Alpharetta, Ga. Produced

Issaquah, Wash.-based Costco Wholesale Corp. plans to open eight new stores by Sept. 2. The membership-only warehouse chain currently operates 601 U.S. stores. Internationally, Costco operates 82 stores in Canada, 32 in Mexico, 22 in the U.K., 13 in Japan, eight in Taiwan, seven in Korea and three in Australia. SAVE | EMAIL | PRINT | MOST POPULAR | RSS DDI's RetailDesignDiva blog is dedicated to retail design issues, opinions and frustrations of the day.Read the Diva's recent rantings. DDI's Retail Design Newswire Sign up to receive the latest retail store news, store design trends and store openings,

Matthews, N.C.-based Family Dollar Stores plans to open 450 to 500 stores in fiscal 2012. During the first half of fiscal 2012, Family Dollar opened 184 stores, closed 36 stores and renovated, relocated or expanded 342 stores. The store openings will be partially offset by 80 to 100 store closings. 

Goodlettsville, Tenn.-based Dollar General Corp. plans to open approximately 625 new stores, including 40 Dollar General Market stores, in 2012. The company also plans to remodel or relocate a total of approximately 550 stores. Square footage is expected to increase by about 7 percent. Approximately 80 stores are expected to open in new markets, including California, Nevada, Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. In 2011, the company opened 625 new stores, and remodeled or relocated 575 stores. As of Feb. 3, Dollar General operated 9,937 stores in 38 states. SAVE | EMAIL | PRINT | MOST POPULAR | RSS

Deft, Netherlands-based IKEA plans to open three Canada stores in 2012, as part of a sustainability-focused expansion. The new stores will be 40 percent more efficient than the last Canadian location, which was built in 2004. IKEA Richmond, the first of the three new stores, is set to open on April 25, and will feature a geothermal installation, rainwater harvesting, a solar-equipped navigation tower, as well as approximately one tree for every six parking spaces. Currently, IKEA operates 325 stores, 11 of which are located in Canada. SAVE | EMAIL | PRINT | MOST POPULAR | RSS DDI's

Wayne, N.J.-based Aeropostale Inc. plans to open 38 stores under its Aeropostale and P.S. from Aeropostale banners in fiscal 2012. The company will open 18 and close ten Aeropostale stores, and open 30 P.S. from Aeropostale stores. The retailer also has five store remodels slated for 2012. Currently, the company operates 915 Aeropostale stores in 50 states and Puerto Rico, 68 Aeropostale stores in Canada and 71 P.S. from Aeropostale stores in 20 states. SAVE | EMAIL | PRINT | MOST POPULAR | RSS DDI's RetailDesignDiva blog is dedicated to retail design issues, opinions and frustrations of the

Gap plans to open 30 more stores in China in 2012. The company opened its first China location in November 2010, and the planned store openings will bring its China store count to 35 by the end of 2012. The expansion in China follows the company’s announcement in October 2011 that it would close 189 (21 percent) of its U.S. stores due to declining sales.