Max & Erma’s Restaurants, Inc. (614-431-5800) is planning to open 10 Max & Erma’s restaurants throughout southeastern FL during the next 10 years. The company is also planning to open four franchised locations in coastal markets from Wilmington, NC to Charleston, SC over the next six years. The casual dining family-style restaurants offer fresh salads, soups, sandwiches, burgers and entrees and currently operates 77 company-owned and 24 franchised locations throughout GA, IL, IN, KY, MI, MO, NC, NV, OH, PA, VA, WI and WV.

Barneys New York (212-450-8700) is planning to open a store in the Meatpacking District of New York, NY. The company operates a flagship location on Madison Avenue in New York, NY and 14 co-op stores, featuring a smaller, more casual selection of merchandise, ranging from 7,000 sq.ft. to 12,000 sq.ft. The chain of upscale apparel stores currently operates locations throughout Boston, MA; New York, NY and Dallas, TX with locations scheduled to open next year in San Francisco, CA and Las Vegas, NV.

Chit Chat Wireless (800-274-2538) is planning to open several locations throughout UT. A location opened last month at the Centerville Marketplace shopping center located on North Marketplace Drive in Wasatch. Store openings are also scheduled for Jordan Landing in West Jordon, at the Quarry Bend in Sandy and at the Wyndom Square in Layton, with all locations due to open during the coming six months. The company currently operates 17 stores throughout AZ, KS, MO, NM and TX.

Hermes (212-759-7585) is planning to open a 3,000 sq.ft. store at The Shops at Riverside in Hackensack, NJ. The ultra-luxury brand retailer will be located on the first floor in a space formerly occupied by Chico’s and Cache. The company sells high-end items such as leather handbags, ties, silk scarves and baby blankets. In addition, the company recently opened its 25^th store in Charlotte, NC and is planning to open a second Manhattan, NY location on Wall Street during June. The company also plans to open or remodel 20 locations nationwide and in China during the year.

Best Buy (612-291-1000) is planning to open a 30,000 sq.ft. electronics store at the Southbridge Crossing shopping center located in Shakopee, MN during the fall of 2008. The center is tenanted by Home Depot, Michaels, Pier 1 Imports, Sam’s Club and Wal*Mart.

Kohl’s (262-703-7000) is planning to open a store at the 440,000 sq.ft. Brownsburg Station shopping center located at the intersection of Northfield Drive and Interstate 74 in Hendricks County, IN. The 90,000 sq.ft. department store is scheduled to open during October or November.

Forever 21 (800-966-1355) opened a For Love 21 store, its newest concept, at the Baybrook Mall located at the intersection of Interstate 45 and Bay Area Boulevard in Friendswood, TX. The stores offer affordable jewelry, belts, hats and handbags catering to a younger clientele. Forever 21 currently operates six locations throughout Houston, TX and is planning to open its first urban flagship store during October 2008 at the Houston Pavilions
in Houston.

Citi Trends, Inc. (912-236-1561) is planning to open 46 to 48 stores during the year. The stores offer casual wear for men, women and children.

Wal*Mart Stores, Inc. (800-925-6278) is planning to expand a current Wal*Mart location in Glen Carbon, IL into a Wal*Mart Superstore. The company is also planning to open a 176,000 sq.ft. Wal*Mart Supercenter in Godfrey, IL in addition to a 217,000 sq.ft. store at Heartland Crossing located at the intersection of Enterprise Drive and Mooresville Road in Hendricks County, IN. Opening for the Hendricks County store is scheduled for January 2008.

Moe’s Southwestern Grill (404-844-3225) is planning to open a restaurant at the intersection of Main Street and College Avenue in Blacksburg, VA. The Tex-Mex style restaurant is to be located at the site of the former Crossroads CD’s store and is scheduled to open during August.

Starbucks Corp. (206-318-1575) is planning to open 1,700 shops nationwide during 2007, in addition to 700 locations opening internationally. The company has plans to open 10,000 units during the next four years. The gourmet coffee shops offer a variety of coffee, teas, lattes and specialty desserts.

