Heavyweight retail CEOs to meet with Trump today via Reuters. "The meeting will include Target CEO Brian Cornell, Best Buy CEO Hubert Joly, Gap Inc CEO Art Peck, Autozone Inc CEO William Rhodes, Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc CEO Stefano Pessina, J.C. Penney CEO Marvin Ellison, Jo-Ann Stores CEO Jill Soltau and Tractor Supply Co CEO Gregory Sandfort, according to those familiar with attendees." Read more   A first look at how German grocer Lidl plans to conquer the U.S. market by Sarah Halzack at Washington Post. "When it comes to the exterior of the store, focus groups were initially [...]

  Wal-Mart to tear down walls between store, online buying operations by Nandita Bose at Reuters. "It also wants to apply its bricks-and-mortar expertise in securing the lowest possible prices to its e-commerce business, according to the vendors, who spoke over the last few days. They declined to be identified for fear of disrupting business relations with Wal-Mart." Read more   Fast Company: 2017 World's 50 Most Innovative Companies (Amazon, Home Depot...) Top 50 rankings   ‘Bananacam,’ ClickList improvements among innovations Kroger’s technology unit is launching by Steve Watkins at Cincinnati Business Courier. "This is one of four Kroger technology [...]

  Target will spend $10M to remodel flagship store near Minneapolis headquarters by Nick Halter at Minneapolis/St.Paul Business Journal. "CEO Brian Cornell announced the plans Thursday at the Minneapolis Downtown Council’s annual meeting. He said the remodel would add more fresh and prepared foods. It will also include wood plank walls, LED lighting, and an expanded Starbucks location." Read more   Best Buy Pulling Oculus Rift Demo Stations From 200 Stores by Janko Roettgers at Variety. "Business Insider, which was first to report the news Wednesday, cited sources at Best Buy attributing the closures to a lack of interest. However, [...]

  Target launches new mini-accelerator for health-related start-ups by Kavita Kumar at Star Tribune. "Target is accepting applications through the end of February. It will select 10 early-stage companies and will fly them in to Minneapolis for a week in May when Target leaders will teach them the ins and outs of retail." Read more   1,000-plus people show up to see the nation's biggest Ikea store open by Samantha Masunaga & Shan Li at LA Times. "The new Ikea sprawls out across a 22-acre lot with 1,700 parking spots. The 456,000-square-foot store is less than a mile from the [...]

  Jeff Bezos slams NY Post report on automated Amazon grocery stores by Kurt Schlosser at NY Post. "Bezos tweeted at the Post and said that the paper’s anonymous sources, whomever they might be, “mixed up their meds!” Read more   Publix no longer offers you that free slice of meat at the deli counter by Laura Reiley at Tampa Bay Times. "I confirm with the clerk. Yes, there has been a policy change. As of two weeks ago, deli technicians are no longer offering the free slice, she says, and they don't, strictly speaking, even need to show that [...]

  Wal-Mart to host suppliers for two-day growth summit by Kim Souza at Talk Business. "Instead of having suppliers at the retailer’s year beginning meetings held as in the past, Wal-Mart is holding a two-day Supplier Growth Forum Feb. 15-16 at the John Q Hammons Convention Center in Rogers." Read more   L.L. Bean CEO offers help to employees affected by Trump's travel ban by Annie Karni at Politico. "We are committed to help our affected employees in any way possible,” (CEO) Smith wrote in the internal email, urging anyone “personally grappling” with the implications of the ban to reach [...]

  Tiffany CEO Out After Less Than 2 Years by Phil Wahba at Fortune. "...will be replaced on an interim basis by the New York jeweler's longtime former CEO and current chairman Michael Kowalski while it looks for a new CEO." Read more   SUPER BOWL AD RANKINGS - Kia wins USA TODAY's Ad Meter behind Melissa McCarthy's 'Hero's Journey' Ad rankings   84 Lumber’s Provocative Super Bowl Ad Caused Its Website to Crash by Christopher Heine at Adweek. Video/Read more   Inside Amazon’s robot-run supermarket that needs just 3 human workers by Josh Kosman at NY Post. "...layout that could [...]

  Target cuts innovation initiatives, including secretive Goldfish start-up by Kavita Kumar at Star Tribune. "Target killed Goldfish, a secretive e-commerce start-up it green-lighted a year ago, and has shelved a prototype for a robot-infused store of the future that was slated to soon be built, according to four sources familiar with the matter." Read more   Costco January Comp Sales +7.0% "Costco reported net sales of $9.08 billion for the month of January, the four weeks ended January 29, 2017, an increase of nine percent from $8.32 billion during the similar period last year." Press release   Trump set [...]