International Business

New York – Private equity firm KKR & Co. LP has reportedly dropped out of the auction for Jones Group Inc. According to Reuters, KKR, in partnership with private equity group Sycamore Partners LLP, was the only entity trying to buy the entire Jones Group company.

Bidding continues on parts of Jones Group and the company is soliciting new bids. It is not clear whether Sycamore Group will continue to bid on part or all of Jones Group and KKR, Sycamore Group and Jones Group did not comment in the article.

Greenwood Village, Colo. — Red Robin will open a new restaurant in Hagerstown, Md., in late October.

The new restaurant will add to the chains 480 U.S. restaurants located across the U.S. and Canada.

Fast-growing flooring retailer Lumber Liquidators got an unpleasant surprise on Thursday when representatives from several federal agencies showed up at the company’s Toano, Va., headquarter with search warrants in hand.

Cincinnati -- The Kroger Co. today announced its inaugural listing on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index-North America.

The Dow Jones Sustainability Index-North America tracks the economic, environmental and social sustainability performance of the top 20% of the 600 largest North America-based companies in the Dow Jones Global Total Stock Market Index.

New York -- Lumber Liquidators Holdings Inc., the fast-growing hardwood flooring retailer, said Friday that federal authorities with search warrants showed up at its corporate offices Virginia, on Thursday. The company said that the federal authorities' actions were related to certain wood flooring product imports.

The authorities were from the Department of Homeland Security's Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Brentwood, Tenn. — Tractor Supply Company has announced the opening of its first store in Nevada — in Carson City. The move is part of the company’s expansion strategy into the western region of the country. Tractor supply plans to open 100 to 105 stores in 2013.

The company currently operates more than 1,223 stores in 47 states and plans to grow to 2,100 stores.

New York -- British lifestyle brand Holland & Holland is launching its U.S. e-commerce site today. This interactive e-commerce site will allow Holland & Holland clothing, fashion accessories, gifts and shooting accoutrement to be available for purchase for the first time nationwide.

Indianapolis — Simon Property Group has received recognition for its sustainable efforts.

First, SPG has been named to the 2013 CDP Global 500 Climate Disclosure Leadership Index (CDLI). The annual index highlights FTSE Global 500 companies that demonstrate leadership through disclosure of information regarding climate change and score within the top 10% of the five hundred companies assessed. This is SPG’s fifth CDLI award and its third due to top score on disclosure of green house gas emissions and energy use.