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Wed. Aug. 22, 2012 Lenny Kravitz and Paul Pierce will help Microsoft celebrate the opening of its first Mass. store Technology giant Microsoft Corp. said that rocker Lenny Kravitz and Celtics basketball star Paul Pierce will help celebrate the opening of its first store in Massachusetts. The store is scheduled to open at 9:30 a.m. Thursday at the Shops at Prudential Center in Boston. Later in the day, Pierce will be at the store to play video games with customers and fans at 6 p.m. As part of the grand opening festivities, Microsoft is also sponsoring a special performance by Kravitz.	Advertisement
Brendan Fitzgerald joins FOX25 as sports anchor Brendan Fitzgerald joins FOX25 as a sports anchor on such telecasts as “FOX25 News at 6,” “FOX25 News at 10,” and “FOX 25 News at 11,” the local television station said Wednesday. For the past two years, Fitzgerald served as weekend sports anchor/sports reporter for KGBT Action 4 News in Harlingen, Texas, added FOX 25, which is also known as WFXT-TV (Channel 25). Fitzgerald grew up on the Cape. “Covering sports in Boston has been a lifelong dream of mine,” he said.
EMD Millipore to buy cell culture specialist Biochrom AG EMD Millipore, the Billerica-based life science division of Merck KGaA, has agreed to buy Biochrom AG, which specializes in the production and marketing of cell-culture media and buffer solutions. Terms were not disclosed. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter. Based in Germany, Biochrom has about 60 employees. EMD Millipore has around 10,000 employees. EMD Millipore said the acquisition will strengthen its process solutions business unit, which provides products and services that simplify production for pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical manufacturers.
BJ’s gears up for grand opening of Seekonk store BJ’s Wholesale Club Inc. has scheduled grand opening celebrations for this upcoming weekend at its new store in Seekonk. The 190,000-square-foot store at 175 Highland Ave. will offer groceries and general merchandise including consumer electronics and appliances, the Westborough-based chain said. The store will also feature a bakery, a BJ’s Café, a deli department, an optical services department, a Verizon Wireless kiosk, and a tire center with propane. A BJ’s gas station is scheduled to open at the Seekonk location in the fall.
Houston will use Zipcar technology to help manage its city vehicle fleet Zipcar Inc., the Cambridge-based vehicle-sharing service that enables members to rent cars by the hour, said Wednesday that it is partnering with the City of Houston in an effort to gain efficiencies for Houston’s fleet of city-owned vehicles. The plan is for 50 existing city-owned vehicles to be equipped with Zipcar’s proprietary fleet-sharing technology. That technology is also being used by city programs in Washington, D.C.; Chicago; and Boston.
Digital Lumens relocates to Boston’s ‘Innovation District’ Digital Lumens, the developer of an intelligent LED lighting system, said Wednesday that it has relocated its headquarters to 374 Congress St. in a part of the South Boston Waterfront that Mayor Thomas M. Menino has branded as the “Innovation District.” By leasing 16,000 square feet, Digital Lumens said it has more than doubled its space from its former Boston location at 110 Canal St. The relocation was prompted by a need to accommodate growth, said the company, which employs about 50 people.
NH governor, council, eat breakfast at bus terminal NASHUA, N.H. — To recognize a successful bus service, New Hampshire Governor John Lynch and the Executive Council have picked a terminal along the route for their breakfast meeting. The New Hampshire Department of Transportation says so far this year, more than 111,000 passengers have used the Boston Express bus service along the Everett Turnpike corridor, including 72,000 passengers out of the Nashua Terminal at Exit 8. That’s an increase of nearly 22 percent compared to a year ago.
Rattle helps Salem launch ferry service campaign Rattle, a Beverly-based ad agency, said it is working with Boston Harbor Cruises to launch a new campaign for the Salem Ferry. Working with Boston Harbor Cruises general manager Alison Nolan, the agency plans to develop radio, online, and print ads for the campaign as well as downtown Boston street panels. Those efforts will be augmented with a strong social media presence on Facebook pages with posts increasing from August to October.
Zipcar to expand its Zipvan cargo van service across North America Zipcar Inc., the Cambridge-based vehicle-sharing service, announced plans Tuesday to expand its Zipvan cargo service across its North American markets. Zipvan started in London and now accounts for more than 10 percent of Zipcar’s UK operations. Zipcar has already tested the concept in the Boston market, and now the company says it is launching the service in Seattle, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Portland, Ore. Plans call for the service to roll out to Zipcar’s remaining metro markets in North America over the next 12 months.
World Energy Solutions hires 100th employee, moves to larger quarters World Energy Solutions Inc., a Worcester-based company that offers energy management services, officially marked its move to larger quarters and the hiring of its 100th employee at a ceremony Monday. A year ago, the company had just under 60 employees. World Energy Solutions now occupies about 12,000 square feet of space on the 20th floor of 100 Front St. Previously, it occupied 7,500 square feet of space that was spread across two floors at 446 Main St.
Care.com acquires Breedlove & Associates Care.com Inc., a Waltham company that aims to connect families with caregivers, has acquired Breedlove & Associates, a Texas-based provider of comprehensive household payroll, tax, and compliance services. Terms were not disclosed. With 7 million users, Care.com offers online tools that list and sort providers of child care, senior care, pet care, housekeeping, tutoring, and other services. With the acquisition of Breedlove, Care.com will now also be able to provide families with payroll, tax, and compliance services for their caregivers and household employees.
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