Consumer Affairs & Relations

By Veena A. Iyer, Nilan Johnson Lewis   

DALLAS - The Container Store has long been lauded as one of the places to work—and now it looks like it’s also a great place to get married. The chain on Saturday celebrated the wedding of two 25+ year tenured employees—Greg Arechar and Lety Covarrubias—from its distribution Center,  at its headquarters. Co-founder and chairman emeritus Garrett Boone, an ordained officiant, led the ceremony.

American Girl is pledging to give away 1,000 dolls a day, or $3 million in retail value, to children in hospitals across the country this holiday season.

Now through Dec. 18, American Girl will match any doll purchase made online, in-store or via phone with an 18-inch doll donation (up to 1,000 dolls each day) as part of its 2014 “Share the Wonder of the Holidays” giving campaign.

Americans’ well-founded apprehension about the security of their personal information received a booster shot of sorts when 60 Minutes aired a disturbing piece about the state of digital security.

St. Paul, Minnesota - Shopping center developer and manager Paster Enterprises has rebranded to Paster Properties, and has debuted a new look and website. 

Coppell, Texas – Bankrupt retailer Alco Stores is going out of business, and closing its 198 stores, a victim of both the economy and the changing retail landscape.   

Alco Stores is offering retailers a cautionary holiday tale this Christmas as going-out-of-business sales have begun at the regional discounter’s 198 locations.

By Phillip M. Perry New York  - Blue skies and cool breezes.  That’s the economic forecast as the calendar turns for a new year. Retailers looking to bolster revenues and profits over the next 12 months should benefit from a gradual improvement in the ability and willingness of shoppers to spend.