STORE SPACES

Home furnishings brand continues global expansion
West Elm brand is expanding in the U.K. The retailer, a division of Williams-Sonoma, will open its second U.K. location, in the London suburb of Kingston-Upon-Thames in winter 2017. The two-story, 8,000-sq.-ft. store is on the ground floor of Bentalls Shopping Centre. The new location will open with the brand's holiday assortment, along with a signature mix of furniture and accessories, and Fair Trade Certified and handcrafted products.
Report debunks retail apocalypse: More stores opening than closing
Don't believe the hype — physical retail is still growing, particularly in three key segments. Retailers are opening 4,080 more stores in 2017 than they are closing, according to a new research report from IHL Group, and they plan to open over 5,500 more in 2018. Mass-merchandisers, including off-pricers and value chains, are the fastest-growing retail segment (+1,905 stores), followed by convenience stores (+1,700 stores) and grocery retailers (+674 stores).

Simon Property Group in unusual legal move against Starbucks

The nation's largest shopping center operator is suing Starbucks Corp. over its plan to shutter the retailer's 78 Teavana stores in Simon malls. In a lawsuit filed Aug. 21, Simon Property Group said that Starbucks is breaching its leases by closing the Teavana stores and “shirking its contractual obligations at the expense of Simon’s shopping centers and the dozens of communities they serve and support,” reported the Indianapolis Business Journal.
Canada's iconic sportswear brand debuts new store concept

Personalization is front and center in a new format from Roots. The brand's new 5,000-sq.-ft. location, at Yorkdale Shopping Centre in Toronto, has a modern cabin-styled design and outdoorsy feel, with a different outdoor theme in every fitting room, reported the Financial Post.
Square opens its first brick-and-mortar store

Mobile payments processor Square has set up shop in New York City. The company has opened a store, called Square Showroom and located in downtown Manhattan, that provides hands-on support for merchants using its technology and space to display — and let sellers experience — its POS hardware. The store includes a Genius Bar-like support desk, where sellers can make appointments with Square employees to troubleshoot a specific issue or get training on a new product.
Amazon-Whole Foods Market deal closes Aug. 28; grocer to cut some prices immediately

That didn't take very long. Amazon said on Thursday — the day after the Federal Trade Commission gave the green light to the deal — that its $13.7 billion acquisition of Whole Foods Market will close on Monday Aug. 28. Starting that same day, Whole Foods will offer lower prices on select products. And with time, Amazon will place lockers in Whole Food stores, and make Amazon Prime the grocer's customer rewards program.
Kid-friendly restaurant chain testing a new look

Those dancing and singing animatronic characters may become a thing of the past at Chuck E. Cheese. The restaurant chain, famous for its triple combination of pizza, token-operated games and iconic (if now outdated) animatronic shows in which Chuck E. and his robot pals periodically sing and dance, has debuted a more modern look. And there is not a robot in sight.
First Look: Target's remodeled store in Minneapolis

Target has given its two-level store at Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis a $10 million top-to-bottom overhaul that combines the best of the retailer's digital and technology upgrades, elevated merchandise presentations and fulfillment services, with a goal to making the shopping experience fast, efficient and fun.
Kohl’s to reduce floor space in half of its stores by end of year

There are some major changes going on at Kohl's stores. The department store retailer announced plans to make nearly half its locations "operationally smaller through balancing inventory and adjusting fixtures" by the end of 2017. To date, the new interior layouts have been rolled out in 300 Kohl's locations.
Milestone store opening for Dollar General

Dollar General is celebrating an important milestone. The discounter has opened its 14,000th retail location. The store is located in Dauphin, Pa. “Dollar General is excited to celebrate our company’s continued growth by celebrating our 14,000th store grand opening today,” said Todd Vasos, CEO, Dollar General. “For nearly 80 years, Dollar General has continually been focused on delivering everyday low prices, convenience and value to the communities we serve."