Consumer Affairs & Relations

A few familiar retail names are reportedly in discussions to buy American Apparel.    Amazon and Forever 21 are among the companies in talks with the bankrupt manufacturing and retail company and its advisors about submitting offers ahead of a deadline on Friday, Reuters reported.  

Retailers and developers looking for potential expansion spots in the coming year should bypass Gotham and head to Grand Rapids.  

Walgreens Boots Alliance on Thursday reported a better-than-expected profit for its first quarter and also said an announcement that it has closed the deal on its proposed acquisition of Rite Aid would come soon.   Walgreens confirmed it is actively engaged in discussions with the Federal Trade Commission regarding its pending Rite Aid acquisition, which was announced more than 14 months ago. Also subject to FTC approval is the sale of 865 Rite Aid locations to Fred's for almost $1 billion.    

The partnership between the U.S. Postal Service and Staples has come to an end.   The program started as a pilot in late 2013 and was eventually expanded to about 500 Staples locations. It effectively placed mini post-offices in the chain’s stores, with Staples’s non-union employees providing some of the same services that the Postal Service’s union employees performed.      

J.C. Penney continues to lower its debt load.    The retailed has sold its sprawling headquarters campus in Plano, Texas, to Dreien Opportunity Partners, general partner of Silos Opportunity Partners, for a gross sale price of $353 million before closing and transaction costs.  

RILA looks ahead to what retailers can expect in the coming year

With the historic 2016 election behind us, there has been much speculation about what to expect from Washington in the coming year.

With consideration of a Republican-controlled Congress and President-elect Trump’s proposed policies, the Retail Industry Leaders Association has outlined below the key legislative and regulatory issues retailers should be aware of in 2017:

In the days and weeks since Election Day, much has been written about the impact results will have on store and restaurant operators. Other than some unease regarding trade and consumer confidence, entry-level employers generally feel optimistic about what might lie ahead with policy changes to taxes, wages and healthcare.

Most employers feel like they had a big “win” election night and in many cases, they may be right. But I think it’s a little early for employers to lace up their shoes for a collective victory lap around the boardroom.

For the second time in a week, Sears Holdings Corp. is borrowing money from the hedge fund of its CEO.   The embattled retailer has entered into a $500 million secured loan facility (maturing in July 2020) with ESL Investments, the hedge fund controlled by Sears chairman and CEO Edward Lampert. Of the total, $321 million was funded immediately, and an additional $179 million may be drawn in the future.