Events

It was 25 years ago today the Ghermezian family taught American shoppers to play.   The Ghermezians and their Triple Five development company had already set a new standard for enclosed shopping centers with their West Edmonton Mall. But on August 11, 1992, on the former site of Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington, