AVONDALE, CHANDLER, GOODYEAR, MESA, PHOENIX AND TEMPE, ARIZ. — Seattle-based Amazon plans to open 11 new sites across the Phoenix metro area by year-end 2020 to support customer fulfillment and delivery operations. Amazon expects the new properties will create more than 3,000 new full- and part-time jobs. The new sites include seven delivery stations, which power the last mile of Amazon’s order fulfillment process, and two additional facilities that support fulfillment operations in Avondale, Chandler, Goodyear, Mesa, Phoenix and Tempe. Additionally, the company’s first cross-dock facility in Arizona is slated to open by year’s end in Phoenix, creating 1,000 full-time positions. The 600,000-square-foot building will support customer fulfillment by receiving large orders of inventory and redistributing products to fulfilment centers across the company’s operations networks. Construction is also underway on an 855,000-square-foot fulfillment center in Goodyear. Expected to open by year’s end, the facility will create more than 1,000 new full-time jobs where employees will work alongside Amazon robotics to pick, pack and ship small items to customers. Next year, Amazon will launch additional sites to support customer fulfillment and operations, including a cross-dock facility in Goodyear and a delivery station in Surprise, creating more than 1,000 full-time jobs in …
CHICAGO — Navy Pier, a mixed-use destination on Chicago’s lakefront, will start a temporary pier-wide closure on Tuesday, Sept. 8, in an effort to limit the financial burden and impact of the continued coronavirus pandemic on the organization. The closure will stop all operations, including those of Navy Pier’s more than 70 small businesses. Access to the pier’s outdoor space, including Polk Bros Park and North and South Docks, will also be limited or prohibited during the closure. “While this was a very difficult decision for the organization, it was a necessary one to proactively ensure the long-term success of one of Chicago’s most treasured and important civic institutions and the communities it serves,” says Marilynn Gardner, president and CEO of Navy Pier. Per state and city orders, Navy Pier originally closed to the public from March 16 to June 10 and then began a phased reopening with appropriate safety and security measures. Through the reopening, Navy Pier was able to resume partial operations and welcome guests to the pier. However, the destination experienced less than 20 percent of its typical summer attendance. To date, the Centennial Wheel, Chicago Children’s Museum, Chicago Shakespeare Theater and additional Pier Park attractions have …
MOORESVILLE, N.C. — Lowe’s Home Improvement posted a 30 percent increase in same store sales during its second quarter, which ended July 31. The total sales reached $27.3 billion, compared with $21 billion in the second quarter of 2019. Lowe’s also invested $460 million during the quarter to support frontline hourly associates. In 2020, the company thus far has invested $560 million in COVID-19-related financial support for its associates and community pandemic relief, with a focus on minority and rural small businesses and healthcare workers. Mooresville-based Lowe’s is an essential retailer, meaning it has remained open throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. As of July 31, Lowe’s operates 1,968 home improvement and hardware stores in the United States and Canada.
MINNEAPOLIS — Target (NYSE: TGT) reported a 24.3 percent increase in total digital and in-store sales during the second quarter compared with the same period a year ago, the highest quarterly growth in the Minneapolis-based discount retailer’s history. Same-store sales grew by 10.9 percent during the quarter, while digital sales experienced a whopping 195 percent growth year over year. CNBC reports that during a call with reporters, Target CEO Brian Cornell stated that the volume of sales fulfilled by the company’s curbside pickup program grew by more than 70 percent, and that the company’s digital customer base expanded by some 10 million shoppers. Target’s stock price opened at $148.50 per share on Wednesday, Aug. 19, up 12 percent from the previous day and up 72 percent from $86.23 per share a year ago.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — NAI Global has opened a new office at 6391 Thompson Road in Syracuse that will operate under the name NAI Bridgeway Commercial and which will serve the Central and Upstate New York areas. The new commercial real estate services firm will offer a range of services, including brokerage and leasing, property and facilities management, investment and capital market services, due diligence, global supply chain and logistics consulting and related advisory services. Tom Lischak, who founded Bridgeway Commercial Realty in 2014 prior to its acquisition by NAI, will lead the new office.
