Tipsheet: Ex-H.Depot Exec to JCP | Target’s New SVP Apparel | Lowe’s Exits Aust. | BJ’s & JCP CEO’s Join Board
Another Home Depot executive joins J.C. Penney by Maria Halkias at Dallas Morning News. “Until August, (Joe) McFarland had been with Home Depot, where (Marvin) Ellison also worked before joining Penney in 2014. Most recently, McFarland was the president of the Northern and Western Divisions for Home Depot. He left the home improvement chain and started a non-profit real estate company with his wife in Atlanta to provide affordable housing for families.” Read more
Target Names Michelle Wlazlo Senior Vice President of Apparel and Accessories via A Bullseye View. “(Michelle) Wlazlo brings more than 25 years of diverse retail experience, nearly 19 of which she spent in various leadership positions at Gap Inc., where most recently she served as Senior Vice President of Global Merchandising, Gap.” Read more
Today’s Big Show Schedule (Macy’s CEO 8:30 – 10:00, Under Armour CEO 2:45 – 4:00…) See today’s schedule
NRF RELEASES 2016 TOP 250 GLOBAL POWERS OF RETAILING Read more
Lowe’s Exits Joint Venture in Australia “…it has provided notification to Woolworths Limited, its joint venture partner in Australia, of its intent to begin the process of exiting its investment in the joint venture, which operates Masters Home Improvement stores and Home Timber and Hardware Group’s retail stores and wholesale distribution in Australia.” Read the release
…Masters roll-out was ‘too aggressive’, says Woolworths’ partner Lowe’s by Patrick Hatch at Sydney Morning Herald. “Colleen Penhall, Lowe’s vice president of corporate communications: “We were quickly opening up stores before we had determined our optimal assortment mix to best meet the needs of the Australian consumer.”…”In other markets where we have solely operated the business, we have seen a greater level of success,” she said, declining to speculate on whether Masters would have succeeded had Lowe’s controlled a bigger stake.” Read more
**A message from ASD Market Week – 45,000+ people don’t want you to read this. Who are they? Retail buyers that have discovered ASD Market Week — the largest wholesale trade show in the United States. Shop in categories including: fashion & accessories, beauty & fragrance, gift & home, toys & novelties and many more. See the product & buyer categories. See the show layout video. Read ASD’s Insider blog. February 28 – March 2, 2016 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
AMAZON’S VP of PUBLIC POLICY TALKS TO CBS ABOUT DRONES – Amazon Reveals Details About Its Crazy Drone Delivery Program by David Pogue at Yahoo. “I can tell you, it is very real. We’ve beefed up a team at Amazon Prime Air that includes aeronautical engineers, roboticists, a former NASA astronaut. These folks are completely focused on making this a reality — and demonstrating that it is safe before we begin operations.” Read the full interview
Wal-Mart de Mexico Plans to Sell Clothing-Store Chain via Dow Jones Business News. “Walmex…said it will consider offers for Suburbia, which has 117 stores located in 44 cities spread over 29 Mexican states…The division accounted for 3.5% of Walmex’s total sales in 2014…The Suburbia process is in its early stages, and there’s no guarantee a sale will be made, Walmex added.” Read more
NEW NRF BOARD MEMBERS NAMED:
B.J.’s Wholesale Club President, CEO and Director Christopher Baldwin
J.C. Penney CEO Marvin Ellison
Disney Consumer Products Executive Vice President of Disney Retail Paul Gainer
Kentucky Retail Federation President Tod Griffin
Saks Fifth Avenue President Marc Metrick
STORY Founder Rachel Shectman
Macy’s CEO Doesn’t See Recession Coming by Carleton English at The Street. “The U.S. currently has 24 square feet of retail space per person, whereas the figure is nearly half that in Europe, Lundgren said. While he didn’t say that the U.S. needed to get down to European levels, he did acknowledge that there may be room for further cuts in the broader brick-and-mortar retail industry.” Read more
Amazon hiring 1,200 people at new fulfillment center in Seattle region by Todd Bishop at GeekWire. “It’s the third robotics fulfillment center in western Washington, joining existing facilities in Sumner and DuPont. The company says the facility will specialize in smaller customer orders, such as books, electronics and toys.” Read more
Toys”R”Us Opens Its 100th Store In China Read the release
Wayfair Launches National Ad Campaign “The campaign, titled “Explore the Great Indoors,” will air nationally on broadcast and cable channels today and includes two creative spots – You Make the Rules and A World of Options.” See the spots / Read more
AMAZON’S CAMPUS MODEL DELIVERS 0.5 – 2.15% OF REVENUE TO SCHOOL – Amazon campus store to provide students new, safer delivery option by Anderson Lanham at The Daily Californian. “According to Alexander, the stores are being developed largely with students in mind. Berkeley residents, however, are also able to use the campus store, provided that they have Amazon Prime.” Read more
Tipsheet Extra Stories
Washington Post: At retail’s ‘Big Show,’ a look at the tech merchants hope will keep them relevant
H-E-B jumps into convenience store business with plans for first San Antonio store
Michelle Obama and the head of school lunches to call a truce on healthy eating in new bill
NRF Interview: Donna Giordano, President Ralphs Grocery Company
Lyme disease–carrying ticks are now in half of all U.S. counties