Marketing

Lakeland, Fla. -- Publix Super Markets on Friday announced it will enter the Asheville and Cary markets in North Carolina.

The supermarket operator will open a 49,000-sq.-ft store in Asheville, complete with a drive-thru pharmacy, in 2015.

The 49,000-sq.-ft. Cary store is tentatively planned for late 2014.
Publix previously announced its first three North Carolina locations, opening one in Ballantyne in early 2014 and two in the greater Charlotte area, which is slated for a late 2014 opening date.

WARRENDALE, Pa. — Rue21, a leading specialty apparel retailer for young women and men, is trying out a new store format on for size, and about to give guys something to smile about in the process.

The retailer has opened its first RueGuy stores in Bay Shore, N.Y., Harlingen, Texas, and New Boston, Ohio. The approximately 6,000-sq.-ft. stores are the first of seven RueGuy stores slated to open across the U.S. during August. The company is on target to open approximately 20 RueGuy stores by the end of the year.

SALT LAKE CITY — Overstock.com is extending its limited-time book sale promotion, pricing books at least 10% below Amazon's prices. The online retailer will keep prices at that level one more week.

"This promotion is so successful we've chosen to extend it," said CEO Patrick M. Byrne. "We are already, on average, 9% cheaper than Amazon on other products we carry, so this just seems like the natural next step. It's a great time to be shopping for a book."

New York – The long-running legal dispute over whether J.C. Penney has the right to sell Martha Stewart Living products appears to be nearing a conclusion. The Wall Street Journal reports that lawyers for Macy’s, which is suing Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia alleging a breach of contract giving Macy’s exclusive rights to sell Martha Stewart Living, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, and Penney, which may face fines and/or a ban on selling Martha Stewart Living products, all gave closing arguments in New York State Supreme Court yesterday.

Washington, D.C. -- The National Retail Federation said the retail industry added 37,000 jobs in the month of July, with increases in general merchandise, food and beverage and building and garden supply stores.

MARYSVILLE, Ohio — The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company, a leading global marketer of branded consumer lawn and garden products, has appointed Lieutenant General (retired) John Randolph Vines to its board of directors.

"We are pleased to have John as an addition to our board," said Jim Hagedorn, chairman and CEO. "His wide-ranging leadership, strategy and team-building experience will be an exceptional benefit to us."

Left-leaning individuals in large urban areas find lots of reasons to dislike Walmart, so it is noteworthy when someone in a liberal stronghold forcefully sides with Walmart and personal freedom.
 
That was the case in Boston this week when the Boston Globe ran an article by Shirley Leung with the headline, “It’s time to say yes to Walmart.”

She acknowledged the familiar narrative put forth by those who seek to block Walmart’s expansion.

Reports from Canada have Best Buy dabbling in e-commerce sales of beauty products. Best Buy Canada is now offering a selection of personal care, baby and health and wellness products on its “Viva from Best Buy” website, accessible through BestBuy.ca’s homepage.