Strategy

New York City -- On June 17, 2011, Texas Governor Rick Perry signed a bill into law that will limit an employer’s right to prohibit guns and ammunition in the workplace. While the law does not necessarily allow employees to carry firearms at work, it does allow employees to store and have access to firearms kept in privately owned vehicles parked on or in employer provided parking areas.

New York City -- A report by Reuters on Tuesday said that a group of landlords have filed objections in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Manhattan, disputing the process by which Borders Group is attempting to auction itself out of bankruptcy.

According to the nearly 20 landlords that filed objections on Friday and Monday, the plan offers no information regarding which leases would be assumed by potential buyers of Borders’ assets.

St. Louis -- An affiliate of Sun Capital Partners and Kellwood announced an agreement to acquire Amsterdam-based fashion brand Scotch & Soda.  The deal is expected to close in August 2011 upon regulatory approval. Terms of the private transaction were not disclosed.

San Francisco -- A Bloomberg report on Tuesday said that three major grocery chains may have violated antitrust law by profit-sharing during a strike.

The U.S. Court of Appeals in San Francisco on Tuesday ruled that Safeway, Supervalu Inc.’s Albertson’s and Kroger Co.’s Ralph’s supermarket chains were not exempt from antitrust scrutiny, as a court last year overturned a lower-court ruling that the agreement, reached during a 2003 conflict with the companies’ unions, didn’t violate antitrust law.

Quebec -- Fashion brand Groupe Dynamite, based in Quebec, said Tuesday it has selected Oracle Retail applications to support the company’s expansion plans.

Groupe Dynamite said it will implement Oracle Retail merchandising, demand forecasting and store solutions across its 250 “Garage” and “Dynamite” brand locations in North America.

“We want to transform our business and needed a proven retail technology platform as a part of that process,” said Anna Martini, president, Groupe Dynamite.

New York City -- Navarro Discount Pharmacy, which currently has 29 stores, has named CFO Juan Ortiz  to the position of CEO.

Ortiz succeeds CEO Steve Kaczynski, whose expertise in retail merchandising and marketing over the last 18 months has been instrumental in setting a strategic direction for the company and expanding its footprint in South Florida and nationally, the company said.

Orlando, Fla. — The Network of Executive Women will induct the first group of honorees into the newly created CPG Retail Diversity Hall of Fame on Sept. 19, as part of the organization’s annual Leadership Summit.

By David L. Barron

Seattle -- A Monday report by the Wall Street Journal said that Amazon.com on Friday filed a petition to add a measure on the California ballot asking voters to repeal the recently passed California law that requires online retailers to collect sales tax.

Amazon needs to submit 504,760 signatures by late September in order to get the measure on the Feb. 7, 2012 ballot for the next statewide election.

Johannesburg, South Africa -- The South African retailer owned by Wal-Mart Stores will make a key acquisition to expand its fresh food offerings, according to a Tuesday report by Bloomberg.

Massmart Holdings Ltd. said it will acquire The Fruitspot as part of its plan to expand its fresh foods. A Massmart spokesman told Bloomberg that the retailer aims to increase its business in butcheries, bakeries and fruit and vegetable suppliers.