Tipsheet: Malware Infects E.Bauer | N.Marcus Cuts 80 | Ex-Costco Execs Expand Eateries | Hawaii Hep A Headache | Macy New CMO
Malware Infected All Eddie Bauer Stores in U.S., Canada at Krebs on Security. “…credit and debit cards used at those stores during the first six months of 2016 may have been compromised in the breach. The acknowledgement comes nearly six weeks after KrebsOnSecurity first notified the clothier about a possible intrusion at stores nationwide.” Read more
Neiman Marcus chops about 80 jobs by Candice Carlisle & Korri Kezar at Dallas Business Journal. “Over the last 18 months we have successfully transitioned our buying teams to align them to omnichannel,” the spokeswoman said in an emailed statement to the Dallas Business Journal. “We have eliminated select support positions within our IT department and we have streamlined our alterations operations to maximize efficiency.” Read more
Organic chicken chain backed by Costco execs plans Seattle eateries by Janet I. Tu at Seattle Times. “(Erica) Welton, a former food buyer for Costco, founded The Organic Coup with Dennis Hoover, who worked for Costco for 33 years…currently have three Organic Coup locations open, all in the San Francisco Bay Area…Next year, in addition to the five locations in Seattle, there are plans for five in Los Angeles, and two to three in Portland.” Read more
Macy’s Names New Chief Marketing Officer by Adrianne Pasquarelli at Ad Age. “After a four-month search, Macy’s has named Toys R Us exec Richard Lennox as its new chief marketing officer…Mr. Lennox was most recently senior VP and CMO at the toy company and was responsible for the brand’s “Awesome” campaigns.” Read more | Press release
Hawaii: Hepatitis A outbreak gives pharmacies a rush of business by Kirstin Downey at Pacific Business News. “At the Safeway pharmacy on Kapahulu Avenue, for example, pharmacists typically vaccinate about 10 people a week for hepatitis A…Now the four Safeway pharmacies on Oahu are vaccinating more than 200 people a day, including more than 100 at the Kapahulu store, a 10-fold increase.” Read more
Report: These Macy’s stores most at risk for closure by Amanda Hoyle at Triangle Business Journal. “…a report byMorningstar Credit Ratings gives an educated guess at which ones are likely to be near the top of that list. The report identifies 28 Macy’s locations that have reported to their landlords below-average tenant sales and are, therefore, most at risk of closing.” See the list of stores
**A message from 2016 Sweets & Snacks Expo – The Most Innovative New Products winners have been announced! Winners were awarded in nine categories: chocolate, non-chocolate, sweet, salty, savory, novelty, seasonal, gourmet/premium and gum/mints. See the winners here. The 2017 Sweets & Snacks Expo is nearly 90% sold out and will take place May 23-25 at Chicago’s McCormick Place – Notify me when registration opens
Gap Faces a World That Doesn’t Want to Be Normal Anymore by Kim Bhasin at Bloomberg. “They were the cheap, cool option,” Bridget Weishaar, an analyst at Morningstar, said of Gap’s basic clothes from that era. “They’ve just been displaced.” Read more
…Gap Q2 Sales: Gap Global -3.0% / Banana Republic -9.0% / Old Navy Flat Press release
Mobile decor: A tale of two home-goods trucks cruising around Denver by Jennie Nunn at Denver Post. “People have said, ‘I’ve seen fashion trucks and food trucks, but I’ve never seen this,’ ” says Erin Martin, owner of C’est Si Bon, a decor truck whose interior is evocative of a country farmhouse in France. “This is unique.” Read more
Foot Locker Posts Same-Store Sales Growth via Fox Business. “In the second quarter, sales at existing stores rose 4.7%, beating the 3.9% analysts polled by Thomson Reuters had expected.” Read more
Carvana opening second car vending machine by Joe Martin at Houston Business Journal. “Customers insert a Carvana-branded coin into the vending machine, and the car is delivered to the front through a series of lifts and conveyer belts.” See the vending machine pics / Read more
Best Companies to Sell For (Hormel #1) See the top 50 list
Ross Stores Q2 Comp Sales +4.0% Press release
Health Officials Investigating Cluster of Possible Zika Cases in Miami Beach at Wall Street Journal. “10 of a total of 35 Zika cases reported to date have no connection to the designated zone in Wynwood.” Read more (subs.) | Miami Herald
Tipsheet Extra Stories
7-Eleven Exec Recognized with Innovation Award
Kroger trains Cincy residents for high paying jobs
Tour St. Paul’s old Woolworth building one last time
AmEx Gains on Discover in J.D. Power Card Satisfaction Poll
Luxury Garage Sale shop coming to Minneapolis-area
Dollar General Enters North Dakota with Five New Stores
Target Donates up to $400,000 to Louisiana Communities
QUICK-SUBSCRIBE to Eye on Retail Tipsheet here