Sprouts Farmers Market slates Peoria store opening

Sprouts Farmers Market (Nasdaq: SFM) will open its new store in Peoria later this month, reports the Daily News-Sun.

The Phoenix-based natural/organic grocer will open the 30,118-square-foot store April 22 at the Lake Pleasant Towne Center, 10134 W. Happy Valley Road, on the northwest corner of Lake Pleasant Parkway and Happy Valley Road.

The Peoria store was first announced last summer. It will be the 29th Sprouts in Arizona. The Peoria store will employ roughly 100 workers. It is one of several…

Bonney Plumbing CEO pleased with resolution of state investigation

Bonney Plumbing’s CEO said his company is pleased by the state’s decision to fine the company rather than revoke or suspend its license after an investigation of consumer complaints. That result, announced Friday, reflects steps Bonney has already taken, he said.

Under a settlement with the Contractors State License Board, Bonney Plumbing will pay $12,000 in fines and will be subject to increased state review for contracts and related documents. The board cited complaints from customers who…

Exelis acquisition will stretch Harris credit to the limit

Stretched credit will leave little room for error as Harris Corp. acquires Exelis Inc. in a near merger of equals.

Moody’s Investors Services assigned a negative outlook to Harris’ credit rating and downgraded its debt, noting the planned $4.75 billion acquisition, which will be largely funded through $3.6 billion of debt, will “materially weaken Harris’ credit metrics from what had been a relatively conservative financial profile.”

This comes after Moody’s concluded a review of Harris’s…

Nike opens first volunteer-focused East Coast store

Nike this week opened an outlet store in Washington, D.C., that prioritizes volunteer work by employees.

It’s the first East Coast location for the concept, which Nike calls a “community store.”

The footwear and apparel at the store is the same as what’s found at Nike’s outlet stores, known as factory stores.

Nike’s community stores typically employ workers from within five miles of the store. Each is encouraged to volunteer in the community. The stores also build partnerships with local groups…

Chicago-area real estate firm bets big on Houston's industrial market

CenterPoint Properties, an industrial real estate firm based in the Chicago suburb of Oak Brook, recently acquired a 27-building portfolio in the Houston area.

The additional 3.6 million square feet brings CenterPoint’s total Houston portfolio to 6.2 million square feet across 45 buildings acquired in the past 24 months. Less than a year ago, CenterPoint increased its Houston portfolio by more than 1 million square feet.

Financial details were not disclosed.

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