Puma Unveils New Retail Concept in Chicago … and More

STORE OPENINGS

Puma (Westford, Mass.), a footwear, apparel and accessories retailer, has taken the wraps off its latest retail concept at its new store in the State Street development in Chicago. The two-level space is the company’s first in the U.S. to stock merchandise spanning the entire Puma brand, including sport-performance, sport-lifestyle and sport-fashion. The 8,000 square-foot store is at the corner of North State and Randolph streets.

True Religion Apparel Inc. (Vernon, Calif.), a specialty apparel retailer, has opened a branded retail store in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C.

CompUSA (Miami), a consumer electronics retailer, has opened stores in Dover, Del., and Aventura, Fla.

RETIREMENTS

Walgreens (Deerfield, Ill.), a drugstore chain, announced the following directors will retire effective at the company’s annual shareholders’ meeting on Jan. 13: Charles R. “Cork” Walgreen III, grandson of the company’s founder, and longtime directors Cordell Reed and Marilou von Ferstel.

BUSINESS BRIEFS

The Timberland Co. (Stratham, N.H.), a retailer of footwear, apparel and accessories for outdoor enthusiasts, announced it will replace incandescent spotlights with energy-efficient LED lighting at 70 percent of its 70 North American stores by the end of 2009.

Schréder Lighting USA (Chicago) has launched an e-marketing program that includes product launches, case studies, technical updates and company news announcements.

AWARDS

Family Dollar Stores Inc. (Matthews, N.C.), a discount retailer, has named software development company SAS as its IT Strategic Partner of the Year.