Nutshell Live Life Well, a freestanding brand targeted to health-conscious shoppers, the Financial Post reported. The move comes as Whole Foods Market eyes greater expansion in Canada.

The first Nutshell will open this fall in downtown Toronto. It will feature a broad assortment of prepared, fresh and packaged foods, a prescription pharmacy, natural health and beauty products, vitamins and supplements.

New York -- Uniqlo is expanding its U.S. footprint. The Japanese apparel retailer, a division of Fast Company, will open 10 more U.S. stores this fall, in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and California.
 
The new locations, all in shopping centers, will bring the brand’s presence in the United States to a total of 17 sites.

The 10 new Uniqlo locations include:

Hollywood, Fla. -- A.R.E. (Association for Retail Environments) has appointed Todd Dittman executive director, succeeding Klein Merriman, who will retire in August. In this role, Dittman, a marketing and finance executive with more than 20 years of experience, will lead A.R.E. and manage Pave, the industry educational foundation, and the Retail Design Institute, working with each organization’s volunteer officers and boards of directors. The appointment is effective Aug. 1.

Cincinnati -- FRCH Design Worldwide has named Tom Custer as VP, marketing and client development.

Custer is tasked with leading the company’s positioning in the marketplace, including its marketing and PR efforts. In addition, he will assist with new business development for FRCH and build a professional sales strategy for the company.

Prior to FRCH, Custer worked with Interbrand Design Forum in Dayton, Ohio, where he served as executive director, business development.

Watsonville, Calif. -- West Marine has released its BlueFuture(R) 2012 Sustainability Report. The study encompasses the retailer’s company-wide efforts focusing on sustainability, including improving and protecting the marine environments, reducing the company's carbon footprint and encouraging people to enjoy being out on the water.

Included in the report is a reduction in the company’s greenhouse gas of 4.29% year over year, with an over 17.5% reduction since its 2007 baseline.

East Cleveland, Ohio -- A switch from fluorescent lights to LED in its frozen-food cases will result in total annual energy and maintenance savings of approximately $570,000 for Stater Bros. The supermarket retailer has retrofitted the cases in nearly all of its 166 stores with GE’s LED refrigerated display lighting,

After evaluating lighting options, Stater Bros.’ retail marketing team chose GE’s 17-watt Immersion RV40 LED systems to replace the 60-watt fluorescent fixtures in freezer cases.

Secaucus, N.J. – The Children’s Place is partnering with Israeli fashion chain Fox-Wizel Ltd. to open stores in Israel, starting in the first quarter of fiscal 2014. The two companies inked a 10-year franchise agreement.

Atlanta - A Tuesday report by the Atlanta Business Chronicle said that the HoneyBaked Ham Co. of Georgia will expand in the Northeast with 30 new stores over the next five years, and will make its international debut in Japan via a partnership with Toranomon Ham Co. Ltd.

“Demand is growing in the northeast region,” said Molly Kesmodel, VP franchise development at HoneyBaked Ham. “Strategically speaking, we have had a solid year thus far with signed deals in Pennsylvania, Alabama and Georgia."