Strategy

Kohl’s will open its third distribution center devoted to e-commerce by July as it looks to build on the 50% growth rate experienced last year and surpass annual online sales of $1 billion in 2011.

Menomonee Falls, Wis. -- Kohl's Corp. said Tuesday that plans to open a distribution center in July in Maryland that will create about 1,200 jobs over the next three years.

According to the retailer, the Edgewood, Md., DC will fulfill online orders. Kohl’s anticipates hiring more than 200 full- and part-time employees when the center opens in July.

With the newest DC, Kohl's will have a total of 12 distribution centers across the United States.

WASHINGTON -- The nation’s court is set to hear arguments on Tuesday in a decade-old legal fight that could cost Wal-Mart Stores billions of dollars if the 500,000 women claiming sex bias are allowed to band together in a class action.

Wal-Mart is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to end the massive sex discrimination lawsuit in which the women are claiming that the retailer favors men over women in pay and promotions.

Atlanta -- Aaron’s said Tuesday that it plans to create nearly 1,000 jobs in the United States and Canada this year. The lease-to-own retailer said it has added 50 workers so far this year and is on schedule to hire 500 more based on current store opening plans.

An additional 75 franchised stores is expected to create about 400 jobs.

Washington, D.C. -- The nation’s court is set to hear arguments on Tuesday in a decade-old legal fight that could cost Wal-Mart Stores billions of dollars if the 500,000 women claiming sex bias are allowed to band together in a class action.

Wal-Mart is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to end the massive sex discrimination lawsuit in which the women are claiming that the retailer favors men over women in pay and promotions.
 

KATY, Texas – Sue Miller Payton has been named director of marketing at Igloo Product Corp. In her new position, Payton will be responsible for all aspects of product marketing, promotion, advertising and public relations, cyber-marketing including all social media, special events and exhibits. She is based at the company’s corporate headquarters and primary manufacturing location in Katy, Texas.

City of Industry, Calif. -- Hot Topic said Monday that it is taking a series of steps it hopes will encourage growth, including closing its ShockHound.com music and merchandise website.

The teen retail chain said it will write down unproductive inventory and fixed assets that are not vital to the company's strategy. It also said it plans to stop reporting sales monthly in the third quarter.

BERLIN, N.J. -- A.C. Moore Arts & Crafts reported that sales for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2010 were $143.2 million, a decrease of 4.4% compared with sales of $149.7 million during the fourth quarter of last year. This decline was primarily attributable to a decrease in comparable-store sales of 4.3% during the quarter. Net loss was $4.8 million, or 20 cents per share, compared to a net loss of $0.5 million, or 2 cents per share, in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2009.