Target lays off 100 administrative assistants by Kavita Kumar at Star-Tribune. “Previously, many executives at director level and above at Target had an administrative assistant. Now, administrative assistants will work with at least two executives, a company spokeswoman said.” Read more

 

…Is Target finished with layoffs at its headquarters? Apparently not. by Tom Webb at Pioneer Press. “Transformation is the new reality at Target, and we are in the earliest stages,” (Katie) Boylan said in an e-mail. “Like all healthy well-managed companies, we will continue to assess the business and make decisions about the work we do, and how we do it, to deliver sustainable, long-term growth.” Read more

 

Wal-Mart Said to Discuss Moving Regional Staff to Arkansas by Renee Dudley at Bloomberg. “The move would relocate personnel from around the U.S. to the corporate office in Bentonville, Arkansas, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the matter isn’t yet public.” Read more

 

Ad of the Day: Dick’s Sporting Goods Goes the Extra Mile in Its First Campaign for Women by Michael McCarthy at Adweek. “Dick’s CMO Lauren Hobart gave Adweek an exclusive preview of a new spot—”Choices: Who Will You Be?”…that’s scheduled to break May 15 on ESPN, E!, Bravo and other networks. It’s the first ad to target women specifically in the retailer’s broader “Who Will You Be?” campaign.” See the video / Read more

 

Amazon launches flower-delivery service in time for Mother’s Day by James Covert at NY Post. “Amazon’s Prime Now service is making an assortment of bouquets available for delivery in an hour or less throughout Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn…New York is Amazon’s first market to roll out flower delivery, spokeswoman Kelly Cheeseman said.” Read more

 

***A message from Orchard Road Canning – Designer inspired style brings life to the home canning category. Announcing the decorative series of canning caps featuring three custom designs: Wild Daisy, Fruit and Gingham. Available in Regular Mouth. Finally, something unique and differentiated to drive incremental sales in the home canning and storage categories! See the decorative designs. Request samples at info@shiftmarketinggroup.net.

 

Top Dems line up behind $12 minimum wage by Tim Devaney at The Hill. “The Obama administration and congressional Democrats are making a new push to raise the minimum wage to $12 an hour by 2020. Top Democrats are getting behind the Raise the Wage Act introduced Thursday.” Read more

 

Mountain View OSH is first to launch 3D scanning and printing on demand by Larry Magid at Mercury News. “OSH has its own library of doorknobs, outlet covers, address plates and other common items that customers can re-size, decorate or otherwise enhance.” Read more

 

Sprouts grocery headed to tech-oriented North San Jose by George Avalos at Mercury News. “Grocery markets, stores, and restaurants, those are the amenities that the area is still missing,” Walesh said. “This is great to fill in some of these amenities.” Read more

 

Customers line up for Memphis Bass Pro Shops first full day by Jerica Phillips at NBC Action News 5.  See the video / Read more

 

Doug McMillon Will Participate in League of Their Own Reunion at Entertainment Weekly. “(Geena) Davis and (Rosie) O’Donnell will manage opposing teams, which will have a few special players including Olympic medalist Jennie Finch and Walmart President and CEO Doug McMillon.” Read more

 

Quebec: La Costco? Couillard won’t rule out changing language charter to require trademarks to include French by Philip Authier at National Post. Read more

 

Lenovo to introduce tablet sold at Wal-Mart in growth push at Chicago Tribune via Bloomberg. “The tablet expands the company’s existing product line, Aymar de Lencquesaing, president of Lenovo North America, said Thursday in an interview. He declined to specify pricing, but said it would be less than an iPad from Apple Inc.” Read more

 

Canada: Target to return 55 store leases to landlords, will auction remainder by Marina Strauss at Globe & Mail. ““It may not be encouraging that they’re giving back” the 55 store leases, Edward Sonshine, chief executive officer of RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust, which is Target’s largest landlord, said in an interview.” Read more

 

Sears hands over nine stores for $150 million by Lisa Fickenscher at NY Post. “The joint ventures are part of a Lampert plan to “enable Sears Holdings to continue its transformation into a more asset-light retailer with less dependence on physical stores,” the company said in a regulatory filing.” Read more

 

Sam’s CEO Rosalind Brewer Speaks at Credit Counseling Luncheon by Christie Swanson at Arkansas Online. “When I think of the work of the council and the work of CCOA, we have a real opportunity to make a difference between the haves and have-nots in this environment.” Read more

 

Park Service waives alcohol ban for Budweiser promotion by Timothy Cama at The Hill. “The Park Service is entering the two-year agreement to attract millennials to parks and raise millions for the National Park Foundation.” Read more

 

The jobs most likely to make you drink (Retail makes top ten for ‘drink heavily’ and ‘use illicit drugs’) by Christopher Ingraham at Washington Post. See the rankings by profession

 

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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. Contact us at info@shiftmarketinggroup.net.