Marketing

New York -- More than half (53%) of middle market executives believe that their companies are on solid ground, according to a survey by CIT Group Inc., a leading provider of financing to small businesses and middle market companies. (In order to be eligible to participate in the survey, respondents had to be in a leadership role at firms with revenues between $25 million and $1 billion, the majority of whose employees were based in the United States.)

Columbus, Ohio -- Domino’s Pizza’s new “Pizza Theater” store design, developed in partnership with strategic branding and design firm Chute Gerdeman, brings the art and skill of pizza-making front and center.

Brooklyn, N.Y. -- West Elm, a division of Williams-Sonoma, announced that it will open a store at 180 University Avenue in Palo Alto, Calif., on Oct. 18.

The new Palo Alto store will include a collection of decorative accessories and art made by Etsy artists from the South Bay. It will be only the second West Elm store selling goods made by Etsy artists in the U.S.

New York -- Some businesses are coming up short with their restroom facilities, according to a survey by Bradley Corp., a manufacturer of commercial plumbing fixtures. Fifty-one percent of survey respondents reported having had a particularly unpleasant experience in a public restroom due to the condition of the facilities.  

FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif. — Wet Seal, just days after encouraging its shareholders to reject efforts by Clinton Group to replace its board of directors, reached an agreement with Clinton Group giving them four spots on its board of directors.

As part of the settlement agreement, Clinton Group, which beneficially owns approximately 6.9% of Wet Seal common stock, has terminated its consent solicitation. In addition, Jonathan Duskin, Sidney Horn, Hal Kahn and Henry Winterstern have resigned from the board of directors.

MATTHEWS, N.C. — Family Dollar has inked a partnership with a national leader in health-and-wellness solutions to further drive the retailer's commitment to proactively engage in activities that encourage healthy living.

The Budweiser brand raised $2.5 million for military families during Major League Baseball’s recently ended regular season as part of a program called, "Walk-off a Hero."

CINCINNATI — Kroger has become a member of the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Million Dollar Club. The USHCC Million Dollar Club recognizes corporations that are leaders in supplier diversity and integrating Hispanic business enterprises into their strategic sourcing and procurement process. Corporations qualify by spending between $25 million to more than $500 million with Hispanic suppliers in the previous year.

This is Kroger's third consecutive year of qualifying for membership.

FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif. — Wet Seal merchandising executive, Harriet Sustarsic has left the company to become SVP, general merchandise manager for True Religion Brand Jeans.

Sustarsic was serving as division chief merchandising officer and will remain with the company until Oct. 19 to assist with the transition. Kim Bajrech and Debbie Shinn have assumed senior leadership of the Wet Seal merchandising organization, which they previously shared on an interim basis from November 2009 through November 2011.

Chelmsford, Mass. -- The Kronos Retail Labor Index (RLI) rose to 4.5% in September, the highest reading in four years. (The Index is defined as the ratio of hires to applications within a given month, expressed as a percentage. A level of 3.0% means that for every 100 applications received, three hires occurred.)