Marketing

NEW YORK — Heading into December, consumers are feeling more confident about the economy and that is good news for retailers who are hoping for a strong holiday shopping season. After declining in October, The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index, improved to 56 in November from 40.9 in Ocober. The Present Situation Index increased to 38.3 from 27.1. The Expectations Index rose to 67.8 from 50.

Coppell, Texas -- CiCi's Pizza said Tuesday it has partnered with strategic site modeling company Birchwood Resultants to add another 500 restaurants in the next eight to 10 years.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Frederik Meijer, the founder of the supercenter retail chain of the same name, died Nov. 25. He was 91.

Indianapolis -- The Finish Line said Tuesday that its chief administrative officer and corporate secretary Gary D. Cohen, will retire from the company effective March 29, 2012.

Cohen will step down effective December 1, but will remain with the company during a transition period ending March 29, 2012.

Cohen, 59, has been with Finish Line since 1997, first serving as general counsel and later in his current role.
 

New York City -- Family Dollar hasn’t faced much community opposition during an ambitious decade-long expansion program that has left the company with roughly 7,000 stores in 45 states. However, there is a first time for everything and residents in the North Carolina community of Carrboro are pushing back against the retailer’s efforts to open a new store.

Casey Carl is Target’s new president of multichannel with responsibility for the retailer’s website. In his new role, Carl will oversee Target’s digital platforms including mobile, social and Target.com and also will retain his prior responsibilities as SVP merchandising for entertainment, toys, sporting goods and electronics.

New York City -- Retail sales broke records during the Thanksgiving weekend, climbing 16%, according to a survey by BIGresearch for the National Retail Federation.  Shoppers spent $52.4 billion, up from $45 billion last year.

A record 225 million shoppers visited stores and malls over the Black Friday weekend, up from 212 million last year. Shoppers on average spent $398.62, up from $365.34 last year, the NRF said.

Few vehicles on the NASCAR circuit look as good or are as identifiable on the track as the No. 42 Target Chevrolet with its red-and-white color scheme and distinctive Bullseye logo adorning the hood. Unfortunately for Target, style doesn’t count for anything in auto racing and driver Juan Pablo Montoya failed to win a race this year.