Ross Stores, Inc. (925-965-4400) is planning to open 27 dd’s Discount stores during the coming year. The discount apparel stores offer a selection of family clothing, housewares and toys and prefer to locate in trade areas with average household incomes between $30,000 to $40,000. The company currently operates 26 locations and has future store openings scheduled in AZ, FL and TX.

Hugo Boss (212-940-0600) is planning to open 70 stores during the year. The upscale apparel stores are looking to expand beyond the suit-making business, by creating the Boss Orange and Boss Green labels to appeal to an expanding market for casual and lifestyle clothing. The company is also looking to add accessories to its merchandise line and plans to feature jewelry collections for men and women in stores by July 2008.

Eye Care Centers of America, Inc. (210-340-3531) recently opened Visionworks centers in the greater Chicago, IL market during the year at the following locations: Golf Mill Center in Niles, which opened during February; East Randolph Street in Chicago, which opened during March; Stratford Square in Bloomingdale, which opened during April; Chicago Ridge Mall Drive in Chicago Ridge, which opened during April; West Cermack Road in North Riverside, which opened during April; West Touhy Avenue in Lincolnwood, which opened during April; River Oaks Center Drive in Calumet City, which opened during April; Spring Hill Mall in West Dundee, which opened during April; Orland Square Mall in Orland Park, which opened this month and Hawthorn Center in Vernon Hills, which opened this month; West Grand Avenue in Gurnee, which opened this month and North Sutton Road in Hoffman Estates, opening slated during June. The additional locations scheduled to open throughout Chicago, IL include: Mall Loop Drive in Joliet; Yorktown Shopping Center in Lombard; South Rand Road in Lake Zurich; North Randall Road in Batavia and East Boughton Road in Bolingbrook. The company is a full-service optical retail center, which features several thousand private label and designer frames as well as contact lenses. Each store offers state-of-the-art laboratories that produce most eyeglasses in one hour and feature in-store optometrists who provide comprehensive eye exams, contact lens evaluations, fittings and other primary eye care needs. Visionworks currently operates 400 locations nationwide in 36 states and is planning an additional 20 locations throughout the greater Chicago market.

Planet Organic Health Corp. (780-439-1615) recently acquired Mrs. Green’s Natural Market, Inc., an 11-unit chain of specialty markets operating in the Northeast. The Canadian company is planning to open supermarkets in the U.S. under the name Planet Organic Market, as well as expanding the Mrs. Green’s Natural Market chain. The company currently operates 64 locations throughout Canada, including eight natural food supermarkets using the Planet Organic Market trade name, as well as 50 natural supplement outlets called the Sangster’s Health Centre and seven other units trading as Healthy.

Nike, Inc. (800-344-6453) is planning to open 100 Nike mall-based stores nationwide and internationally during the next three years, with half of the openings to take place in the U.S. The company manufactures a wide variety of athletic apparel, footwear and accessories.

Woodmans Food Market (608-829-2930) is planning to open a 200,000 sq.ft. supermarket at the intersection of Highway C and Highway 151 in Sun Prairie, WI by fall 2009. Area retail includes a 105-acre project that would include 890,000 sq.ft. of retail in addition to another supermarket.

Whole Foods Market (512-477-4455) is planning to open a 55,000 sq.ft. supermarket at the Town and Country development located at the intersection of Clayton Road and Woods Mill Road in St. Louis, MO. Construction is slated to commence this summer with an opening scheduled for mid to late 2008. The chain of specialty supermarkets offer a variety of natural and organic foods and currently operates 194 locations nationwide and internationally.

Dover Saddlery, Inc. (800-406-8204) plans to open four to five Dover Saddlery stores during the year. The company is the largest direct marketer of equestrian products in the U.S. and offers a broad and distinctive selection of competitively priced, brand name products for horses and riders through catalogs, the Internet and company-owned stores.

Zumiez (425-551-1500) is planning to open 50 stores during the year. The stores offer young men’s and women’s fashions, clothing, accessories and products relating to the action sports lifestyle, including skateboarding, snowboarding, wakeboarding and motorcross. The company currently operates 236 locations nationwide.

