Content about Houston

Houston — Sprouts Farmers Market, an independent natural foods grocery store chain, opened its first Houston-area store today.

The 25,300-sq.-ft. store opened at the southwest corner of Cinco Ranch Boulevard and Peek Road in Katy, Texas. The store will sell farm-fresh produce and thousands of natural, organic and mainstream food items at an affordable price point.

The Scan & Go system Walmart introduced last fall in Northwest Arkansas and Atlanta has been expanded to six new markets.

The Associated Press reported this week that Walmart’s Scan & Go program, initially available in about 70 stores in two markets, has been expanded to 200 stores in new markets including Dallas, Houston, Austin, Denver, Portland and Seattle.

The system enables shoppers who download an app to scan items with their smartphones and then pay at self-checkout terminals by scanning a code that displays on their smartphone screen.

HOUSTON — Stage Stores is consolidating its South Hill, Virginia regional operations into its Houston, Texas corporate headquarters, in an effort to increase efficiency, create synergies, reduce expenses and enhance growth.

DALLAS — Habitat for Humanity and Lowe’s are joining together to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month with two large construction projects that will bring together Lowe’s Heroes, community organizations, schools and local VIPS to celebrate Hispanic heritage while building strong foundations for the future in partnership with Dallas and Houston families. The project includes building two new homes and completing critical repairs on three existing homes in partnership with low-income families.

HOUSTON — Ikea has officially plugged-in the solar energy system installed at its store in Houston, Texas – which, when combined with Ikea projects atop stores in Frisco and Round Rock, will make Ikea the state’s largest solar owner. Ikea Houston’s 116,400-square-foot PV array consists of a 813-kW system, built with 3,388 panels.

HOUSTON — Stage Stores announced Michael Glazer has been appointed to the position of president and CEO on an interim basis. Glazer replaces the company’s former president and CEO, Andy Hall, who the company announced has resigned from both the company and its board of directors to pursue other interests.

HOUSTON -- Kroger announced that, beginning  April 13, Kroger customers in the Greater Houston area will be able to save up to $1 per gallon at 68 Kroger Fuel Centers through the grocer's new fuel accumulation program. Kroger's latest gas savings initiative will allow shoppers to redeem up to 1,000 fuel points, which are earned through everyday grocery, prescription and gift card purchases using the Kroger Plus card, during a single fill-up.

HOUSTON -- Men's Wearhouse said its president and COO, Douglas Ewert, will replace company founder George Zimmer as CEO in mid-2011.

Zimmer, 62, who founded Men's Wearhouse in 1973, will remain executive chairman of the board. The company said he would help Ewert with "strategic direction" for Men's Wearhouse and keep a hand in marketing decisions.

HOUSTON - Datacert announced that Walmart has selected its Passport technology platform, to help strategically manage Walmart's domestic legal processes and systems. In addition, Walmart will implement Datacert's matter management and spend management systems, which are built on Passport.