Tipsheet: Wmart Merch Exec Poached | R.Hard. CIO to Petco | Seattle Schedule Law Passes | Gas Shortage Atlanta

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Seattle council approves worker-scheduling law by Janet I. Tu at Seattle Times. “Councilmember M. Lorena González, one of the council members who spearheaded the effort, said: “We are shifting the power to workers.” Cheers erupted after the vote tally, with many in the audience waving “Our Time Counts” signs.” Read more / See the pics

 

GAS SHORTAGE – Pipeline Break Lights a Fire Under Gasoline Prices Across Southeast by Nicole Friedman & Alison Sider at Wall Street Journal. “Some areas are experiencing gasoline shortages. In Atlanta, Dean’s Midtown sold out of regular gasoline on Sunday; it ran out of premium unleaded the next day…Shawn McClary, a facilities manager at Georgia Public Broadcasting, said Dean’s, a Shell station, was the fifth gas station he used to gas up his fleet of nine vans after four other gas stations had run out.” Read more (subscription)

 

Retailers push coats, scarves amid humid weather by Krystina Gustafson at CNBC. “…with the forecast calling for a hotter end to September than last year, some retailers were already showcasing their outerwear. On a store tour over the weekend, Jefferies analyst Randal Konik said the assortment at Abercrombie & Fitch and Gap skewed heavily toward cold-weather apparel. That included puffer jackets at Abercrombie, and outwear and scarves at Gap.” Read more

 

Virginia Beach has a problem with the way Wal-Mart stores are stashing goods for the holidays by Stacy Parker at Virginian-Pilot. “The City Council will vote today to allow a limited number of containers at Wal-Mart Supercenters on Nimmo Parkway, Lynnhaven Parkway and Phoenix Drive. Wal-Mart has two years to use them between Sept. 15 and Jan. 15 and must apply for additional permits after that. The city eventually wants Wal-Mart to get rid of them altogether.” Read more

 

Walmart will pay Jet.com’s Marc Lore more than $250 million in stock over five years by Jason Del Rey at Recode. “Separate from these incentives, Lore will receive somewhere between $450 million and $750 million in cash from the deal.” Read more

 

This Woman Is Feeding Thousands In Need By Couponing Like A Boss by Elyse Wanshel at Huffington Post. “Puryear hopes to feed 30,000 people by her 30th birthday, on Sept. 14, 2017…“Some stores have limits on how much you can buy, so sometimes I have to get my friends to come with me to buy it and bring their cars so we can transport it,” she said.” Read more

 

**Shop Bold New Trends from 2,400+ Home, Handmade + Lifestyle Gift brands at NY NOW this Feb. NY NOW, the industry leader bringing innovation & design across Home, Lifestyle Gift + Handmade collections, will take place at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in NYC this February 4 – 8, 2017. Explore the widest breadth of product – hundreds of new brand introductions, emerging global trends and the unexpected new discoveries you’ll want to add to your 1st quarter product mix. 2016 show recap video. NY NOW is your source for volume buying & private label programs. Visit www.nynow.com for comprehensive market details. Registration opens mid-October.

 

Costco and Walmart Unleash New Office Supplies Delivery Services to Shake Up Staples, Office Depot by Brian Sozzi at The Street. “On Monday, a Costco Business Center in San Diego will start offering a two-hour, same-day delivery service via a partnership with upstart delivery company Instacart. The service will launch with the capability to ship groceries to small businesses such as local restaurant owner.” Read more

 

Instacart doubles delivery zone in San Diego by Jennifer Van Grove at San Diego Union-Tribune. “Monday, the company is expanding its coverage area to include the city’s coastal towns, ranging from Point Loma and Ocean Beach all the way up to Torrey Pines…estimated reach of 800,000 people in the city.” Read more

 

These 150 stores are expected to avoid Macy’s chopping block by Andy Brownfield at Cincinnati Business Courier. See the list

 

Restoration Hardware CIO Joins Petco in Same Role “Petco today announced that it has hired John Zavada as senior vice president and CIO; and added William Engen to the company’s leadership team as senior vice president, retail market expansion.” Press release

 

Kmart to close 64 more stores across the U.S. by Charisse Jones at USA Today. “Liquidation sales will begin on Sept. 22, and the stores will close their doors in mid-December, according to the person,who did not want to be named.” Read more

 

Overstock hires a Wal-Mart vet to oversee its supply chain by Matt Linder at Denver Post. “Overstock hired Vidya Jwala to be its new senior vice president of demand fulfillment. The position is new to the retailer and is essentially a revamped version of the senior vice president of merchandising role.” Read more

 

Alden Global reports 9.5 percent stake in Pier 1 Imports via Denver Post. Read more

 

Amazon appears to be opening a brick-and-mortar bookstore in the Boston area by Curt Woodward at Boston Globe. “Job postings on its corporate website show that Amazon is hiring for nearly 20 positions at a new bookstore at the Legacy Place mall in Dedham. Those workers, Amazon notes, “are in the unique position of being face-to-face with our customers.” Read more

 

‘Dramatic’ fall in UK shop openings, a new report shows at BBC. “It found 20,804 shops opened in the UK between January and the end of June, down 15% on the second half of 2015.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Belk College Alumnus, Lowe’s CEO Robert Niblock Honored by AACSB

Watch out, Amazon: Autonomous delivery robots may come to Seattle thanks to Skype co-founders

Wal-Mart, others alleged to have used copyrighted fabric design without authorization

LA Times: Which fast-food chains served the meat, held the antibiotics?

