Tipsheet: Trump Name-Checks “Tar-Zhay” | Wmart Cold Called Moosejaw | T.Morgan Talks Wmart $ @ Kimmel | B.Pro/Cabela’s Trouble?
“TAR-ZHAY RIGHT?” – Retail CEOs make case to Trump against border adjustment tax by Jim Spencer & Kavita Kumar at Star Tribune. “As they came and went, Target’s Brian Cornell and Best Buy’s Hubert Joly were both tight-lipped about their visits to the White House and Capitol Hill…In a lighthearted aside, a video taken as the CEOs introduced themselves showed Trump pausing after Cornell introduced himself from Target. “Tar-zhay, right?” the president said with a smile.” Read more
…Bill Rhodes, CEO of AutoZone Inc., spoke briefly after the meeting with Mr. Trump but didn’t take questions by Khadeeja Safdar & Louise Radnofsky at Wall Street Journal. Read more (subs.)
…Target CEO: Had a positive discussion with Trump by Courtney Reagan at CNBC. Video
…Trump snubs Nordstrom at retailer event…JCP CEO sits to right of Trump at Daily Mail. Pics/Read more
…Border tax is ‘biggest threat’ to retailers in years, former Saks CEO says at CNBC. Video/Read more
WALMART BASICALLY COLD CALLED ME – Moosejaw CEO wasn’t looking to sell, but Wal-Mart made an offer too good to refuse by Matt Linder at Internet Retailer. “Several months ago, out of the blue, a Wal-Mart Stores Inc. representative called Moosejaw CEO Eoin Comerford to inquire whether the retailer would be interested in talking about a sale. “He said they are very interested in the outdoor vertical and loved what we were doing with our brand voice and the relationships we bring to the table,” (CEO) Comerford says.” Read more
Bass Pro-Cabela’s deal could be hindered by Capital One dropping bid for credit card business by Paige Yowell at Omaha World-Herald. “The way things stand right now, Bass Pro can’t close on its purchase of Cabela’s retail business before the company’s bank is sold…Capital One withdrew its application to acquire the card business late last month.” Read more
NY Times: Grocery industry moves to simplify labels by Stephanie Strom. Read more
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Walmart cuts contracts with Korean shippers after Hanjin fiasco by Jhoo Dong-chan at The Korea Times. “The Seoul-based company had reportedly handled about 10 percent of Walmart’s total freight volume every year, which means that Hanjin’s amount was up to 30,000 containers. As Hanjin Shipping could not deal with the transportation properly, Walmart has shipped its products with shipping companies with its headquarters in other countries such as China.” Read more
Gander Mountain addresses bankruptcy rumors by Dan DeBaun at Minneapolis/St.Paul Business Journal. “Gander Mountain said it had undertaken a “best-practices approach to review our strategic options specific to positioning the company for long-term success.” Read more
84 Lumber agency “flattered” after Saturday Night Live riff on commercial spot by Patty Tascarella at Pittsburgh Business Times. “The first reaction was, oh, my God,” Brunner said. “It was flattering, I can only put it that way, that they’d take the spot we did and parody it. We all got a good laugh. I’m a ‘Saturday Night Live’ fan. Absolutely, it’s a first for us.” Read more
Build-A-Bear Q4 Comp Sales -8.3% Press release
Jeff Bezos emails ‘kudos and congrats’ for #1 spot in Harris Poll by Kurt Schlosser at GeekWire. Top 100 list/Read more
Lowe’s Hiring More Than 1,700 U.S. Employees To Provide Personalized Customer Support Press release
Walgreens-Rite Aid deal may finally be a go by Josh Kosman at NY Post. “FTC brass in the next two to four weeks will likely approve the deal that would create America’s biggest drug store chain, two other sources said.” Read more
hhgregg to explore strategic alternatives to improve liquidity and return to profitability Press release
Jeff Bezos makes Fortune’s list of most underrated AND overrated list See the rankings
Apple Vowed To Revolutionize Television. An Inside Look at Why It Hasn’t by Mark Gurman at Bloomberg. Read more
Facebook is out-LinkedIning LinkedIn by Kurt Wagner at Recode. Read more
“AFTER MY SETTLEMENT EVERYTHING WENT UP A PENNY” – Tracy Morgan jokes about buying the Knicks with Walmart settlement money at Comedy Hype. “You act like I got hit by Bob’s Discount Furniture Truck” 2:49 video at Jimmy Kimmel Live
Tipsheet Extra Stories
WWE wrestler adds 1-800-Flowers to his “list” after customer service fail
Kmart paying $4.5M in rent for shuttered Hawaii store
Selling ads as Super Bowl overtime approached was ‘pandemonium’ for Fox execs
Wayfair VP says you should read this book
How Apple Stores Were Almost Apple Cyber Cafes
Amazon hires former Sony online chief to lead ‘ambitious new project’
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