General Contractor Receives 2010 Best of Lake Elmo Award

U.S. Commerce Association’s Award Plaque Honors the Achievement

NEW YORK, NY, July 4, 2010 — Retail Construction Service has been selected for the 2010 Best of Lake Elmo Award in the Commercial New Construction category by the U.S. Commerce Association (USCA).

The USCA “Best of Local Business” Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USCA identifies companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.

Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2010 USCA Award Program focuses on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the USCA and data provided by third parties.

About U.S. Commerce Association (USCA)

U.S. Commerce Association (USCA) is a New York City based organization funded by local businesses operating in towns, large and small, across America. The purpose of USCA is to promote local business through public relations, marketing and advertising.

The USCA was established to recognize the best of local businesses in their community. Our organization works exclusively with local business owners, trade groups, professional associations, chambers of commerce and other business advertising and marketing groups. Our mission is to be an advocate for small and medium size businesses and business entrepreneurs across America.

For Original Source click here: National General Contractor

Dealerships buy land with I-90 views

Barbara Soderlin Journal staff | Posted: Saturday, June 26, 2010 6:00 am

Construction workers at Tish Boulevard and Mall Drive in Rapid City on Thursday, June 24, 2010. Toyota of Black Hills is building a new dealership building at the Northwest corner of Tish Boulevard and East Mall Drive. (Aaron Rosenblatt/Journal staff)

The owners of the Toyota of the Black Hills and McKie Automotive Group dealerships have bought land across the street from one another at East Mall Drive and Tish Boulevard, across Interstate 90 from Target at the East North Street exit.  Work is under way there now on a new Toyota dealership building on 17 acres on the northwest corner of the intersection.  Click here for full story.

May 27, 2010 2:46 PM CDT

Recession slows new building, but renovations a bright spot for construction contractors

by Scott Carlson Staff Writer

Photo Bill Klotz

While the Great Recession has taken a big toll on new store building, retail-renovation work is helping keep construction contractors employed.  Construction startups for new stores in the United States declined about 50 percent in 2009 compared with the prior year, according to data from at McGraw-Hill Construction.  But store-renovation work, as measured in dollars spent, fell only 5 percent during the same year-over-year period, said Robert Murray, McGraw-Hill vice president of economic affairs.Renovation “has held up relatively well,” Murray said in an interview this week, following a recent presentation in Bloomington.

Locally, that same trend has continued into 2010, with some construction firms reporting an increase in store renovations or “refresh” projects.  

At Lake Elmo-based Retail Construction Services, a top-level executive said her firm has seen an upswing in remodeling and so-called “refresh” projects, in which retailers make smaller changes — from sprucing up the store front to changing interior fixtures — that help give a store a new look and draw customer traffic.

Joni Fletty, the vice president of operations at Retail Construction Services, said that some renovation work includes “green” projects as retailers endeavor to make their stores more energy efficient, including installing new lighting  She said refresh projects generally run between $50,000 to $150,000; bigger remodeling or renovation projects can range from $250,000 up to $1 million.  

Fletty and Stan Pohmer, a Twin Cities retail consultant, said some of the retail renovation work is being driven by the economy. That’s particularly true where retailers have bought up stores from companies that have gone out of business and need to re-brand the acquired properties.  

But Pohmer also noted that several big-chain retailers began pumping up remodeling and renovation work even before the start of the recession.

“The strategy of most chain retailers is that they are trying to generate more mature store growth,” he said. “If they go for renovation, they can get a faster return on their investment.”

Pohmer added that as the retailers undertake remodeling, they are often introducing new merchandising strategies.

One example is Target Corp. The Minneapolis-based retailer plans to spend about $1 billion on new stores and remodeling this year, said company spokesman Kyle Thompson. This year, the company is building about 10 new stores, but it is remodeling 340 existing stores.

Thompson said much of Target’s remodeling has to do with the rollout of its “F Fresh’’ concept, the retailer’s expanded floor space for grocery offerings including pre-packaged meats, frozen fruits and vegetables and dairy products. Target’s remodeling program also is touching its home and beauty departments, he said.

Meanwhile, Target’s major rival, Arkansas-based Wal-Mart, also has undertaken a big renovation program across its massive chain. That work has included changing the look of its stores, expanding consumer electronics departments and widening aisles, Pohmer said.  

Wal-Mart is “cleaning up the merchandising and upgrading the appearance of the stores,” he said.

TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm 2nd Runner up in Clubhouse Competition

After more than 20 years of operation, this clubhouse facility had become outdated aesthetically and its infrastructure was antiquated.  The renovations provided energy-efficient systems, reorganized dining areas, the golf shop, locker rooms, kitchen and administrative area, while adding 4,000 square feet of space and rebuilding the stone stone terrace in an architectural style in keeping with local structures. 