Study: 72% of millennials will shop online this year – 58% will make purchases via their mobile device

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Tipsheet: Wmart Merch Exec Poached | Gas Shortage Seast | Ex-Rest.Hard. CIO to Petco

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Seattle council approves worker-scheduling law by Janet I. Tu at Seattle Times. “Councilmember M. Lorena González, one of the council members who spearheaded the effort, said: “We are shifting the power to workers.” Cheers erupted after the vote tally, with many in the audience waving “Our Time Counts” signs.” Read more / See the pics

 

GAS SHORTAGE – Pipeline Break Lights a Fire Under Gasoline Prices Across Southeast by Nicole Friedman & Alison Sider at Wall Street Journal. “Some areas are experiencing gasoline shortages. In Atlanta, Dean’s Midtown sold out of regular gasoline on Sunday; it ran out of premium unleaded the next day…Shawn McClary, a facilities manager at Georgia Public Broadcasting, said Dean’s, a Shell station, was the fifth gas station he used to gas up his fleet of nine vans after four other gas stations had run out.” Read more (subscription)

 

Retailers push coats, scarves amid humid weather by Krystina Gustafson at CNBC. “…with the forecast calling for a hotter end to September than last year, some retailers were already showcasing their outerwear. On a store tour over the weekend, Jefferies analyst Randal Konik said the assortment at Abercrombie & Fitch and Gap skewed heavily toward cold-weather apparel. That included puffer jackets at Abercrombie, and outwear and scarves at Gap.” Read more

 

Virginia Beach has a problem with the way Wal-Mart stores are stashing goods for the holidays by Stacy Parker at Virginian-Pilot. “The City Council will vote today to allow a limited number of containers at Wal-Mart Supercenters on Nimmo Parkway, Lynnhaven Parkway and Phoenix Drive. Wal-Mart has two years to use them between Sept. 15 and Jan. 15 and must apply for additional permits after that. The city eventually wants Wal-Mart to get rid of them altogether.” Read more

 

Walmart will pay Jet.com’s Marc Lore more than $250 million in stock over five years by Jason Del Rey at Recode. “Separate from these incentives, Lore will receive somewhere between $450 million and $750 million in cash from the deal.” Read more

 

This Woman Is Feeding Thousands In Need By Couponing Like A Boss by Elyse Wanshel at Huffington Post. “Puryear hopes to feed 30,000 people by her 30th birthday, on Sept. 14, 2017…“Some stores have limits on how much you can buy, so sometimes I have to get my friends to come with me to buy it and bring their cars so we can transport it,” she said.” Read more

 

**Shop Bold New Trends from 2,400+ Home, Handmade + Lifestyle Gift brands at NY NOW this Feb. NY NOW, the industry leader bringing innovation & design across Home, Lifestyle Gift + Handmade collections, will take place at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in NYC this February 4 – 8, 2017. Explore the widest breadth of product – hundreds of new brand introductions, emerging global trends and the unexpected new discoveries you’ll want to add to your 1st quarter product mix. 2016 show recap video. NY NOW is your source for volume buying & private label programs. Visit www.nynow.com for comprehensive market details. Registration opens mid-October.

 

Costco and Walmart Unleash New Office Supplies Delivery Services to Shake Up Staples, Office Depot by Brian Sozzi at The Street. ” On Monday, a Costco Business Center in San Diego will start offering a two-hour, same-day delivery service via a partnership with upstart delivery company Instacart. The service will launch with the capability to ship groceries to small businesses such as local restaurant owner.” Read more

 

Instacart doubles delivery zone in San Diego by Jennifer Van Grove at San Diego Union-Tribune. “Monday, the company is expanding its coverage area to include the city’s coastal towns, ranging from Point Loma and Ocean Beach all the way up to Torrey Pines…estimated reach of 800,000 people in the city.” Read more

 

These 150 stores are expected to avoid Macy’s chopping block by Andy Brownfield at Cincinnati Business Courier. See the list

 

Ex-Restoration Hardware CIO Joins Petco in Same Role “Petco today announced that it has hired John Zavada as senior vice president and CIO; and added William Engen to the company’s leadership team as senior vice president, retail market expansion.” Press release

 

Kmart to close 64 more stores across the U.S. by Charisse Jones at USA Today. “Liquidation sales will begin on Sept. 22, and the stores will close their doors in mid-December, according to the person,who did not want to be named.” Read more

 

Overstock hires a Wal-Mart vet to oversee its supply chain by Matt Linder at Denver Post. “Overstock hired Vidya Jwala to be its new senior vice president of demand fulfillment. The position is new to the retailer and is essentially a revamped version of the senior vice president of merchandising role.” Read more

 

Alden Global reports 9.5 percent stake in Pier 1 Imports via Denver Post. Read more

 

Amazon appears to be opening a brick-and-mortar bookstore in the Boston area by Curt Woodward at Boston Globe. “Job postings on its corporate website show that Amazon is hiring for nearly 20 positions at a new bookstore at the Legacy Place mall in Dedham. Those workers, Amazon notes, “are in the unique position of being face-to-face with our customers.” Read more

 

‘Dramatic’ fall in UK shop openings, a new report shows at BBC. “It found 20,804 shops opened in the UK between January and the end of June, down 15% on the second half of 2015.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Belk College Alumnus, Lowe’s CEO Robert Niblock Honored by AACSB

Watch out, Amazon: Autonomous delivery robots may come to Seattle thanks to Skype co-founders

Wal-Mart, others alleged to have used copyrighted fabric design without authorization

LA Times: Which fast-food chains served the meat, held the antibiotics?