BENTONVILLE, ARK. — Walmart’s e-commerce sales jumped 97 percent in the second quarter, which ended July 31. The Bentonville-based retailer increased its e-commerce capabilities, including increasing same-day delivery and curbside pick-up options as well as hiring at least 200,000 people during the pandemic. Walmart includes a grocery section, deeming the retailer essential and allowing it to remain open through the crisis. Additionally, the U.S. government passed the CARES Act, which included stimulus checks for millions of Americans. As a result of increased spending, Walmart’s same-store sales increased 9.3 percent in the second quarter. Total revenues rose 5.6 percent to $137.74 billion from $130.38 billion a year earlier. The company incurred $1.5 billion of COVID-related costs during the second quarter, including benefit payments and inventory purchases. Sales at Sam’s Club locations were up 8.8 percent in the second the quarter. E-commerce sales increased 39 percent.
ATLANTA — The Home Depot released its second-quarter results, which revealed the home improvement retailer saw a 23.4 percent increase in sales on a year-over-year basis. Sales totaled $38.1 billion in the second quarter, which ended Aug. 3. Because of the coronavirus outbreak and The Home Depot’s status as an essential retailer, meaning the stores have remained open through the pandemic, the company invested approximately $480 million in benefits for its associates, including weekly bonuses for hourly associates in stores and distribution centers.
SEATTLE — Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) plans to create 3,500 new tech and corporate jobs across six cities with the expansion of its Tech Hubs in Dallas, Detroit, Denver, New York, Phoenix and San Diego. The Seattle-based e-commerce company will invest more than $1.4 billion in the new offices, which will host teams supporting businesses across the company. The Tech Hub and corporate office expansions include: Adding more than 100,000 square feet of space and 600 tech and corporate roles at the company’s existing Dallas Tech Hub in North Dallas. The acquisition of more than 25,000 square feet of office space in Detroit and the addition of 100 jobs. An expansion of 20,000 square feet of office space and 100 jobs at the Denver Tech Hub. The opening of a 630,000-square-foot office, creating 2,000 new jobs, in New York City at the former Lord & Taylor Fifth Avenue building. A 90,000-square-foot expansion at the Phoenix Tech Hub allowing for more than 500 new jobs. The addition of more than 40,000 square feet of office space at the San Diego Tech Hub for the creation of 200 new jobs. Teams in these cities will support various businesses across Amazon, including AWS, Alexa, …
MINNEAPOLIS — Minneapolis-based Magid HTL Forecast Tracker has released its predictions for the upcoming 12 months for the hotel industry. The forecast suggests the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic will lead to a 29 percent decline in annual hotel occupancy. The results will be a projected approximately $75 billion revenue loss for the industry. The estimate is according to the Magid HTL Forecast Tracker and Horwath HTL, a global hotel, tourism and leisure consulting brand. The forecasted decline is driven by the disappearance of business and leisure travel coupled with a projected 22 percent decline in consumer sentiment for attending meetings or conferences over the next 12 months. “The forecast shows the continuing significant impact COVID is having on hotel occupancy,” says Rich Garlick, vice president and strategy consultant for Magid. “Currently, the forecast suggests a 39 percent decline in occupancy for the next month. If the average occupancy at this time of the year (summer) is 70 percent, this would put current occupancy around 43 percent.” The most recent wave of research, conducted July 29 to August 2, shows that 71 percent of consumers expect to next stay in a hotel 24 months from now — a result that …
By Alex Patton During the business lull caused by the outbreak of COVID-19, fast casual sandwich chain Jersey Mike’s made news by rolling out a $150 million nationwide retrofit project for its stores. The project will include aesthetic and comfortability upgrades for 1,700 franchise stores, as well as expanded functionality for delivery and pick-up services — all paid for by the company. “Paying for the retrofits ourselves is a tactical move on our part,” says Peter Cancro, CEO of Jersey Mike’s. “Whenever you put money in your business, it always comes back. It’s an investment into our people — every dollar we put into the project we’ll get back in loyalty and trust from our franchise owners and our customers.” The Manasquan, New Jersey-based company operates approximately 1,750 stores across 48 states and plans to expand to 2,000 by the end of 2021. Though the company is growing its store count quickly, it is still a relatively small player in the national sandwich game. By comparison, Jersey Mike’s two closest competitors, Subway and Jimmy John’s, operate 24,000 and 2,800 stores in the United States, respectively. Amid state-mandated temporary closures of retail stores and restaurants, Jersey Mike’s was able to continue …