Stores Magazine - October 2007 - (Page 14) trEnDS our store brand.” In the past, Stage Stores has enticed younger shoppers with ringtones or music downloads. “Taking this approach helps to position us as a retailer that ‘gets it’ and as a cool place to shop,” Kail says. The interactive community site, which was posted for eight weeks, was created by Spur Digital, a Houston-based provider of interactive marketing services and online advertising solutions. Want an iPod with That? Visiting Europe this fall? Consider adding a visit to a McDonald’s to your itinerary. There, you could sink into designer chairs with dark leather upholstery and perhaps have a chance to rent an iPod. In the U.K., you can order porridge for breakfast. In Portugal, soup is on the menu and, in France, cheese saga – burgers with French cheese – are being served. McDonald’s European makeover is an effort to create a more relaxed, sophisticated atmosphere. And going upscale appears to be paying off. During the first half of 2007, combined sales at Europe’s 6,400 restaurants are reported to have climbed 15 percent. Experts are quick to point out that the strength of European currencies has helped to boost that figure; still, revenues in Europe are rising faster than they are stateside. The makeover, championed by Denis Hennequin, president of McDonald’s Europe, began in France, and there’s nothing cookie-cutter about the approach. Franchisees can choose from among nine different designs, depending on what is most appropriate for their location and clientele. he amount of shelf and floor space allotted to organic foods has multiplied over the last few years as shoppers gain increasing awareness of the health benefits of choosing organics, particularly in the produce department. But awareness and good intentions don’t always ring the register. The BIGresearch American Pulse Survey, conducted in August in cooperation with Survey Sampling International, finds that Americans are largely split on buying intentions when it comes to organic foods. A mere 2 percent of the nearly 4,000 men and women polled say they “only” buy organic foods; 28 percent will “sometimes” buy organic, and 21 percent will add organic items to their cart if the products are on sale. Still, the fact that more than half of shoppers show at least some inclination toward organic foods suggests considerable opportunity for grocers. Less than one quarter (23 percent) of survey participants need to be convinced that organics are “better” than regular food. That figure climbs slightly (to 26 percent) among men and to 29 percent among shoppers 55 and older. In all, 25 percent steer clear of the organic aisle because they consider these foods to be “too expensive.” Shoppers in the 33- to 54-year-old age range are most likely to cite cost as their reason for not buying organics. T Saying Goodbye The retail industry recently lost two luminaries, John Montgomery Belk and The Body Shop founder Anita Roddick. Belk served as a business leader, public servant and philanthropist who devoted much of his time to the betterment of the Charlotte community and the state of North Carolina. He was CEO of the Belk organization for more than 50 years; his vision and leadership resulted in its transformation from bargain stores in downtown locations to fashion stores in major shopping centers and regional malls. Today, Belk is the nation’s largest privately owned department store company, with more than 300 stores in 16 Southern states. John Montgomery Belk Belk’s retail career was characWWW.STORES.ORG 14 STORES / OCTOBER 2007 http://WWW.STORES.ORG
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