Study: 72% of millennials will shop online this year – 58% will make purchases via their mobile device

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Tipsheet: Eagles Pluck Cage-Free Chickens | Mom Hates Tiny Target Carts | Couple Sues Costco for TP Tax | 9 Stabbed at MN Mall

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Minnesota: Nine stabbed at Crossroads Center shopping mall in St.Cloud at AP. “A man in a private security uniform stabbed nine people at a Minnesota shopping mall, reportedly asking one victim if he or she was Muslim before an off-duty police officer shot and killed him in an attack the Islamic State group claimed as its own.” Read more

 

…PICTURED: The hero cop who shot dead rampaging Minnesota mall knifeman via Daily Mail. See pics / Read more

 

How EBay’s CEO Plans to Take On Amazon by Spencer Soper at Bloomberg. “EBay Inc. Chief Executive Officer Devin Wenig took the stage in a Las Vegas convention center with arms raised like a prize fighter after winning a stunning upset. This was the first time in eight years that EBay had gathered such a large group of sellers in one place to give them a chance to eat, drink, mingle and get the lowdown from the CEO. Wenig, in the job for about a year, knew he had some cheerleading to do…” Read more

 

Costco accused of improper sales tax charges on toilet paper in New Jersey by Dan Mangan at CNBC. “The couple’s lawyer, Rosemarie Arnold, said, “Rather than refund [Robert’s] money, they told him, ‘Well, if you believe that, you have to mail your receipt to the corporate headquarters along with a letter and tell the corporate headquarters how you were improperly charged tax.'” Read more

 

Mom, Blogger Pens Tirade Against Target’s Tiny Carts at CBS Minnesota. “Target was suddenly becoming HIS happy place. THIS IS NOT RIGHT,” she wrote. She has started a group opposing Target’s recent decision, called Moms Against Stupid Tiny Carts, or MASTC. She demands Target takes away the carts so peace can be restored to her shopping trips.” Read more

 

EVEN BALD EAGLES SHOP AT WHOLE FOODS – Dozens of birds of prey pluck live chickens from upmarket organic Georgia farm that supplies store by Hannah Parry at Daily Mail. “Six years ago, there were no eagles at the organic farm and the 60,000 chickens were free to wander Harris’ 2,500-acres…Now, there are as many as 78 bald eagles – each killing around four chickens a day. Harris estimates that the farm is losing around $1,000 in bird daily. ‘I don’t know how they spread the word,’ Harris said. ‘Must be on their eagle blogs.’” Read more

 

**A message from Black Flag® – We take no prisoners. In the battle against indoor and outdoor pests, it’s every man for himself. Arm yourself with Black Flag insect and rodent controls. Our tough, no-nonsense formulas are packed with a powerful punch to make short work of home insect invaders. Whether you’re battling crawling, flying or stinging insects or fending off mice, when the flag flies, pests die. Let it Fly. See the new ‘Sarge’ videos | Facebook page

 

Under Armour promotes its head of e-commerce to president by Matt Linder at Internet Retailer. “Prior to joining Under Armour, LaRose spent two years as senior vice president of e-commerce at apparel retailer Express Inc. and almost five years as a vice president at Sears Holdings Corp.” Read more

 

Luxury brand John Paul Ataker slashes prices by Claire Atkinson at NY Post. “Luxury brands are really hurting,” said Kerime Ataker, president of the company at which her brother, Numan, is the designer. “Our price points compared with last year are a little lower, but the quality has not changed at all,” she said, adding that all hidden zippers are imported from Italy.” Read more

 

Australia: Grocery prices to slide as Aldi, Costco nab 20% market share by Madeleine Heffernan at Sydney Morning Herald. “Australian food retailers…had for the previous 20 years made levels of profit difficult to make elsewhere in the world. Prices are high, profits are high, and that is a red-flag opportunity. It’s really like waving a flag saying, ‘come here'” Read more

 

Survey: 27% of the respondents stated that they plan to do the bulk of their holiday shopping before the calendar hits November “By Thanksgiving, nearly half of U.S. shoppers will already have completed the majority of their holiday purchases.” Press release

 

Walgreens Launches Skin Care Platform Providing Convenient Access to Dermatological Information, Care and Treatment Press release

 

Sears Moves Media to MediaCom Canada by Chris Powell at Marketing Mag. “The Sears Canada account had been with Vizeum Canada since 2011. Prior to that, it was with MediaCom’s sister GroupM agency MEC. Neither Vizeum nor MediaCom Canada responded to Marketing’s interview requests before press time.” Read more

 

Venezuela: Over 15% of People Eat Garbage to Survive by Frances Martel at Breitbart. “The More Consulting study found that three out of every four Venezuelans (72 percent) was unable to feed themselves an optimal diet of breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 24.2 percent say they rarely eat protein, living off of local tubers like yuca and malanga and some fruit. More than half of Venezuelans (52.3 percent) buy their foods through the black market.” Read more

 

How smart materials will literally reshape the world around us by Max Moruzzi at TechCrunch. “The IoT may well be The Next Big Thing, but maybe the attention around sensors is misplaced…Sentient materials might sound like the stuff of sci-fi, but it’s quickly becoming a reality. A new generation of materials is being developed that can sense temperature, pressure, impact and other variables — completely removing the need for sensors.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

LA: Parking for Rams games $200 – $300 for spaces more than a mile away

Honolulu: Target’s Ala Moana store a good move, experts say

The nation’s top high school basketball player is seriously visiting Harvard this weekend

Harry Potter’s childhood home on sale for $620,000

Saks Fifth Avenue wants to compete with Barneys – by planting its flag even further downtown

Chipotle exec back on job after cocaine possession charges

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Tipsheet: FDA Warns 55 Retailers | Bon Jovi Opens for Target COO | SNAP Online Test | E.Bauer’s ‘Ice Box’

