Content about Detroit

Detroit -- Whole Foods Market on Wednesday is scheduled to open a 21,506-sq.-ft. store in Detroit, in the city’s Midtown neighborhood. The store, which is smaller than the chain’s typical footprint, features an expanded lineup of private-label products and lower prices designed to appeal to more budget-conscious shoppers, according to various reports.

New York -- Target announced that it is expanding ongoing remodeling efforts to its stores in the Detroit area. Along with a much greater emphasis on grocery and fresh foods, the new layout include reinventions in several other departments such as beauty, home, shoes and baby.

Target’s  remodeled stores will include approximately 10,000 sq. ft. dedicated to fresh food, including a curated assortment of fresh produce, fresh packaged meat and pre-packaged baked goods, in addition to dry and frozen offerings.
 

Oakbrook Terrace, Ill. -- Chicago-based Mid-America Real Estate Group announced the appointment of Cynthia J. Kratchman as a new principal at its Detroit-based division Mid-America Real Estate-Michigan Inc.

Kratchman joins the firm with more than 20 years of retail brokerage experience in Michigan, and will be primarily responsible for tenant representation, surplus disposition and high profile listings.

Previously, she was a broker with Landmark Commercial Real Estate Services.
 

The 2011 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year awards program recognized retailers from across the nation. Several of the regional retail winners are reviewed below.

Mindy Grossman/CEO/HSN

Ann Arbor, Mich. -- A Wednesday report by Detroit News said that Borders Group Inc. has appointed turnaround specialist Ojas Shah as its CFO to lead the company toward final liquidation.

Shah has been a director of Alix Partners, the firm providing financial restructuring and bankruptcy services to Borders.

Borders, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in February, is slated to close all stores effective Sunday, Sept. 18.

New York — Five Below on Friday made its Michigan debut, opening five stores in the Detroit metro area. The chain specializes in “extreme value” merchandise for teens and pre-teens, with no item priced more than $5.

New York City -- Bob Evans Farms will extend its “Farm-Fresh Refresh” renovation project to 44 locations in the Detroit and Toledo, Ohio, areas. The renovations are expected to begin in August 2011 and be finished by this November.

The new stores will include a bakery, a carry-out area and a redesigned retail area. The updated design features murals in the entryway depicting the heritage of Bob Evans and more modern furnishings, light fixtures and brighter color schemes in the dining room.

Transportation budgets are taking a hit this year as diesel fuel costs continue to climb, topping $3.57 per gallon last month, roughly $0.74 higher than a year ago. For a retail fleet that travels 11.5 million miles a year, that adds almost $8.51 million in fuel costs over the 2010 spend. 


However Hannaford Supermarkets, based in Scarborough, Maine, has taken proactive measures in recent years that have increased efficiencies across its fleet of 100 tractors, helping to mitigate the pain of rising fuel costs. 


Detroit -- X Team, an international alliance of retail real estate advisors, has announced a partnership between Detroit X Team Partner Stokas Realty Advisors and Detroit-based Bieri Co., resulting in the formation of Stokas Bieri Real Estate.

SBRE specializes in site selection for retailers nationwide and offers additional services, including project leasing, disposition of excess properties, restructuring, market analysis and legal services.