Among the new Midwest stores are locations in Council Bluffs and Mason City, IA, and Delafield, WI. Best Buy also plans to open six new stores in Texas and three new stores in Michigan, expand its presence in Idaho and Mississippi. In addition, Best Buy will add another store in Downtown Manhattan.

The retailer will enter new markets in Valdosta, GA; Idaho Falls, ID; Salisbury, MD; Hattiesburg, MS; Pinehurst and Rocky Mount, NC; Abilene, TX; Logan, UT; and Morgantown, WV. None of the new stores are in Minnesota. The terms of the leases were not disclosed.

Best Buy earlier announced it would open 10 stores in Canada and three new Future Shop electronics stores there. A third of the new stores fall in each of our prototypical sizes: 20,000 sf, 30,000 sf and 45,000 sf, including back-office space. "Best Buy's store formats are determined by the size of the community they serve," says Pat Matre, vice president of real estate for Best Buy.