Fairway Markets (718-694-6868) is planning to open two additional supermarkets throughout metro New York, NY during the year. Its newest store uses 52,000 sq.ft. and is located in Brooklyn. The four-unit chain of markets feature traditional name brand groceries, as well as a kosher and non-kosher bakery and butcher shop, and also offer gourmet cheeses, marinated olives and feature prepared foods sections, exclusive private label groceries and specialty items.

Ada’s Natural and Organic Foods (239-939-9600) is planning to open a 68,000 sq.ft. store in Naples, FL during early 2008. The supermarket will be situated on 6.25 acres and will feature a 60-foot-wide man-made waterfall, in addition to a children’s playground and gymnasium. During the next six years, the company plans to open an Atlantis-themed store in Sarasota, FL along with a land before time-themed store in Orlando, FL.

JCPenney (972-431-1000) signed a letter of intent to open a 100,000 sq.ft. department store at the Shoppes at Gateway Park on Woodward Avenue in Detroit, MI. The Gateway Park development is scheduled to open during March 2009 and is adjacent to the Michigan State Fairgrounds.

Fred’s Appliance, Inc. (888-437-9532) is planning to open a 20,000 sq.ft. appliance store this fall at the intersection of Evergreen Road and Indiana Avenue in Spokane Valley, WA, near the Spokane Valley Mall. The company also leased a former Footlocker in the market and will use the location as a clearance center.

Lowe’s Home Improvement (800-445-6937) is planning to open a 140,000 sq.ft. home improvement store at the Brownsburg Station shopping center in Hendricks County, IN during spring 2008.

Save-A-Lot (314-592-9100) is planning to open a 15,600 sq.ft. discount supermarket on Garfield Road, at the site of the existing Oleson’s Food Store, in Traverse City, MI. The company currently operates 1,150 locations nationwide in 42 states.

Belk (704-357-1000) is planning to open 10 to 14 department stores during the year. The company currently operates 309 locations in 17 states throughout the southeastern region and typically locates in trade areas with populations between 80,000 to 100,000. The department stores carry moderate to upper-moderate apparel for the family and home goods.

O’Reilly Auto Parts (417-862-3333) is planning to open a 7,022 sq.ft. automotive service center on a 1.3-acre parcel of land located at the Hamilton West Shopping Center on North Brookwood Avenue in Hamilton, OH adjacent to a Pizza Hut and Wendy’s restaurant. The company is planning to open a second location at the Hamilton Plaza on Erie Boulevard in Hamilton, OH. The company currently operates 1,500 locations nationwide.

Wireless Toyz (248-426-8200) is planning to open 75 locations during the year. The company sells wireless phones, services and accessories and offers services from major carriers such as Sprint, Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile in addition to regional carriers such as MertoPCS, Disney Mobile and Helio. The electronics retailer currently operates 180 locations throughout 21 states nationwide. Plans for future expansion have the company reaching 1,000 stores by 2011.

Stein Mart, Inc. (904-346-1500) is planning to open 15 to 20 Stein Mart stores during the year. The department stores offer the latest seasonal, brand-name fashion for men and women as well as a variety of accessories, home décor, linens and shoes all at price points 20% to 60% below traditional department stores and specialty shops. The company currently operates locations nationwide.

Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse (407-333-7440) is planning to open a restaurant at the Marina Village at Grande Dunes in Myrtle Beach, SC. The steakhouse restaurant will anchor phase one of the Marina Village at Grande Dunes, which will feature two buildings with three floors of residential condominiums above 19,000 sq.ft. of retail space in addition to an adjacent restaurant and a Harbor Master store. The company currently operates 103 locations nationwide and internationally.

Blue Tulip (212-213-1750) is opening a store in Chester, NJ next month and has plans to open two more locations in NJ during 2008. The company typically occupies spaces of 4,500 sq.ft. in neighborhood shopping centers and prefers upscale grocery cotenants, such as Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods. The upscale specialty gift shops offer candles, gourmet food, housewares, baby gifts and cards, and currently operates 18 locations in six states throughout the East Coast.

Stonewood Holdings, LLC (386-677-1167) is planning to open a Stonewood Grill & Tavern restaurant in Brandon, FL. The company currently operates 17 locations throughout FL and NC.