STORE SPACES

Fossil stores installing Solais Lighting’s LED technology
New York -- Solais Lighting, a division of PowerSecure Int., said that its Xi24 LED fixtures featuring the company’s VioLight color-enhancing technology were selected as the lighting product of record by watch and lifestyle company Fossil.

“We love the crisp, clear way that VioLight [fixtures] light our space, produce a sharper visual and make our product pop,” said Amanda Ceja, procurement manager, store design & development for Fossil, which operates over 260 stores throughout North America.
T2 takes top honors Retail Design Institute annual competition
New York -- T2, a specialty tea store in the Shoreditch area of London, and designed by Landini Associates, of Sydney, Australia, was named Store of the Year by the Retail Design Institute, whose annual design competition recognized more than 45 retail design projects in 20-plus retail formats for excellence in design and execution. The winning projects were honored at the Institute's 44th Annual Awards Gala, at the TimesCenter Stage, New York City.

Academy Sports taps Pan-Oston for cash wraps

Katy, Texas – Academy Sports & Outdoors will use cash wraps from manufacturing company Pan-Oston. Academy currently operates more than 185 stores in 15 states.

Academy operates over 185 stores In 15 states.
Gap to shutter Piperlime, both online and physical store

San Francisco -- Gap Inc. is shutting down its Piperlime business. The company plans to close the brand’s online platform and single store in New York, by the end of the first quarter of fiscal year 2015.

The decision comes as Abe Peck, who has led Gap’s growth, innovation and digital unit, gets ready to step into the CEO suite next month.

“We plan to keep on pushing new ideas and look forward to seeing how we can apply what we’ve learned to the rest of the company,” Peck said in a statement.
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.