Number of store closures already set to outpace last year by Lisa Fickenscher at NY Post. "The number of store closures during the first two months of 2016 is already 33.2 percent higher — hitting 501 stores — than the same period last year, according to an analysis by Church’s firm. That compared with a 29 percent increase in 2015 over the previous year and a 6.3 percent increase in 2014." Read more   Grand Rapids Target 'cart guy' delivers a few lessons in tolerance by Jon Tevlin at Star Tribune. "After hearing of Aaron’s job loss, Dowell set [...]

  Target CEO Talks with Jim Cramer via CNBC. "We know 75 percent of millennials, if you talk to them today, they want to live in cities and around college campuses. So, we are simply just following the consumer" Cornell said." See the video interview / Read more   Home Depot co-founder announces he is ‘cancer free’ by D.Orlando Ledbetter at AJC. "(Arthur) Blank made the announcement while speaking at the Georgia Technology Summit at Cobb Galleria in front of 1,500 people." Read more   Costco buys building for Northeast Minneapolis store by Nick Halter at Minneapolis/St.Paul Business Journal. "Costco [...]

  Amazon eyes Office Depot deal to launch office supply business by Josh Kosman at NY Post. "A prominent activist investor has taken a stake in Office Depot, believing the workplace supply chain could be near a deal that will clear all regulatory barriers to its merger with Staples, The Post has learned." Read more   Kohl's Releases List of 18 Stores it Plans to Close (Half are in CA) by Melanie Lawder at Milwaukee Business Journal. See the list of 18   Michael's Q4 Comp Sales +3.1% Read the release   Jet.com to add 200 HQ jobs in 2016 [...]

  Teamsters recommends rejection of Costco contract at Reuters. "The main sticking point is Costco's decision not to bend to a union request that 3,500 members on the East Coast on a 401(k) pension plan be allowed to join the defined benefit pension plan provided to 12,500 members in California." Read more   Chicago: Target to open Hyde Park store by Becky Yerak at Chicago Tribune. "..the new store will be its fifth "flexible format" location in Chicago. The store will open in late fall 2016 or early spring 2017 at the new Vue53 mixed-use development near the intersection of 53rd [...]

  Costco Is Quietly Removing Tobacco From Most of its Stores by Brian Sozzi at The Street. "Costco revealed on Monday that it started pulling tobacco products from some of its shelves three or four years ago...Currently, 189 of Costco's 488 locations still sell tobacco products, a spokesman told The Street, adding that the decision to curtail their availability was more about the company's bottom line than about pushing customers to make healthier choices." Read more   Lowe's: New CMO Ushers in Marketing Rebrand by Adrianne Pasquarelli at Ad Age. "One commercial features a unicorn lamenting that his "tiny unicorn legs" don't [...]

  Tomorrow: Target CEO to present keynote at The Executives Club of Chicago "Join The Club on Tuesday, March 15 to hear Cornell share key insights and lessons learned, as Target transforms its business and adapts to the shifting consumer landscape." See details / Read the release   Former Costco CEO Sinegal Pens Education Op-Ed with Daughter via Seattle Times. "...we urge Gov. Jay Inslee and our state elected leaders to prioritize our kids and invest in these crucial high-quality early learning programs this legislative session." Read the Op-Ed   Fresh Market Shares Soar on Apollo Takeover Offer via CNBC. [...]

  Nordstrom slashes at least 100 jobs in latest round of cuts by Madeline Vuong at GeekWire. "The retailer “has been taking a closer look at our technology team to ensure it is best structured to provide a competitive advantage for Nordstrom,” spokeswoman Tara Darrow said in an e-mail to GeekWire today, confirming that the company has made additional cuts." Read more   HD Supply to expand in Cobb by J. Scott Trubey at AJC. "The company plans to add 500 workers in Cobb over the next five years as part of a new $100 million headquarters campus, according to [...]

  Target looking to hire 20 people for mysterious start-up called Goldfish by Kavita Kumar at Star Tribune. "Goldfish is the brainchild of West Stringfellow, who joined Target last year as one of three entrepreneurs in residence who were charged with bringing out-of-the-box ideas to help push Target’s innovation agenda...A Target spokeswoman on Wednesday confirmed that the retailer was hiring for the project.“At this point the project and what it is, is still confidential,” said Jenna Reck, the spokeswoman." Read more   Dollar General Q4 Comp Sales +2.2% "Net sales increased 7.0 percent to $5.29 billion in the 2015 fourth [...]