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Target urges employees to help turn around performance ahead of holidays by Nandita Bose at Reuters. “Competition has been fierce and we have had a few bumps on the road this year,” Cornell told thousands of store employees gathered at an annual meeting near its headquarters in Minneapolis. “We have 137 days to turn this into a winning year.” Read more

 

…”Jon Bon Jovi just opened up for me” John Mulligan, Target’s COO, quipped as he followed the rocker on stage by Kavita Kumar at Star Tribune. Read more

 

…Target Will Hammer Home A Low-Price Message to Shake Its Slump by Phil Wahba at Fortune. “Among other efforts, it is promoting low prices more prominently in its mid-week circular. And in November, it will start installing…end-caps at the extremities of its aisles, showcasing more inexpensive items with one price in very large characters to convey that Target offers “value.” Read more

 

FDA Warns Stores in Crackdown on E-Cigarette Sales to Minors by Katherine Doherty at Bloomberg. “Federal regulators began a crackdown on sales of e-cigarettes and other tobacco products to children under the age of 18, issuing warning letters to 55 retailers across the U.S.” Read more

 

Federal food stamp program to test online shopping for recipients by Greg Trotter at Chicago Tribune. “The test run, authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill, is intended to help the U.S. Department of Agriculture work out the kinks before making online purchasing a permanent option. To help accomplish this complex goal, USDA officials are expected to announce a request for online grocery retailers to participate in the program. Up to five retailers in as many as three states will be chosen; the program is expected to begin next summer.” Read more

 

NY Times: Department Stores Find Room to Grow in Canada by Ian Austen & Rachel Abrams. Read more

 

Lowe’s: Woolies hid ‘get out’ game plan by Ben Wilmot at The Australian. “Lowe’s revealed in court that a document, known as “The Game Plan”, had been developed by the Australian retailer with the aid of high-profile insolvency adviser Mark Korda of KordaMentha, and Woolworths’ investment banking advisers at Citi.” Read more

 

**A message from Fabe – Pillows hand-crafted in Italy prevent and relieve neck and back pain. Fabe’s Ergo Praxis pillow supports and aligns the head and neck to prevent cervical pain. Created in cooperation with Ludes University in Switzerland – it gets the body in the right position for a good night’s sleep. 100% Made in Italy. Ergo Praxis Specs | Fabe Website | Retailers request samples at info@shiftmarketinggroup.net. Italy-America Product Connection

 

Prime Now Adds its First Beauty Store to the Service in Chicago “Prime members in Chicago can now shop all their favorite Merz Apothecary items such as personal care, beauty and natural health products and have those items conveniently delivered right to their door in as little as an hour.” Press release

 

Aeropostale snags rent deal and saves more stores by Lisa Fickenscher at NY Post. “…late Thursday an undisclosed number of mall operators agreed to cut the rents for another 171 stores.” Read more

 

Newly Renovated, Bergdorf Goodman Courts The Ladies Who Instagram by Ainsley O’Connell at Fast Company. “To visit the remodeled ground floor of the Fifth Avenue department store Bergdorf Goodman is to float on a pearly cloud of luxury dreams. An ordered landscape of designer handbags rises up from the gray marble floors, backlit and aglow…” See the pics / Read more

 

Target and Garth Brooks Team Up to Release “Garth Brooks: The Ultimate Collection” on Nov. 11th Press release

 

NPD: Amazon Echo owners spend 10% more on Amazon than before by Darrell Etherington at Techcrunch. “…there was also a 6 percent bump in the overall number of purchases made by Echo owners on Amazon.com when compared to their pre-Echo existence.” Read more

 

Jeff Bezos gets spaceflight award and a sword – then gives away $250K by Alan Boyle at GeekWire. “Unlike Musk, Bezos doesn’t want to move to Mars … at least in the near term. “Think about it: no whiskey, no bacon, no oceans, no hiking, no urban centers. Eventually Mars might be amazing. But that’s a long way in the future.” Read more

 

Unilever said to be the early frontrunner to acquire The Honest Company at Techcrunch. Read more

 

Sneak peek: Eddie Bauer’s flagship store in Bellevue has one very cool feature by Coral Garnick at Puget Sound Business Journal. “Store founder Eddie Bauer and his team often would sleep in the cold storage unit overnight to test parkas and sleeping bags. Beginning Sept. 18, shoppers will be able to step inside an 8-foot-wide by 8-foot-tall “Ice Box,” to see how gear holds up in sub-zero temperatures.” See the pics / Read more

 

The U.S. e-commerce market rolls strongly into Q3 by Stefany Zaroban at Internet Retailer. “Nonstore sales grew 10.9% in August, according to figures released today by the U.S. Commerce Department. That’s a deceleration from July and Q2, but still strong compared with norms of the prior several quarters.” Read more

 

Coke marketing exec slams Olympic sponsorship by Natalie Mortimer at The Drum. “The model just does not function partly because whether you are hosting the games or not, competitively the easiest job in the world is to be the Pepsi marketing director,” he said.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Bloomberg: They May Be Ugly, But Cargo Shorts Are Still King

Can A Drive-Thru Salad Bar Change Fast Food Forever?

