By Randy Tucker
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Reporter Mike Boyer's manufacturing industry notes column now appears Thursdays. Reporter Randy Tucker's retailing notes will appear Fridays.

2 area malls shuffle marketing personnel

David Casper has replaced Sandra Hollzwarth as senior marketing manager at Kenwood Towne Centre.

Casper previously was marketing director at Tuttle Crossing in Columbus. Hollzwarth moved to the marketing department at Tri-County Mall.

Casper said Kenwood's new owner - Chicago-based General Growth Properties, which bought the mall last summer for $218 million - is poised to announce new retail tenants.

Forest Fair Mall to get new look, name, logo

On April 2, the new owners of Forest Fair Mall will unveil the mall's new logo, artists' renderings and a model of the interior design planned for the behemoth Forest Park shopping center, which is undergoing major renovations.

The Mills Corp. of Arlington, Va., which bought the mall last fall for $69.4 million and plans to rename it Cincinnati Mills, began construction at the mall last month.

So far, no new tenants have been announced. But Mills has said it will make liberal use of new designs to add flavor to common areas and also define the mall's new "neighborhoods" - numbered and themed areas of the mall that will feature different retail and entertainment offerings.

New wave of shops, eateries at airport

The Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport has already begun the first phase of a major retail expansion that will bring more than 70 new shops and restaurants to the airport this year.

The new retailers will be added in three waves - spring, late summer and early fall.

Johnston & Murphy was one of the first to open as part of the spring phase. Some of the other retailers to open airport locations this year include Borders Books, Brooks Brothers, Brookstone, Cincinnati Tavern, CNBC News, Latin Grill, PGA Tour, Watson Bros. Brewery and Wolfgang Puck.

Kroger plans to add to outlets in Chicago

In a conference call with analysts earlier this week, Kroger Co. chairman Joseph Pichler said the Cincinnati-based grocery chain plans to open two to five new Food 4 Less stores in the Chicago area this year.

The nation's largest retail grocer already operates three Food 4 Less stores in Chicago. The warehouse-style supermarkets, designed to bring consumers lower prices, have attracted a large following. .

E-mail rtucker@enquirer.com