Corporate Governance

Hobart now heading new format at Dick’s
Lauren Hobart has been elevated to the role of executive vice president at Dick’s Sporting Goods and given responsibility for a potential new growth vehicle.

Hobart was named executive vice president, chief marketing officer and general manager of Dick’s new women’s specialty fitness stores branded as Chelsea Collective. Only two store are in operation currently, in McLean, Va. and Pittsburgh, but greater growth could be in store now the Dick’s has given a senior executive oversight of the concept.
Kroger launches appeal to the ‘epicurious’
Kroger has a history of successful private brand launches and it is putting that track record to the test with a new globally inspired line called HemisFares.

Petco Foundation to grant $500,000 in holiday wishes

Petco is looking to drive increased digital engagement with a new holiday pet adoption campaign.

The Petco Foundation has launched its third annual Holiday Wishes campaign, which awards grants to animal welfare organizations across the country that are busy at work ensuring the pets in their communities have homes for the holidays.
Walmart opens new fulfillment center in Georgia

Walmart offered a sneak peek of its new fulfillment center in the Atlanta area on Thursday on the heels of announcing that it would bring grocery pickup to the region this month.
EMV is here, sort of

The highly anticipated EMV deadline of October 1 has come and gone, leaving many retailers and payment solutions providers to ponder what’s next?

As of Oct. 1, 2015, any U.S. retailer that does not have the necessary POS hardware, software, and operational and network protocols in place to process an EMV-compliant chip card transaction faces a shift in fraud liability.
Lionel roars into omnichannel

Lionel LLC has been making and selling model trains for 115 years, but that doesn’t mean the company is behind the times. Lionel is using NetSuite NetCommerce to run its end-to-end omnichannel commerce business.

The implementation, which only took four months, powers the company’s consumer-facing e-commerce websites for its Lionel Trains and Lionel Racing brands, call center, inventory management, order management, marketing, customer support and financials.
NRF: Life will continue with EMV

Despite all the commotion surrounding the Oct. 1 deadline for U.S. retailers to accept EMV-compliant payment cards, the National Retail Federation (NRF) expects no drastic shifts to occur.
Eight Changes That Will Impact the Retail Real Estate Industry

The retail real industry has experienced its share of changes over the years, but nothing comes close to the transformation that it is currently undergoing.

As the industry undergoes what the International Council of Shopping Centers calls one of the “most profound transformations” in its 60-year year history, the association has releases its Envision 2020 report, a collaborative initiative that outlines where the industry will be in five years according to leaders from around the globe.
Publix pledges $4 million to Habitat for Humanity

After a new donation pledge from Publix Super Markets, the international nonprofit Habitat for Humanity will be able to build 40 new houses in 2016 in the Southeast, where Publix serves all of its customers.

The $4 million donation, announced Monday, will go to more than 80 different Habitat for Humanity affiliates in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.
Microsoft set to unveil long-awaited flagship

The wait is finally over—and with it, the competition between Microsoft and Apple takes a closer turn. Microsoft will take the wraps off its Manhattan flagship, on Oct. 26. The store is located on Fifth Avenue and 53rd Street, just a few short blocks from Apple’s Fifth Avenue flagship with its glass cube entry.
Ikea goes renewable in Missouri

Ikea continues its commitment to renewable energy with the opening of its store in St. Louis.

The 380,000-sq.-ft. store, the Swedish company’s first in the state of Missouri and 41st in the United States, features the largest rooftop solar array in the state of Missouri.

It is also the first Ikea location in the United States that is lit entirely with LEDs, both inside and out. It is also the first to open with LED lighting for sale.

To date, Ikea has a renewable energy presence at 90% of its U.S. locations.
Hussman acquires Commercial Refrigerator Door

Hussmann Corporation has acquired Commercial Refrigerator Door Company, Sarasota, Florida.

Family owned and operated since 1975, Commercial Refrigerator Door offers a full line of Styleline products, including heated and energy-free glass door and frame systems for walk-in coolers and freezers and a wide range of shelving and merchandising accessories.