Unintended Consequence of Wal-Mart’s Raise: Unhappy Workers by Shannon Pettypiece at Bloomberg. “It is pitting people against each other,” said Charmaine Givens-Thomas, a 10-year Wal-Mart veteran. “It hurts morale when people feel like they aren’t being appreciated. I hear people every day talking about looking for other jobs and wanting to remove themselves from Wal-Mart and a job that will make them feel like that.” Read more / See the video

 

Home Depot & Others Pull Brands From Jet.com by Rolfe Winkler at WSJ. “Companies with multiple brands whose links have been withdrawn from Jet include heavyweights Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Gap Inc., Walgreens, Williams-Sonoma Inc. and L’Oréal SA . “If someone is using our brand without our permission, there are a multitude of concerns, and we’re not going to allow it,” said a Home Depot spokesman, who added that Jet was cooperative in removing his company’s logo after being asked to do so.” Read more (Subscription)

 

Sneak Peek: Whole Foods new Uptown Dallas Store by Maria Halkias at Dallas News. “The long anticipated store, which was first announced in 2012, opens Wednesday on McKinney Ave. between Routh and Fairmont. Regular hours are 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.” See the pics / Read more

 

Wal-Mart Launches Site to Connect Suppliers to U.S. Manufacturers by Kim Nash at WSJ. “A supplier hoping to do business with Wal-Mart can search ThomasNet.com for makers of washers, tubing and thousands of other components , using attributes such as product type, company location, specific government certifications and diversity criteria, said Tom Greco, vice president of ThomasNet.com. The supplier could then buy those components to use in the making of its own product for Wal-Mart shelves, Mr. Greco said.” Read more (Subscription)

 

Ken Martindale named CEO of Rite Aid Stores at Supermarket News. “Martindale, 55, joined Rite Aid, Camp Hill, Pa., in late 2008 as chief merchandising, marketing and logistics officer. He was formerly co-president, chief marketing officer and chief merchandising officer of Pathmark Stores in 2006 and 2007 after serving as EVP, purchasing and procurement, for Fred Meyer, Inc., in 1998.” Read more

 

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Petco Changes Leadership Team “Petco today announced several key leadership changes, including the addition of Chairman responsibilities to CEO Jim Myers’ role after 25 years with the company and naming Brad Weston President…Prior to joining Petco, Weston held various leadership positions in merchandising for other retailers, including Dick’s Sporting Goods, Golf Galaxy and May Department Stores.” Read the release

 

Fred’s July Comp Sales +0.7% “Fred’s total sales for the month increased 11% to $164.7 million from $148.9 million in July 2014.” Read the release

 

Former Dollar General Executive Will Rejoin the Company “James Thorpe brings 24 years of merchandising experience to the position including more than six years with Dollar General where he served as senior vice president and general merchandise manager from May 2006 until his retirement in July 2012.” Read the release

 

Retail trends: Denim is hot, ‘bro tanks’ are not by Krystina Gustafson at CNBC. “According to Sidney Morgan-Petro, retail editor at trend forecasting firm WGSN, there are three new juniors’ trends that should get people spending. The first is the 1970s bohemian look, including items like flared jeans, the peasant blouse and the blanket wrap. Another is a ’90s-influenced throwback to T-shirts and jeans, and plaid shirts tied around the waist. The third is a shift back to denim.” Read more

 

Grocery store cashier fired for telling client a product is cheaper at Walmart by Paul Delean at Montreal Gazette. “It’s unthinkable that a cashier serving a client, at the time of payment, tell him that certain products he’s buying are cheaper at a competitor,” the judge said.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra

This ad agency’s former CEO is being investigated by the SEC and owes the company $12 million

Instacart to let workers become employees in L.A., other cities

Wayfair details top summer home trends

Build-A-Bear Q2 Comp Sales +8.7%

Read Tipsheet Extra Stories

 

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Eye-on-Retail Tipsheet is created early every weekday morning and read by retail merchants and executives worldwide. We love data, earnings reports, executive presentations and stories off the beaten path that get at what’s really happening in the world of retail. See our website at www.eyeonretail.net