Business Briefs: Kohl's, Charming Shoppes, Bencardino

Here's some recent news regarding local businesses:

Kohl’s Helps Kids

The on Street Road is one of several regional Kohl’s locations participating in a charitable program for kids.

More than 300 associates from more than 50 Kohl’s locations on the East Coast will lend a hand to clean, refurbish and donate more than 5,000 gently-used plastic toys to Second Chance Toys, Inc. to be distributed to local Head Start organizations.

On Thursday, April 14, the Bensalem store and others in Cherry Hill, Oxford Valley, Marlton, Princeton, Westampton, Hamilton Township and Flemington will clean and refurbish approximately 100 collected toys. On Friday, the stores will drop off toys to the Cherry Hill location, for about 800 toys to be delivered to area Second Chance Toys-affiliated Head Start and other organizations

In addition, Kohl’s will donate a total of approximately $85,000 to the organization in recognition of the volunteer efforts. It’s part of Kohl’s Department Stores second annual Kohl’s National Go Green Event (NGG) in celebration of two April events – National Volunteer Week and Earth Day.

240 Stores Closing

, Inc. a leading multi-brand apparel retailer specializing in women's plus-size apparel, reported at the end of March sales and operating results for the three and twelve month periods ended January 29, 2011.

Among its store brands are Fashion Bug and Lane Bryant.

Additionally, the Company announced rationalization of its store base during 2011.

The Company will be closing approximately 240 unprofitable stores this year. More than half of these stores are at Fashion Bug.

In separate news, the Company announced the appointment of Anthony M. Romano as the Company's President and Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Company's Board of Directors and the appointment of Brian Woolf as Group President - Lane Bryant.

Excavator Digs in Camden

Bencardino Excavating, a Bensalem-based company, recently completed work on the Camden Water Front Technology Center in Camden.

The local excavation company was hired by Skanska USA Building Inc. to work on the parking lot infrastructure upgrade project at the Technology Center. The parking garage received new storm drainage, grading, curbs and paving. The project manager was Steve Borusiewicz and the foreman was Lou Biskup.

The 100,000-square-foot Technology Center was created to accommodate established businesses and startups in a variety of technology-based industries including the biosciences, microelectronics and information technology fields. The Technology Center is part of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority's (EDA) commitment to providing high-quality facilities for developing technology companies.

“We are proud to perform work on the Camden Water Front Technology Center, as it contributes to the growth of jobs, spurs the economy and promotes innovation in the tri-state area,” said owner Lou Bencardino.

Bencardino is located at 1423 Wells Drive.