Dollar General to hire 10,000 employees in expansion push

Grocery Home Delivery Service Begins at Meijer in Greater Detroit

Tyson Foods CEO Donnie Smith reflects on company turnaround, talks succession 

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Tipsheet: Target CEO: “We’re not a Grocer” | Wmart Ups Fight w/Visa | Ellen/First Lady @ CVS | Amazon Opens 21 Pop-Ups

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Walmart Canada to extend Visa ban to more stores at Reuters. “Walmart Canada will stop accepting Visa Inc (V.N) cards at its 16 stores in the province of Manitoba starting on Oct. 24, a spokesman said on Wednesday, raising the stakes in a high-profile fee dispute. Manitoba was “most ready” for not accepting Visa cards, he said, without elaborating on why the province was chosen.” Read more

 

“WE’RE NOT A GROCER” – Target CEO Says Retailer Won’t Become Full-Service Grocer by Khadeeja Safdar at Wall Street Journal via Pioneer Press. “Mr. Cornell said shoppers come to Target for apparel and home goods, and might pick up dinner on their way out, which is why the company is sprucing up how it displays craft beer and wine. “We provide a convenient selection of foods,” said Mr. Cornell. Just not fresh sashimi.” Read more

 

…Happening Today – Target’s Fall National Meeting by Kavita Kumar at Star Tribune. “This week, some of those speakers have included Alan Mulally…Gopi Kallayil, chief evangelist of brand marketing for Google…Actress Jessica Alba stopped in to speak about her Honest Company baby brand and Beth Comstock, General Electric’s first female vice chair, also gave a talk…(today) about 14,000 employees will pile into the Target Center decked out in red and khaki for a pep rally of sorts to get them fired up for the holidays.” Read more

 

…Get Ready for Hundreds of Small Target Stores, CEO Says by Shannon Pettypiece at Bloomberg. Read more

 

“CVS STAND FOR COTTON, VASELINE & STUFF” – Ellen DeGeneres Wreaks Havoc on First Lady Michelle Obama’s Trip to CVS by Samantha Schnur at E News. “After testing out the CoinStar machine, Michelle headed to the electronics aisle to pick up a pair of headphones for her younger daughter, Sasha Obama. In the process, Ellen managed to get her hands on a backscratcher and began scratching one of the store’s employees. “Can you chill out on the itching,” Obama begged. “This is not how you behave!” See the in-store video / Read more

 

**Don’t Miss Retail’s BIG Show in NYC January 15-17 2017! The National Retail Federation’s flagship event offers unparalleled education and one-of-a-kind collegial networking. You’ll connect with more than 33,000 of the industry’s most innovative power players, explore a 250,000 sq. ft. EXPO, hear from 300+ speakers and choose from 100+ sessions. 2016: Attendee Demographics | List of Retail Attendees | 2016 Recap. Retail’s BIG Show is all things retail and the EXPO is always free to retailers. Register now.

 

Amazon opens 21 pop-up stores by Maria Halkias at Dallas Morning News. “So far, two are in Texas: The Parks at Arlington and North Star Mall in San Antonio. Nineteen other locations are now open in Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and Washington.” Read more

 

…Amazon Books opens in San Diego by Jennifer Van Grove at San Diego Union-Tribune. “The bookstore marks the company’s second formal foray into offline retail. The San Diego shop premiered with little fanfare on Sept. 7, and is now open daily during regular mall hours. The 3,500 square-foot venue is located in the Sears wing of the upscale mall, next to the Tesla store and across from the Apple store.” Read more

 

Golfsmith Files Bankruptcy With Sport’s Popularity Fading by Steven Church & Lauren Coleman-Lochner at Bloomberg. “Golfsmith listed debt and assets of as much as $500 million each in Delaware court, and said it would try to sell part of the chain as a going concern while shutting some stores. If that fails, the Austin, Texas-based company will liquidate.” Read more

 

Instacart CEO denies sale to Whole Foods, says company will turn a profit in 12 months by Annie Gaus at San Francisco Business Times. “CEO: “We work with lots of different grocery stores, so it doesn’t make sense to think about us selling to a grocery store. The best path for us is to continue to be an independent company.” Read more

 

Kohl’s CEO Mansell uses croquet to raise funds for Penfield at Milwaukee Business Journal. See the pics / Read more

 

P&G creates global media director job by Barrett J. Brunsman at Cincinnati Business Courier. “Gerry D’Angelo, who is a high-level media executive with snack and candy company Mondelez International, will join P&G in January and be based in Geneva, Switzerland.” Read more

 

A $400,000 Bloomingdale’s credit card scam was an inside job by Shayna Jacobs at NY Daily News. Read more

 

Etsy’s First Global Campaign Is an Expression of Individuality, Just Like the Stuff It Sells by Robert Klara at Adweek. “Etsy is unveiling a colorful assemblage of animated GIFs, stills and video ads that’ll fan out across the web…with the unifying slogan, “Difference Makes Us.” “For the past 11 years, this is something we’ve wanted to do,” said senior director of global marketing Andre Rickerby. “It’s the next step forward.” See the spots / Read more

 

Walmart has been named a finalist for 2016 U.S. Chamber Citizens Awards List of Finalists

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Two Atlanta grocery store operators get jail time for food stamp fraud

Target Execs on Making Online, Mobile More Accessible to Everyone

Disney Lays Off 250 Employees in Consumer Products and Interactive Media

This Southern California Mall Just Started Using Tesla Batteries

Topgolf lands $275 million in new financing

Petco Survey Finds Majority of Pets will Participate in Halloween this Year

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Tipsheet: Ex-Target Doc Named CEO of Startup | Seattle Scheduling Law Likely | C-Store for Super Rich | Wegmans #40 Workplace w/Gen Y

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Former Target top doc named CEO of $500M Google-backed startup by Katharine Grayson at Minneapolis/St.Paul Business Journal. “(Dr. Josh) Riff served as Minneapolis-based Target’s chief medical director for about five years and its director of health and wellbeing for one year. He played a leadership role in developing Target’s in-store clinic strategy.” Read more

