Kohl’s Sent a Star Wars Treasure Trove to the Woman Behind the Megaviral Chewbacca Video by David Griner at Adweek. “While Kohl’s hasn’t managed to keep the unexpectedly popular mask in stock, the company did handle its response with aplomb, sending the Payne family several more masks—and a veritable treasure trove of Star Wars merchandise.” Read more / See the videos

 

Why retailers should not give up on bricks and mortar: Former JC Penney CEO by Matthew J. Belvedere at CNBC. “Many of the stores today, there’s no reason I want to shop there,” he added. “All you see is … sale signs all over the place. That’s not the way for bricks and mortar to be successful going forward.” See the video / Read more

 

Kroger’s big $4 billion expansion plan by Alexander Coolidge at Cincinnati Enquirer. “The nation’s largest supermarket chain has upped its capital expenditure budget this spring by 24 to 33 percent, to between $4.1 billion and $4.4 billion…spending 70 percent of the money on its national store base, even as it faces a potential new digital threat from Amazon” Read more

 

Best Buy investigating claim that employee was a paid FBI informant by Jeremiah Dobruck via LA Times. “A Best Buy spokesman said Friday that the company is investigating whether one of its employees was paid by the FBI for information about illicit material found on customers’ computers during repairs” Read more

 

How TJX Crafted a Winning Marketing Playbook by Adrianne Pasquarelli at Ad Age. “Though TJX’s marketing isn’t particularly groundbreaking or innovative, it does a good job of resonating with the company’s target consumers. In the last six months, all but 10 of the marketer’s spots have scored above the norm in the discount store category.” Read more

 

**A message from 2016 Sweets & Snacks Expo – It all starts tomorrow! The Expo has shown over 20% exhibitor growth this year. More exhibitors mean more new products for you! Do more business in three days at the Expo than you could all year. Find your next best-seller at the New Product Showcase with more new candy and snacks than ever before. Don’t miss out… register now to save over $200 on registration! May 24-26, 2016 McCormick Place – Chicago.

 

Adweek’s Power List 2016: The Top 100 Leaders in Marketing, Media and Tech (Bezos #7) See the list

 

Macy’s CEO promises comeback during shareholder meeting by Andy Brownfield at Cincinnati Business Journal. “Lundgren thinks department stores have a strong future: “If the department store was not around today, someone would be inventing it. Someone in Silicon Valley.” Read more

 

Bezos touts Amazon’s urban campus as environmental option by Rachel Nielsen at Puget Sound Business Journal. “We could have saved money, at least in the short term, by building a suburban campus,” Bezos said at the company’s annual shareholder meeting this week.” Read more

 

Kroger CFO: Overtime Pay Rule to Have Limited Impact by Tatyana Shumsky at WSJ. “When there’s a general cost increase out there that affects everyone in the same way, I’ll take my chances to be able to outperform my competitors,” he said.” Read more (subscription)

 

Bids due on J.C. Penney Co.’s campus, which has over 80 prospective buyers by Candace Carlisle at Dallas Morning Journal. Read more

 

Inside Bob Parsons’ new high-end golf equipment and retail store in Scottsdale by Haylee Ringle at Phoenix Business Journal. “GoDaddy founder, philanthropist and billionaire Bob Parsons opened his new high-end golf equipment and apparel store in Scottsdale to a crowd of pro football players, golfers and at least one comedian/golfer in attendance.” See the pics / Read more

 

This little device replaces the squeeze test to tell you which tomato or cucumber to pick by Ashlee Vance at Bloomberg. “We’ve all squeezed a fruit to see if it’s ripe. What if you could gauge its exact calorie count and sugar and fat content while you were at it? A startup in Israel called Consumer Physics has developed a keychain-size device called the SCiO that can shoot a beam of light at, say, an avocado and instantly tell you just that.” Read more

 

Anheuser-Busch wants non- and low-alcohol beer to make up 20% of its global beer volume by 2025 via Financial Post. “Strobel said the rise in the non-alcohol business is being driven by young people who are more socially responsible and avoid booze on certain occasions but still crave the taste of beer. Older folks who want to limit their alcohol intake are also behind the trend, he said.” Read more

 

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