RBC Capital Markets uses information from Retail Lease Trac to create a report about retailers that are looking to expand and the patterns they follow.
Retail Traffic

Coach will be launching a new apparel brand named for the designer and president of the company. They plan to open 10 new specialty locations in the US and in Asia.

The elusive Microsoft store plans have been confirmed although they are not final. The store openings are still planned for the fall of this year in Arizona and California. The first store images and layout options are now available.
Information Week

RadioShack looks to update itself with a fresh, new image. The Shack made its appearance in the first week of August. They will also focus more on the cell phone market.
Information Week

New to the Friendly Ice Cream company, the fast casual restaurant Friendly Express. This new concept is about a third the size of the standard location and they are looking to open 5 new location next year.
The Boston Globe

Ruth's Chris Steak House will be updating the menu to reflect the changing needs of their customers. The menu has been offering specials that have been reduced and even a bistro style selection.
Orlando Sentinel

A kiosk or cart is nothing unusual in a mall or transit terminal. It seems that they are offering retailers an extra option when testing a market or product. This also can give the retailer a way to reach potential customers that the standard store front can not offer.
The Arizona Republic

Even though the economy has been a major factor in the expansion and store counts of many retailers, the convenience store market has seen growth. Many of the top chains have been increasing their store counts by mergers and acquisitions.
Convenience Store News

Best Buy is looking to open mobile only location across the country in shopping malls. The new locations format is 1,000 to 1,200 square feet in malls.
The Dallas Morning News

Customers that are still holding back on their spending habits are blamed for the retail economy health.
The Wall Street Journal

New York City has seen expansion from the five biggest chain retailers in the city in this past year despite the recent economy.
The New York Times