 

Seattle: ‘Secure scheduling’ law appears likely to pass Seattle City Council by Janet I. Tu. “The council committee that’s been working on the issue for several months approved an amended bill Tuesday, setting the stage for next week’s vote. Passage by the full council is likely: Five of Seattle’s nine council members were at the committee meeting Tuesday and all voted in favor of it.” Read more

 

An Exclusive Gas Station Only for the Ultra-Wealthy by John Elliot at Mansion Global. “GP Club, a recently announced venture from Guess Petroleum, itself a division of the luxury-focused Guess Corp., will offer the super rich a rest stop that is more akin to a country club. The members-only establishment has a list of amenities that would make Midas blush, including a steakhouse, sleeping suites, an on-site pool and water park, a medical clinic, a designer boutique, a hair salon and more.” Read more

 

Fortune: 100 Best Workplaces for Millennials (QuikTrip #31, Sheetz #35, REI #39, Wegmans #40…) See the full list

 

Walmart India CEO: Allowing a little of non-food would have been nice at Economic Times. Read more

 

Barneys reflects on fashion history with vintage pop-up at Luxury Daily. “This pop-up is Resee’s first in New York. Barneys has situated the temporary shop in shop on the fourth floor, placing the vintage merchandise next to today’s ready-to-wear. Included within the selection are pieces from Yves Saint Laurent in the 1970s, 1990s Alaïa and Tom Ford’s Gucci.” Read more

 

Porch downsizes Seattle office space, signs deal with Williams-Sonoma by Casey Coombs at Puget Sound Business Journal. “After the October layoffs, Porch stopped filling open positions and continued to reduce its headcount. The company began hiring again in the second quarter. “Right now we have 24 open positions – which include 10 sales-related roles – on a base of about 300 staff,” the spokesperson said.” Read more

 

Google Express brings its two-day delivery service to Twin Cities by Kavita Kumar at Star Tribune. “It has been operating in Rochester, Minn., since last fall. It has been making a bigger push into the Midwest in the last year or so and went live in Minneapolis on Tuesday.” Read more

 

**A message from Pirola Italy – Colorful, designer-inspired ironing boards add spice to any home. Exclusively made in Italy for 45 years, these high-quality boards bring design and excitement to the category. Featuring the Arco board from the Design Line and the Luna board from the Plus Line. Custom colors and designs available. Request samples at info@shiftmarketinggroup.net. Italy-America new product connection

 

Toys “R” Us Q2 Comp Sales +0.5% Press release

 

Tiffany taps former P&G executive as CFO by Barrett J. Brunsman at Cincinnati Business Courier. “Mark Erceg, 47, the former general manager for global investor relations for Cincinnati-based P&G, will join Tiffany as CFO and executive vice president on Oct. 18.” Read more

 

Mall of America: Disturbances lead to 10 arrests by Tim Harlow at Star Tribune. “Cody Bergren, 24, of Minneapolis, and his girlfriend had just arrived for an evening of dining and shopping and felt that “the vibe was just off”…He took an elevator to the third floor where he saw a group of 20 to 30 teens and adults forming and chanting something he could not understand.” Read more

 

Hanjin Shipping’s Crisis Is Causing a Trailer Shortage in the U.S. via Fortune. “If it’s not fixed in the next couple of weeks, I think you’ll see a huge ripple effect across the industry,” said Weston LaBar, executive director for the Harbor Trucking Association in Long Beach, California.” Read more

 

Weis Markets Announces Plans To Convert 38 Food Lion Locations Press release

 

Publix to begin testing Starbucks kiosks in stores by Ashley Gurbal Kritzer at Tampa Bay Business Journal. “…there will be other Starbucks kiosks in other stores, but “the locations and timing are still being developed.” Read more

 

How Halal Food Became a $20 Billion Hit in America by Jeff Green & Craig Giammona at Bloomberg. “Shahed Amanullah could only find about 200 places that served halal food in 1998, when he launched a website to help Americans find it. Today, he’s tracking 7,600, and he says halal is making inroads even among people who are wary of Muslims.” Read more

 

Toy makers have been spying on kids across the country at NY Post. “Viacom, Mattel, Hasbro and JumpStart — have agreed to pay fines totaling $835,000 after a two-year investigation, dubbed “Operation Child Tracker,” found that they had allowed advertisers to post ads with tracking technology.” Read more

 

Z Gallerie Taps Style Influencers for New, Ongoing Collaboration by Jared Shelly at Curalate. “Called the Z List, this group of influencers will collaborate with the fashion-forward home décor brand to curate their own style stories around both campaign-related and seasonally relevant products.” See the Z Listers

 

Robot Gets Loose at New York Fashion Week, Runs Into People by Tom Teodorczuk at Heatstreet. “…the Double robot was disabled after it kept bumping into people and signs, a Michael Kors source told Heat Street. “As well as hitting things, Double got knocked over quite a few times so we had to stop the robot from moving. By Saturday it was stationary and just being used to take pictures,” the source said.” Read more

 

WalMart greeter turns 99 years old – honored by County supervisors at ABC 9 News. “They even brought her birthday cake. Mikki still works fulltime at WalMart. They call her the “ultimate role model” of their “Happy to Help” philosophy.” See the video / Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

NWA Business Women’s Conference: Walmart’s Laura Phillips leads breakout session (after bomb threat evacuates building)

Why Millennials Are Freaking out Over a Credit Card With a $450 Annual Fee

Bloomingdale’s gets the word out with mobile-only sweepstakes

Does your hotel clean the sheets? Investigation reveals the shocking number that don’t wash their bedding between guests

