AutoZone (901-495-6500) is opening a location in Ontario, OR at the intersection of Southwest Fourth Avenue and Southwest Seventh Street. Opening is slated for September or October.

Sandstrom on TV Co. (480-374-2901) is planning to open 150 franchised locations nationwide during the next three years. The stores will range in size from 900 sq.ft. to 1,500 sq.ft. The company has two stores operating in Phoenix, AZ.

Lowe’s Cos., Inc. (336-658-4000) is planning to open 160 stores this year and 150 locations next year. The stores will be at least 94,000 sq.ft. and the company expects to have 2,000 units in operation within five years.

Ace Hardware (630-990-6600) is planning to open stores in the Phoenix, AZ market, with locations in Surprise and Scottsdale slated to open this year. Two other stores are slated to open late this year or early 2008.

Swiss Farms (610-356-2070) plans to open two 1,200 sq.ft. convenience stores with drive-thrus and expand into DE, NJ and PA. The company operates 12 locations bordering Philadelphia, PA.

Foot Locker, Inc. (212-720-3700) and Nike, Inc. (503-671-6453) are planning to open up to 50 House of Hoops by Foot Locker stores during the next three years. The stores would exclusively offer Nike basketball products, including Nike, Jordan and Converse basketball footwear, apparel and equipment. The first store of the new concept is expected to open early next year on 125^th Street in New York, NY, which will be a conversion of an existing Foot Locker. Additional openings are planned for Chicago, IL; Houston, TX; Las Vegas, NV and Los Angeles, CA. Nike is also planning to
open 100 Nike stores during the next three years, with the first opening planned for next year.

Best Buy (612-291-1000) plans to open 1,800 stores nationwide and in Canada, including 1,400 superstores in the U.S. and 200 superstores in Canada, as well as up to 200 Pacific Sales locations, a high-end appliance chain the company acquired in 2005. The company currently operates 852 Best Buy locations nationwide, 159 in Canada and 14 Pacific Sales stores. Best Buy is also looking to expand into China.

Bed Bath & Beyond (908-688-0888) is planning to open 70 stores this year, as well as buybuy Baby stores by the end of the year. In recent years, the company opened 80 to 90 stores annually.

Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse (407-333-7440) plans to open a 12,000 sq.ft. freestanding restaurant at Princeton Forrestal Village, located in Princeton, NJ. Cotenants include Salt Creek Grille, Luxe Home Company, Exquisite Bride and Silver Shop. In addition, CAN DO Fitness/Koi Spa operates a 63,000 sq.ft. location at
the center.

Barnes & Noble (212-633-3300) proposed opening a store in the expansion of University Park Mall in Mishawaka, IN.

FedEx Kinko’s (214-550-7000) plans to open 300 locations by June 2008. Last fiscal year, the company opened 226 stores.

Christian Brothers Automotive Corp. (281-870-8900) recently opened an automotive repair shop in Southaven, MS on Goodman Road East. The location is the company’s first in MS. The company currently operates more than 45 stores in eight states, including AL, GA, KS, MO, MS, OK, TN and TX. The company opens about seven to 10 locations annually.

MAPCO Express, Inc. (615-771-6701) is planning to open MAPCO Mart stores in AL and Memphis, TN by the end of the year. For future stores, the company reduced the size to between 4,200 sq.ft. and 4,400 sq.ft. MAPCO currently operates 500 convenience stores, 13 of which are MAPCO Marts. The stores offer a made-to-order food service, such as sandwiches, burgers, salads and soups.

Ralphs (310-884-9000) recently opened a grocery store in downtown Los Angeles, CA, located below Market Lofts, a 267-condominum site with five other chains tenanting the development. The 50,500 sq.ft. store is a Fresh Fare Ralphs, the company’s upscale concept, which offers laundry service, a café and made-to-order sushi. Additionally, the company is eyeing a location on Grand Avenue and First Street in Los Angeles. The company operates 263 supermarkets in southern CA.

"Herb" Philipson’s Army and Navy (315-336-1302) plans to expand into the Syracuse, NY market with a 30,000 sq.ft. store opening at the intersection of Route 57 and John Glenn Boulevard anchoring the Glenn Crossing shopping center in Clay, NY. The 110,000 sq.ft. shopping center will also include Aldi and two banks as tenants. The company currently operates five stores in Herkimer, New Hartford, Oneida, Rome and Watertown, NY.

Sur La Table (206-437-8418) is planning to open a store at The Mall at Patridge Creek, located in Clinton, MI. The open-air center will be anchored by Nordstrom, Parisian and MJR Cinema and cotenanted by Calvin Klein, The Territory Ahead, Pizza Rustica, Cacique, Shi by Journeys, Moonstruck Chocolate Café and For Love 21. The center is slated to open during October.

Marco’s Pizza (800-262-7267) signed a deal with Dough Developers, Inc. (813-967-0746) to open more than 200 Marco’s Pizza shops throughout FL during the next seven to 10 years. The company recently opened its first restaurant in FL this past spring in Newport Richey. The restaurants offer the company’s custom-made Ah!Thentic Italian Pizzas for delivery, carryout or dining in.

BJ’s Restaurants, Inc. (714-848-3747) recently opened a BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse restaurant in Oklahoma City, OK on West Memorial Road. The 8,500 sq.ft. restaurant occupies a pad site in front of AMC Theatres at the Quail Springs Mall and seats 280 guests. The restaurants offer the company’s signature deep-dish pizza, handcrafted beer and Pizookie desserts and also are equipped with contemporary décor and flat-screen TVs. The company currently operates 61 casual dining restaurants under the trade-names BJ’s Restaurant & Brewery, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse and BJ’s Pizza & Grill throughout AZ, CA, CO, FL, OH, OK, OR and TX. The company plans to open a total of 13 restaurants this year and has opened six thus far.

Starbucks (206-318-1575) is planning to open a store at The Cypress Plaza Shopping Center in Poinciana, FL. Cotenants of the center include N.Y.P.D Pizza Delicatessen, The Taco Maker, Mattress One, State Farm Insurance, Your Hometown Colortyme, Avon and Nail Salon, Dollar Tree, Hibbett Sports, CATO, Sherwin Williams, Payless Shoe Source, Amscot Financial Services, Sally Beauty and GameStop. The 100,149 sq.ft. center is scheduled to open during 2008.

Burlington Coat Factory (609-387-7800) is planning to open a 70,000 sq.ft. location at the Southgate Shopping Center located on South Carson Street in Carson City, NV. Cotenants include JCPenney, GNC and I Paint for Joy. The new store will be located in a space formerly occupied by Wal*Mart.
The company offers an assortment of name-brand apparel, home furnishings and accessories at discount prices and currently operates 379 locations throughout 44
states nationwide.