Retail Construcstion Services, Inc. - Clubhouse General Contractor.  For full story click here  

AF Bank Changes Name, Look, Updates Philosophy

The redesigned lobby in the LifeStore Bank’s 1675 Blowing Rock Road location in Boone features teller pods, which replace traditional teller lines. The physical changes come as part of the more customer-based philosophy the former AF Bank is currently implementing in its branches. Photo by Ken Ketchie The large brick building located at 1675 Blowing Rock Road in Boone, formerly AF Bank, is now the prototype for the financial institution’s forward-thinking, changed look and feel. The most noticeable change from a motorists’ perspective is the new, prominent orange “LifeStore” sign.The LifeStore name was chosen to replace AF Bank to reflect the business’ desire to meet the financial needs of customers throughout their lives. Representatives from the bank, consulting groups and research companies chose the new “mango and pewter” color scheme for LifeStore.  Click here for full story 
Story by Corinne Saunders  (General Contractor, Retail Construction Services, Inc. and AF Bank)

Slow and steady keeps General Contractor, Retail Construction Services, Inc. in the race

by Scott Carlson Staff Writer

www.rcsgivinggarden.blogspot.com  A native of St. Paul’s East Side, Stephen Bachman started Retail Construction Services after working as manager of construction for the old Berman Buckskin in the late 1970s and into the early 1980s. (Staff photo: Bill Klotz)

Retail Construction Services is marking a milestone that should give it cause for celebration.  The Lake Elmo-based general contractor, which specializes in retail development, is observing its silver anniversary this year. During that 25-year span, Retail Construction Services has generated more than $1.1 billion in revenue from building some 8,000 projects totaling 22 million square feet in the United States, U.S. Virgin Islands and Canada.   

These days, the national recession is casting a long shadow over RCS’s accomplishments. Still, the low-key RCS is continuing to take steps to broaden its business as it weathers the recession and expects to be around for the long haul…

Click Here to read the entire article.

National General Contractor Celebrating its 25^th Anniversary
ST. PAUL, Minn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Retail Construction Services (RCS), a leading and award winning national general contractor, is celebrating its 25^th anniversary this year. Founded in 1984, RCS has built over 8,000 projects in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands and Canada representing over $1.1 Billion in company revenue.“When we first started in 1984 there were just two of us and we said let’s just do the right thing and we should be fine” said company Founder and President, Steve Bachman. Twenty-five years later, RCS now has offices in Minnesota, Texas, New Jersey, and South Dakota and employs over 120 people; including 13 Project Managers and over 60 salaried Field Superintendents located strategically throughout the country. “One of our many strengths is the ability to complete a project anywhere in North America for our clients” says Bachman. “We maintain the appropriate licenses in all 50 states and since we work in all major markets around the country every year, many times over, we are not considered an out of town contractor. We think that’s important for our clients and there aren’t many other companies out there that can say that.”Click here for the original press release

Last year, Landmark Land Company, Inc., managing partner of Lake Presidential Golf Club, hired the Architectural Design Group, of Alexandria, Va., to design a grand 10,000 square-foot clubhouse and 5,000 square-foot golf cart barn to support the golf course, which were subsequently built by General Contractor, Retail Construction Services of Lake Elmo, MN, which specilaizes in golf clubhouse construction. When reviewing potential roofing materials for the project, the design team was aiming for a slate-style look that could easily be achieved with a premium architectural shingle. They decided to use CertainTeed(R) Grand Manor(R) luxury shingles in Black Pearl for the roof of each building…Full the full story click here

Retail Construction Services (RCS), a leading national general contractor that focuses on retail construction, recently completed their 75^th project in Las Vegas, NV, a Lids store a the Excalibur Hotel & Casino. In the last week, RCS was also awarded contracts to build two new Levi stores in Las Vegas, NV. Construction on both Levi stores is expected to begin towards the end of July.

H&M coming to Southdale

Retail Construction Services (RCS) has recently commenced construction on two H&M stores; one in Orlando, FL and the other in Edina, MN. These will be the ninth and tenth stores RCS has built for H&M respectively. RCS looks forward to continuing our successful relationship with H&M and helping them grow throughout North America.              
Below is an article from today’s Mpls/St Paul Business Journal regarding the new H&M location at the Southdale mall in Edina, MN. Click here for the link to the original article.  Monday, June 29, 2009, 4:53pm CDT       

Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal - by Chris Newmarker Staff Writer  The hip, Swedish clothing chain H&M will open its third Twin Cities store in Edina’s Southdale Center.Southdale owner Simon Property Group Inc. (NYSE: SPG) said Monday that a 20,000-square-foot H&M store will open there this fall.“We’re thrilled that H&M is coming to Southdale and their arrival will certainly enhance our merchandise mix,” said Anne-Marie Cookson, director of marketing and business development at Southdale.Simon isn’t disclosing the financial terms of the deal.H&M sells fashion-plate clothing at low prices, aiming at younger customers and teaming with designers such as Karl Lagerfeld and Jimmy Choo (who will introduce a shoe line at H&M in November).The approach has enabled it to weather the recession fairly well. Its second-quarter profit was $531 million, up 6 percent from the year-ago period.H&M already has two Twin Cities stores, one in Woodbury and one at the Mall of America in Bloomington.The Southdale store will be a two-level location in the mall’s center court area.The bottom level used to be occupied by Crate & Barrel, which moved out of the mall last year, and the upper level was a Jacuzzi store that recently moved up to Southdale’s third floor.Hennes & Mauritz AB (H&M) was founded in Sweden in 1947, and now has about 1,800 stores in 34 countries.