Plastic bag ban in Boston could carry statewide

Trader Joe’s worker who lost leg on job awarded $7M

Pilot Flying J Kicks Off Road Warrior Campaign During Driver Appreciation Week

 

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Tipsheet: Morgan Jokes About Wmart | Fortune Profiles Ann-Marie Campbell | Hinckley Jr. Shops @ Target | Lowe’s Challenges Taxes

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How Home Depot’s Ann-Marie Campbell Rose From Cashier to the C-Suite by Ellen McGirt at Fortune. “Finding everything you need?” she asks. Her standard mode of engagement is rapid-fire conversation—without, somehow, ever losing a smile. She appears ready to coach him through the installation if need be. You see, Ann-Marie Campbell believes you can do anything. Even you, nervous plumber. Even you, eager badge-toting shelf stocker. Actually, especially you.” See the video / Read more

 

TRACY MORGAN JOKES THAT WALMART HAD TO “ROLL THEIR PRICES UP” TO COVER HIS SETTLEMENT by Alex Ungerman at ET. “The Saturday Night Live alum made a surprise return to stand-up at The Comedy Store in Los Angeles on Sunday, where he joked about his scary 2014 car accident, in which a Wal-Mart truck struck the limo bus Morgan was riding in on the New Jersey Turnpike.” Read more

 

Golfsmith on the verge of bankruptcy by Josh Kosman at NY Post. “Struggling under a pile of debt, (Golfsmith) appears to have failed in an attempt to sell itself and could be forced to file for bankruptcy within days, The Post has learned.” Read more

 

Son of H-E-B Founder Dies at Age 89 by Katie Burke at San Antonio Business Journal. “Howard E. Butt Jr., the older brother to H-E-B CEO Charles Butt, died Sunday at age 89 from complications related to Parkinson’s disease. As the eldest son to the San Antonio-based grocery founder Howard E. Butt Sr. and Mary Elizabeth Holdsworth Butt, Howard Jr. grew up in the food business, but he focused his life on spiritual and philanthropic work.” Read more

 

Man claims he was bitten by bed bugs while using Walmart motorized cart at Fox 10 Phoenix. “The video is hard to stomach — the bugs are clearly visible, crawling in and out of the motorized cart’s seat. “It was bite after bite after bite,” said Jose Avalos.” Read more / See the video

 

Han Joins Lowe’s As SVP, Business Development “Han is responsible for accelerating the company’s business development strategy focused on identifying and implementing growth opportunities through new and emerging businesses, exponential innovation and corporate ventures.” Press release

 

**A message from Black Flag® – We take no prisoners. In the battle against indoor and outdoor pests, it’s every man for himself. Arm yourself with Black Flag insect and rodent controls. Our tough, no-nonsense formulas are packed with a powerful punch to make short work of home insect invaders. Whether you’re battling crawling, flying or stinging insects or fending off mice, when the flag flies, pests die. Let it Fly. See the new ‘Sarge’ videos | Facebook page

 

State Fair-themed restaurant to open inside Walmart at WFAA 8 ABC. “It’s just the first of a big rollout for State Fair Treats. More North Texas locations are planned to open in Walmart locations in the coming year, and there are plans on the horizon to open locations nationwide, though no sites were specified.” Read more

 

Lowe’s challenges its tax bill – says its properties should all be valued as if they sat empty by Kate Cox at Consumerist. “Bexar County deputy chief appraiser Mary Kieki told the Dallas Morning News that if it becomes a trend, it “could be enormous.” “It wouldn’t stop with the big boxes like Sam’s, Lowe’s, and Home Depot,” Kieki added. “You could see it continue with Kohl’s and CVS. Where does it stop?” Read more

 

Aeropostale gets a new lease on life by Lisa Fickenscher at NY Post. “…won court approval to sell its assets for $243 million to a joint venture comprised of mall operators, Simon Property Group and General Growth Properties…Meanwhile, 228 employees at the West 34th Street headquarters were told they’d be laid off.” Read more

 

John Hinckley Jr., Ronald Reagan’s would-be assassin, shops at Target & Kohl’s on first full day of freedom by Stephen Rex Brown at NY Daily News. “One day later — and 35 years after Hinckley shot Reagan in a deranged attempt to impress actress Jodie Foster — Hinckley was spotted wearing a cap and blue shirt while perusing belts, pants and other clothes at Target and Kohl’s.” Read more

 

How the sugar industry paid prestigious Harvard researchers to say fat (NOT sugar) caused heart disease by Mia De Graaf at Daily Mail. “I thought I had seen everything but this one floored me,’ said Marion Nestle of New York University, who wrote an editorial on the new findings. ‘It was so blatant. And the “bribe” was so big.'” Read more

 

Baltimore: New Whole Foods project in Harbor East breaks ground by Natalie Sherman at Baltimore Sun. “Majority owner Harbor East Management Group and the Bozzuto Group — are pitching as a top-of-the-market building. That’s reflected in the cost — about $170 million, well above the roughly $100 million estimate quoted when the 711 S. Central Ave. project was announced almost two years ago.” Read more

 

Walmart wants shoppers to be able to hail a cart by Jackie Wattles at CNN Money. “According to the patent request, the carts will be equipped with detachable motors that have sensors and video cameras. Customers will be able to request a cart using a “user interface device” — potentially a smartphone — and the roaming motors will be able to fetch a cart and bring it to a customer.” Read more

 

Under Armour Bets on High-End Clothing Line by Ray A. Smith & Sara Germano at Wall Street Journal. “The new line will be sold at Barneys New York and Mr Porter, the luxury men’s e-tailer, in addition to Under Armour’s stand-alone flagship stores. The clothes will also sell on a new website for the line. Consistent with an emerging trend at fashion week, the clothes will be made available for purchase starting Thursday.” Read more (subscription)

