Tipsheet: Target’s New Anti-Bullying Line | Lowe’s/Ellen Donate $500K | Retailer Demands 10% Supplier Discount | ‘Red Flag’ for Cabela’s Sale?

 

Target debuts Generation Kind, an anti-bullying clothing line by Embry Roberts at NBC Today. “But the message is just the beginning. To ensure that kindness is catching, each T-shirt comes with a friendship bracelet — perfect for anointing new members of your kind-minded squad. In keeping with the line’s mission as an anti-bullying resource, each tag bears the phone number for a non-profit crisis hotline run by partner organization Teenline.” See the shirts / Read more

 

‘Red flag’ that Cabela’s sale is soon?; chairman puts 11 million shares into trust by Paige Yowell at World-Herald. “It could mean that he’s expecting that that’s going to happen soon,” said Jim Zipursky, managing director of Omaha’s Corporate Finance Associates MidWest, which handles mergers and acquisitions. “It’s just another signal that something’s coming down.” Read more

 

Ellen DeGeneres, Lowe’s donate $500,000 to Detroit school by Michael Lewis II at Crain’s Detroit Business. “DeGeneres secured $500,000 from Lowe’s for technology, renovation supplies and additional staff. The North Carolina-based home improvement store chain initially pledged $50,000 for technology and $200,000 for renovation materials and labor. However, Lowe’s pledged an additional $250,000 soon after DeGeneres’ announcement.” Read more | See the full video

 

Retailers seek vendor discounts after slow holiday season by Lisa Fickenscher at NY Post. “Avenue, a plus-size clothing chain, this week asked its vendors for a whopping 10 percent “cost reduction” on products going forward, according to a letter sent by the New Jersey-based chain, a copy of which was obtained by The Post. Some vendors were shocked by the size of the demand and the tone of the e-mail. The e-mail describes the increase as “an assumption unless I can give compelling reason as to why” a vendor can’t afford the discount.” Read more

 

Amazon Planning to Bring Robots In-House, Forcing Rivals to Look Elsewhere by Rebecca Borison at The Street via Dallas Morning News. “Amazon Robotics started off as Kiva, which came along with 25 previous customers, including big-name retailers such as Toys ‘R’ Us, Staples, Walgreens, Gap, Dillard’s, and VF Corp’s Timberland…As of 2019, Amazon will no longer support those Kiva clients, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.” Read more

 

Sam’s Club searching for 102 small businesses for its annual Small Business Championship by Kim Souza at The City Wire. “(Susan) Kohler said the Walmart Foundation provided the program funding with a $600,000 corporate grant through Sam’s Club to the SCORE Foundation. She said there will be two preliminary champions chosen from each state for 102 overall state winners.” Read more

 

**A message from 2016 Sweets & Snacks Expo – Discover what products are trending and guaranteed to fly off your shelves! Items selected during the Sweets & Snacks Expo’s Most Innovative New Product Awards go on to enjoy sweet success – See the 2015 New Product winners here. Get the first glimpse on the newest items and receive a sneak peek at products predicted by industry experts to become best-sellers. Register now to join us at Chicago’s McCormick Place from May 24-26. See this year’s exhibitors | See featured speakers | Learn More on Our Website

 

Target’s Jeff Jones Mingles with Fashion Crowd at NYFW via The Daily Front Row. “Considering The Daily Front Row is the official magazine of NYFW—or the fashion insiders’ bible, as many like to call it—it’s only natural we should kick off the fashion festivities with champagne, style, and a serious chic collab with ultra-cool retailer, Target…” See the pics / Read more

 

Whole Foods May Put Tattoo Parlors Inside New Millennial-Focused Stores by Leslie Patton at Bloomberg. “Whole Foods has advertised that it’s looking to find suppliers and vendors to set up shop in its 365 stores through a program called “Friends of 365.” The new chain’s website says shoppers may see other businesses, such as body-care product sellers, record shops and tattoo parlors, inside 365 stores and on its outdoor patios.” Read more

 

Battle for REI’s new headquarters may come down to Renton versus Bellevue by Marc Stiles at Puget Sound Business Journal. “We haven’t yet made any decisions and our employees will be the first to know,” a company spokesperson said. Broker chatter, however, has Southport competing against the Spring District, with sites in Issaquah and downtown Bellevue no longer in the running.” Read more

 

Amazon’s bookstore buzz hits San Diego by Jennifer Van Grove & Lori Weisberg at LA Times. “In an email exchange, Reg Kobzi, senior vice president for commercial real estate brokerage CBRE, indicated that Amazon had been looking for retail space, but he would not comment further, citing a confidentiality agreement.” Read more

 

ZIKA SPURS RETAIL SALES – Beginning in March, Target will make bug spray and repellants a centerpiece of its lawn and patio areas in 1,400 stores – about three months earlier than usual via Jack Neff at Ad Age. Read more

 

Toys“R”Us, Inc. Names Joe Venezia Executive Vice President, Global Store Operations Read the release

 

Kroger could buy Fresh Market by Steve Watkins at Cincinnati Business Courier. “Those people told Reuters that Fresh Market is in the second stage of an auction process that involves Kroger and other companies and private equity firms. It named private equity firms Apollo Global Management, KKR & Co. and TPG Capital as others taking part in the Fresh Market auction.” Read more

 

Burberry faces U.S. lawsuit accusing it of deceptive price tags via Reuters. “British luxury fashion brand Burberry is to face a class action lawsuit in the United States, claiming it used misleading price tags at its outlets stores to fool shoppers into believing they were getting big bargains.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Amazon Helped Make This One of the Fastest-Growing E-Commerce Categories Last Year

Nordstrom has officially become a discount outlet chain

Employee Steals $14K from Club Store to Pay College Tuition

Mooresville neighbors upset after plans for Costco approved

Bacardi Fights to Reclaim Ownership of Havana Club in Closely Watched Trademark Case

Quebec’s ‘autocratic’ control over maple syrup producers in need of major overhaul

Read Tipsheet Extra Stories

 

www.eyeonretail.net