Tipsheet: Shoplifting @ San Fran ‘Basically Legal’ | Bloomie’s Store #1 | Schnucks Prez Leaving

 

Supermarkets are stockpiling inventory as food costs rise at Fox Business. “Some supermarkets said they are buying and storing supplies to keep their shelves full amid stronger demand…The move is a reversal from last year when consumers hoarded groceries because of concerns about food availability…” Read more

 

Target, Walgreens close early due to thefts in California stores at Fox 5 NY. “Target stores in San Francisco are now closing early, moving from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., with a Financial District store closing as early as 5 p.m. on Saturday…Target spokesperson: “For more than a month, we’ve been experiencing a significant and alarming rise in theft and security incidents at our San Francisco stores, similar to reports from other retailers in the area.” Read more

 

…’Crime is basically legal in San Francisco’ at Daily Mail. “A video posted to Instagram captures yet another brazen act of shoplifting in San Francisco, this time at the luxury department store Neiman Marcus…Shoplifting cases are all too common in San Francisco, where charges of property theft less than $950 in value was downgraded from a felony to a misdemeanor in 2014 – meaning that store staff and security do not persue or stop thieves who have taken anything worth less than $1,000.” Video/Read more

 

Visa says crypto-linked card usage tops $1 billion in first half of 2021 at CNBC. “This summer, Mastercard will launch a card with crypto exchange Gemini, co-founded by billionaires Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss. The card will allow consumers to earn cryptocurrency as a reward. However, cardholders will not be allowed to access their digital wallet on the site.” Read more

 

A pandemic clothing purge is on as normal life resumes in US at AP. “A wardrobe purge is on for some as vaccinations have taken hold, restrictions have lifted, and offices reopen or finalize plans to do so. The primary beneficiaries: resale sites online and brick-and-mortar donation spots, continuing a trend that’s been building for the last several years.” Read more

 

Costco will drop COVID-19 senior hours at month’s end at Fox Business. Read more

 

Schnucks president Dave Peacock leaving for New York agribusiness firm at St. Louis Post- Dispatch. “(Schnucks) is promoting Ted Schnuck, the CEO’s nephew, to executive vice president in charge of store operations and merchandising. Ted Schnuck currently serves as a vice president overseeing meat, seafood, produce and other store departments. He’ll begin his new role full-time in October.” Read more

 

**2021 Sweets and Snacks Expo Most Innovative Products Named. See the list here. Save the 2022 date – May 24-26, 2022 at McCormick Place Chicago.

 

The Pizza Delivery Guy Will Be a Robot at Many Campuses This Fall at Wall Street Journal. “Grubhub will deploy the suitcase-size rovers built by Russian tech company Yandex NV to some of the 250 colleges across the U.S. that Grubhub already operates in, the companies said Tuesday.” WSJ subs. 

 

Pentagon cancels $10 billion JEDI cloud contract after long feud between Amazon and Microsoft at GeekWire. Read more

 

Home Depot, Lowe’s amp up focus on home pros at CNBC. “Lowe’s is gaining ground, but it’s still playing catch-up, D.A. Davidson retail analyst Michael Baker said. He said the entire difference in sales per store at the two home improvement retailers comes from the gap in the size of the pro businesses. Sales per average store at Home Depot and Lowe’s in 2020 were $57.6 million and $45.4 million, respectively, according to D.A. Davidson estimates.” Read more

 

Despite digital grocery growth, ‘stores are still king’ at Talk Business. “Field Agent recently surveyed its nationwide agent pool…showed that 98% of agents still shop inside stores despite 58% saying they also buy some grocery items online…Almost half of the agents said they used curbside pickup outside of local stores, and 31% said they used online apps to place the order, but picked up inside the store. Despite an abundance of delivery options, just 21% said they chose this option.” Read more

 

Bloomingdale’s is getting ready to open its first-ever Bloomie’s store. Here’s a look inside at CNBC. “…opening in Fairfax, Virginia, on Aug. 26…The roughly 22,000-square-foot space will be much smaller than a typical Bloomingdale’s location…The store will serve as a hub for experiences, with a focus on fashion, and feature Colada Shop, a restaurant serving coffee, Caribbean-inspired small bites and cocktails into the evening.” Pics/Read more

 

12-foot python escapes inside Louisiana’s largest mall at AP. “The Blue Zoo — which bills itself as “more than an aquarium, more than a zoo” — was closed Tuesday while search efforts continued, but the Mall of Louisiana remained open.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra

Amazon launches at-home COVID-19 test kit for $39.99

Fresh Thyme seeks 1,000 local products for St. Louis concept store

Target-themed Monopoly game launches August 1st

Federal Appeals Court Strikes Down Year-Round E15 Sales

Chick-fil-A rated America’s top fast-food restaurant, McDonald’s ranked last

Read Tipsheet Extra Stories

 

**

Subscribe to Eye on Retail Tipsheet here

 

Contact us: Put your product or service in front of the most powerful retail execs in the world, send advertising inquiries to info@eyeonretail.net

 

Website: eyeonretail.net