Tipsheet: “No Target in OB” | WM Moves 130 Claims Jobs | Barnes Buyout? | F.Dollar’s ‘White Trash’ Sticker
Ocean Beach residents rally against proposed Target Express by Abbey Gibb at Fox 5. “A few dozen protesters marched down Newport Avenue holding signs that read “No Target in OB.” “It would ruin the OB vibe and bring corporate greed into the town we love,” one protester said. “Although there’s not much we can do to stop them, we don’t have to like it.” Video/Read more
Lululemon Soars After Shrugging Off Athletic-Industry Woes by Lindsey Rupp at Bloomberg. “Total comparable sales grew 7 percent in second quarter. Company on track for $4 billion in revenue by 2020, CEO says.” Read more | Press release
Walmart Is Selling Trump’s $40 USA Hats for $9.99 by Judy Kurtz at The Hill. “The hat, emblazoned with “USA” and available in three colors, is described on Walmart’s website as a “USA Trump hat” and sells for $10. Similar “45th Presidential Hats” will set buyers back $40 on Trump’s official online campaign store.” Read more
Behind a $13 shirt, a $6-an-hour worker by Natalie Kitroeff & Victoria Kim at LA Times. “She spent 11 hours a day there, pinning Forever 21 tags on trendy little shirts and snipping away their loose threads in the one-room workshop. On a good day, the 44-year-old could get through 700 shirts. That work earned Ulloa about $6 an hour, well below minimum wage in Los Angeles, according to a wage claim she filed with the state.” Read more
As Sears Canada head scrambles to launch bid, wife’s role in company raises questions by Hollie Shaw at Financial Post. “Everybody thought that (Jennifer Stranzl’s) being there was wrong, and everybody thought it was interfering with the ability of the merchants to make decisions to grow the business,” said a former Sears executive who worked for the company throughout Stranzl’s tenure.” Read more
Fred’s August comp sales -0.5% Press release
Wal-Mart to move 130 claims jobs from Oklahoma to NW Arkansas by Kim Souza at The City Wire. “The impact of these jobs to Northwest Arkansas may be light considering the more than 1,000 jobs Wal-Mart purged from its corporate payrolls already this year.” Read more
**A message from the Las Vegas Souvenir & Resort Gift Show – get ready for the nation’s largest souvenir show! Browse 1,300+ booths filled with the latest introductions from every major souvenir and resort supplier. New for 2017, the show welcomes even more made in America products, a new Boardwalk section and a special spotlight on Gourmet gifts. September 13-16, 2017. Register Now | Exhibitor List
The Buckle August comp sales -7.9% Press release
Supervalu will begin offering tech services to independent grocers by Jon Springer at Supermarket News. “Jerry’s, a 50-store retailer based in Edina, Minn., that operates food stores under the Cub Foods, County Market, Jerry’s Foods and Save-A-Lot brands, as well as liquor and hardware stores, is expected to flip its first store to Supervalu’s network services early next month, with plans to complete all stores by early November, said Jeff Miller, Jerry’s chief information officer.” Read more
Just smile: In KFC China store, diners have new way to pay at Reuters. “Customers will be able to use a “Smile to Pay” facial recognition system at the tech-heavy, health-focused concept store, part of a drive by Yum China Holdings Inc to lure a younger generation of consumers.” Read more
Macy’s Expands Same-Day Delivery Service to Cover 33 Markets Press release
Home Depot agrees to pay $5.7 million to settle charges by the CPSC that it sold nearly 3,000 recalled items in its stores by Tina Bellon at Reuters. “The commission claimed that Home Depot, between August 2012 and November 2016, knowingly sold units of 33 different products, including portable heaters, outdoor lights and fire extinguishers, that had been recalled due to dangerous defects.” Story
Star Wars ‘Force Friday II’ kicks off ‘Last Jedi’ marketing push by Thomas Barrabi at Fox Business. Read more
CAMPBELL LOSES TO WALMART – Big Food Faces Pressure From Retailers Demanding Discounts at Wall Street Journal. “On Thursday, Campbell Soup Co. said its sales would suffer this winter because it failed to reach an agreement with a major retailer over promotional pricing and shelf space for its canned soup, its most important product. The unsuccessful negotiations were with Wal-Mart Stores Inc., according to people familiar with the situation. Wal-Mart comprises about 20% of Campbell’s annual sales.” Read more (subs.)
How the 93-year-old matriarch of Columbia Sportswear fled the Nazis and later built a $2B empire by Tom Cunneff at CNBC. “Before they fled (Germany), Nazi officials visited their house on several occasions to interrogate her father and wrote “Jews live here” on the outside of the house. But because Jews couldn’t leave the country with more than the equivalent of $20 in cash, it meant her father had to pretty much give away his shirt factory — one of the largest in Germany, which employed hundreds of people.” Read more
Barnes & Noble shares surge over buyout speculation by Carleton English at NY Post. “The New York-based bookseller denied a Wednesday report that it had retained Guggenheim Partners to help it explore a sale. The report by trade publication Deal Reporter also said B&N spoke to private equity firms Apollo Management and Platinum Equity.” Read more
Harvey’s Made the World’s Most Important Chemical a Rare Commodity by Jack Kaskey at Bloomberg. “Texas alone produces nearly three quarters of the country’s supply of one of the most basic chemical building blocks. Ethylene is the foundation for making plastics essential to U.S. consumer and industrial goods, feeding into car parts used by Detroit and diapers sold by Wal-Mart Stores Inc.” Read more
Same-day delivery startup Deliv expands to 1,400 cities, rivalling Amazon’s Prime Now by Ingrid Lunden at TechCrunch. Read more
‘White trash’ sticker found in toy vending machine at Family Dollar by Joy Johnston at Cox Media Group. “Robert Dumas told WXYZ his daughter received the sticker after putting 50 cents into a toy vending machine at an Oak Park Family Dollar recently. The sticker featured a crude drawing of a white figure with arms raised, popping out of a trash can. “White trash” was printed at the bottom of the sticker.” Pic/Read more
Tipsheet Extra Stories
As Harvey gained fury, Home Depot raced to respond
Walmart’s new sweeter ‘designer’ melon coming to stores this winter
Mom pulls out gun during ‘back to school’ brawl at Walmart
Pete Rose Won’t Return to Fox Sports After Sexual Misconduct Allegations
Border wall prototype contractors selected
Parties agree to dismiss suit that accused Home Depot of shorting customers on paint
Now you’ll be able to get $6 avocado toast at Walmart, too
***
Eye on Retail Tipsheet is must-read material for 20,000+ retail execs every weekday morning. Tipsheet stories are carefully curated bright and early every morning to ensure fresh and unique content.
Subscribe to Eye on Retail Tipsheet here
Contact us: Send story tips, press releases and advertising inquiries to info@eyeonretail.net
Website: www.eyeonretail.net