Barnes & Noble Opens ‘Ultimate Playroom’ Mega-Boutiques In Stores
Barnes & Noble has created the ultimate play room for children with the initial rollout of 3,000 sq. ft. boutiques in five test stores: Enfield, CT; Manchester, CT; North Brunswick, NJ; Holmdel, NJ; and Bronx, NY. The expansive play spaces incorporate interactive displays, creativity and learning through activities, scientific discoveries, and favorite children’s characters. In unique strategic partnerships with world renowned toy and games manufacturers, Barnes & Noble has created five interactive play areas - Building, Learning, Imagining, Creating and Playing - that offer children hands-on learning experiences in a fun, and engaging environment.
“Barnes & Noble has always been a destination for families who want to foster a life-long love of reading. We’re enriching that experience with these expansive play areas, and fun and interactive activities,” said Jaime Carey, Chief Merchandising Officer, Barnes & Noble.
Borders Renews Strategic Focus On Kids With New Products, Events & Partnerships
Borders is expanding its focus on kids with a slate of enriching events, new products from leading brands and strategic partnerships. Borders has reorganized and refreshed its Children’s sections earlier this year to create an easy and intuitive shopping experience for parents and all gift givers.
The Children’s area is now organized by chronological age so customers immediately know where to go when looking for the perfect gifts for the children in their lives. In addition, Borders added thousands of educational toys and games to its superstores.
The company has teamed up with Build-A-Bear Workshop to introduce the Build-A-Bear Craftshop product line in each of Borders’ more than 500 retail stores nationwide.
New Humana Walmart-Preferred Rx Plan Promoted In-Store
Humana and Wal-Mart have joined forces to introduce the new Humana Walmart-Preferred Rx Plan (PDP) and Humana informational kiosks in 3,000 Walmart stores nationwide. Humana’s new Medicare Part D prescription drug plan, co-branded with Walmart, can provide significant savings on monthly plan premiums and prescription medicine copayments and cost-shares. The new plan features one nationwide monthly plan premium of $14.80.
John Agwunobi, M.D., President of Walmart’s Health and Wellness division, said, “Our participation in this plan is an example of Walmart’s ongoing commitment to helping customers save money and live better.”
Rite Aid & Save-A-Lot Test Co-Branded Stores
Rite Aid has entered into a licensing agreement with Save-A-Lot, a subsidiary of SUPERVALU, to add the discount, limited assortment grocery store concept to 10 existing Rite Aid stores in the Greenville, SC market. Stores co-branded Save-A-Lot Food Stores/Rite Aid Pharmacy have opened in Greer, Simpsonville and Travelers Rest, South Carolina. The stores continue to be owned and operated by Rite Aid.
About 75 percent of the non-pharmacy part of each store is devoted to Save-A-Lot. Grocery products offered by Save-A-Lot include a limited selection of fresh meat, processed smoked and packaged meat, fresh produce, frozen food, dairy and dry groceries at prices up to 40% lower than conventional grocery stores.
Denny’s Opens First Denny’s Café
Denny’s has opened its first Denny’s Café location in Orange, CA, marking the first fast-casual restaurant for the company. Denny’s Café offers a smaller version of the traditional Denny’s experience that caters to guests with a more streamlined menu, counter service ordering and a smaller real estate footprint that allows for easier entrance into urban, more densely populated markets.
Denny’s Café leverages the traditional Denny’s brand image to offer diners the same family restaurant experience in a setting that provides a faster service model, where guests will be able to order from menu boards at the counter, select their table and have the food delivered directly to them.
Tea Forte Launches In Duty Free Stores
Tea Forte, the global luxury tea brand, has opened its duty free stores at the DFS Galleria in Waikiki, the luxury retailer catering to the traveling public. Company founder Peter Hewitt, said, “The store reflects the quality of our tea collections as well as the premium positioning of our brand.”
Known for the variety and unparalleled quality of handcrafted teas, design-driven accessories, and exquisite packaging, Tea Forte re-imagines and re-defines the tea experience.
Lowe’s Launches Recycling Centers
Lowe’s has installed recycling centers in nearly 1,700 stores throughout the U.S. to provide a one-stop recycling destination for customers. The permanent recycling centers offer a free, convenient and easy way for customers to recycle rechargeable batteries, cell phones, CFLs and plastic shopping bags.
The newly launched recycling centers will allow for the safe and proper disposal of these items in an easy-to-use bin near the store entrance. At each Lowe’s store, customers can drop off any expired, unbroken CFL, any rechargeable battery up to 11 pounds and all used cell phones and plastic shopping bags.
Coca-Cola Introduces Consumer Recycling Center
As part Coca-Cola’s commitment to increase recycling of its used packaging material, Coca-Cola Recycling LLC will introduce a new consumer recycling center that accepts and processes aluminum cans and #1 PET plastic beverage bottles. The unit, Reimagine Beverage Containers, is the result of collaboration with Environmental Products Corp. (Envipco) and uses breakthrough, proprietary technology developed by Envipco.
Reimagine is designed to offer free and convenient access to beverage container recycling for those who don't currently recycle. The first Reimagine unit was recently unveiled at a shopping center in Arlington, TX, anchored by Kroger.
Road Runner Sports Opens High-Tech Store In Campbell, CA
Road Runner Sports recently opened its newest retail store in Campbell, CA, just outside of San Jose. The store is over 7,000 sq. ft. to house the area’s biggest-ever selection of running, walking and fitness gear. Road Runner Sports offers customers an interactive Shoe Dog foot analysis process. Guests will be able to interact with a dynamic, touch-screen video program that brings fun to the Shoe Dog process of easily finding the ever-elusive, perfect-fitting running or walking shoe.
“This is the most advanced shoe-fitting program out there. The Shoe Dog process makes it incredibly easy and fun to find your perfect-fitting shoe,” said Mike Gotfredson, owner of Road Runner Sports.
New Balance & Westin Hotels Join Forces To Help Travelers Stay Fit On The Road
New Balance and Westin Hotels & Resorts have forged an exclusive, worldwide partnership to help hotel guests overcome the hurdles of exercising on the road by providing New Balance footwear, apparel and fitness program content. Guests of the Westin pilot properties have access to New Balance shoes, apparel and accessories through a product loan program. Guests can borrow running shoes with brand new, disposable insoles for each use, as well as a variety of men’s and women’s apparel.
New Balance Fitness Ambassador and Exercise TV celebrity trainer Holly Perkins will develop exclusive in-room fitness and equipment-free content that includes stretching and strengthening workouts, cardio and yoga. Hilary Keates, Director, Global Marketing, New Balance, said, “New Balance is excited to partner with Westin. As leaders in our respective categories, this alliance made perfect sense.”
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