Corporate Governance

The president and CEO of Macy's, Jeff Gennette, and Google's president of global partnerships, Daniel Alegre, will be among the headliners at Shoptalk 2018, the nex-gen retail and e-commerce event.   Also on the bill: Alon Cohen, president and co-founder of Houzz, the home furnishings and design site. Shoptalk's final agenda will feature more than 400 speakers, an increase of 25% over 2017’s event.  

The Kroger Co. is looking to extend its share of consumers' food dollars — this time, however, it’s aiming for the dollars spent on meals outside the home.    The supermarket retailer is opening its first-ever full-service restaurant, which will be located next to Kroger's new Marketplace store in Union, Kentucky. In a nod to the year Kroger was founded, the restaurant will be called Kitchen 1883. It will open in late October.   

Target Corp. is adding more health clinics to its stores.    Target is opening clinics staffed and operated by Kaiser Permanente in 31 of the chain's stores In Southern California. The expansion builds on an existing collaboration the two companies launched in 2014.  

eBay has made a play to make a name for itself as a luxury shopping destination.    The online merchant is partnering with Spring, a shopping app and website that features 1,500 luxury brands, from Prada, Gucci, and Saint Laurent to David Yurman, Rag & Bone, Mango and Chloe. By featuring the company as a marquee seller, eBay will feature a dedicated Spring storefront where shoppers can find, browse and purchase luxury items curated in one location.  

Early signs from retailers indicate a hot job market for workers this holiday season.    Despite store closures and consolidation within the industry, retailers are signaling that there might be high demand for seasonal jobs, according to a forecast from global outplacement and executive coaching firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas.   

The maker of what it calls "the world's most comfortable shoes" has set up shop in New York City.   Allbirds, the eco-friendly online brand with a fast-growing and devoted following (especially in the Silicon Valley), has opened its second brick-and-mortar location, in Manhattan's SoHo neighborhood. The company opened its first store, on the ground floor of its San Francisco headquarters, in April.  

DSW Inc. is making good on its promise to create a foothold in the Persian Gulf.   The footwear giant opened of its first warehouse store in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The new 15,000-sq.-ft. store is located at the Mall of Dhahran.   

West Marine has gone private.    Monomoy Capital Partners announced Thursday that it has successfully completed the acquisition of West Marine for approximately $337 million, or $12.97 per share. The transaction was originally announced at the end of June.