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories 

Female tourist in Muslim clothing has her sleeve set alight outside Valentino store on New York’s Fifth Avenue

Target’s Joshua Dolan to head shipper-port-carrier coalition

Here’s where Safeway is opening new stores in the Bay Area

Retired Home Depot CEO new Grady Hospital Board Chairman

Olive Garden to Sell 10 Times as Many Unlimited Pasta Passes as Last Year
Leslie Patton

Read Tipsheet Extra Stories

 

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Tipsheet: Target Chief Merchant Close-Up | Kroger CFO: ‘A Penny Business’ | ‘Crazy Eddie’ Dead

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Target chief merchant Mark Tritton settling into big job ahead by Kavita Kumar at Star Tribune. “How do we leverage that level of refresh and redefine on our overall portfolio,” he said. “I think there’s opportunity for that.” He’s not yet ready to discuss what may be coming up next, even a new women’s apparel line that is reportedly in the works. “Uff da,” he said, laughing, when pressed for details. He had just learned the common Minnesota phrase the night before.” Read more

 

Wal-Mart stops selling Egyptian cotton sheets made by Welspun at Reuters. “Welspun has not been able to assure us the products are 100 percent Egyptian cotton, which is unacceptable,” Wal-Mart said in a statement.” Read more

 

E-Commerce Is a Boon for Rural America, But It Comes With a Price by Laura Stevens at Wall Street Journal. “…online shopping is creating another retail revolution here that doesn’t require a half-hour drive to Wal-Mart or roughly 2½-hour drive to Oklahoma City. April Geralds, a security-firm support manager, recently bought her two teenage daughters designer Miss Me jeans for half price on Macys.com. Her family now has access to things “I didn’t ever think we would have,” said the Mangum resident.” Read more (subscription)

 

Target tests new mobile rewards at St. Louis/Denver/Houston/San Diego stores by Lisa Brown at St. Louis Post Dispatch. “Target’s testing a new feature will allow customers who download the latest version of the Cartwheel app to earn rewards that can be redeemed for merchandise that range in value from $10 to $20.” Read more

 

Kroger CFO: We’re clearly a penny business at CNBC. “CFO Council member and CFO of the Kroger Company, Michael Schlotman talks earnings on CNBC’s Squawk Box.” See the video

 

Kroger Q2 Earnings Call Transcript Full transcript

 

**A message from Alma Italy – Enjoy the innovative, yet simple elegance of Alma Cookware. Alma Cookware produces non-stick aluminum cookware products and delivers healthy and tasty foods with the security of a professional product. Featuring La Sughiera – the thick-tempered glass lid with upper hole allows for spice-adding and stirring without removing the lid. Featuring Egizia – this warm color pottery connects modern technology with a traditional rural aesthetic. Made in Italy | Website | Italy-America new product connection | Retailers request samples at info@shiftmarketinggroup.net

 

Hanjin ship unloads in U.S. as fresh funds pledged by Jim Christie & Joyce Lee at Reuters. “Truck drivers probably will begin moving containers from the Greece on Monday while the vessel prepares to leave late in the day for the Port of Oakland, said Teamsters spokeswoman Barbara Maynard and shipping traffic controllers.” Read more

 

Serena Williams hits sweet spot with see-now, buy-now at Fashion Week by Teresa Novellino at New York Business Journal. “We tested this format last year with a large portion of her collection and were pleased with the spike in sales, prior to her appearance on HSN a few days later,” Brand wrote via email. “Sales were up nearly five times that of a regular appearance throughout the year.” Read more

 

Texas mattress company closes indefinitely after ‘tasteless 9/11 Twin Tower sale’ commercial at Daily Mail. “‘For our lives to be in danger, that’s no what we ever wanted.’ She added: ‘It was stupid, it was a stupid idea that we sent out and we apologize for our stupidity and we really hope that you forgive us for what we have done.'” Read more

 

Owner of ‘Crazy Eddie’ electronics chain dead at 68 Leonard Greene at NY Daily News. “(Eddie) Antar rode the appeal of such kooky commercials to retail supremacy, with a chain of 43 stores in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania But Antar was anything but crazy. He was crooked…” Read more

 

…NY Times Bio Read more

 

Adweek: These Media Plans Represent Creativity at Its Finest “REI – There were 33 straight days of media coverage, with 3,423 placements and 6.7 million impressions. What’s more, the initiative generated 1.2 million social impressions. REI sales rose by double digits over the prior year (except, of course, on Black Friday itself) while employment applications saw a 92 percent uptick.” Read more

 

96 people who ate Chipotle and got sick settled for cash — and some free-burrito coupons at Denver Post. “In 25 years of doing foodborne illness cases, I’ve never had a client ask for coupons for the restaurant they had gotten sick at,” said William Marler, an attorney with Seattle-based Marler Clark who represented 97 Chipotle customers.” Read more

 

Ice cream man, 89, sees his fortunes transformed after Good Samaritan posts Facebook picture of him bent over pushing his cart and raises $115,000 in two days Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Woman stuck by needle in Target in parking lot awarded $4.6 million

1 dead, 2 injured as Good Samaritans help woman attacked at Wal-Mart

…Kansas woman films aftermath

The Story Behind The Haight’s Whole Foods ‘Bad Neighbor’ Sign

How Sephora Is Helping Budding Female Entrepreneurs

Hy-Vee plans first mega C-store in Twin Cities

What the Founder of TOMS Shoes Is Doing Now

Read Tipsheet Extra Stories

 

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