Marketing

GNC has appointed senior retail industry executive Michael G. Archbold as CEO and member of the board, effective immediately. Archbold replaces chairman, president and CEO Joseph Fortunato, who is leaving the company and has stepped down from the board.

Lead independent director Michael Hines has been elected non-executive chairman.

Plano, Texas -- J. C. Penney Company will open its first-ever store in Brooklyn, further increasing its New York City footprint, on Aug. 29. The all-new 124,000-sq.-ft., single-level store, located in Gateway Center, will provide a look at Penney's updated store model, which includes a new footwear format.  

Office Depot softened the blow of weak second quarter sales by bumping up the pace of 400 store closings to drive greater than expected operating profit growth and expense savings related to the merger with OfficeMax.

Minneapolis – Target Corp. is reducing its earnings guidance for the second quarter of fiscal 2014 due to the expected $138 million financial impact of its December 2013 data breach, partially offset by $38 million in insurance. Target now expects EPS for the quarter within a range around $0.78, compared with prior guidance of $0.85 to $1 per share.

Mountain View, Calif. – Google Inc. has unveiled its expanded office in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The 300,000-sq.-ft. campus, in the Kendall Square neighborhood, combines space in three buildings previously occupied by Google into one connected campus with a combined 12 floors of office and work space.

The office spreads across one whole building and parts of the other two. It features a public rooftop garden, and a private one for Google employees, along with an employee café offering free meals.

Hillshire Farm is introducing its Hillshire Farm Naturals line of lunchmeat ahead of the start of the school year.
 
The meats in the lineup are preservative-free and don’t contain any nitrates, nitrites, or any artificial coloring or flavors. The new variety will come in black re-sealable tubs, and include two varieties of turkey breast — slow roasted and smoked — as well as black forest and honey roasted ham.
 

Scotts Miracle-Gro reported declines in sales and income for the third quarter of 2014, but pointed to momentum that may place the company at the top end of its guidance for the year.

J. C. Penney is expanding its New York footprint with the opening of its first-ever store in Brooklyn. The store will have design elements and innovative features not found in any of its other stores, according to the retailer.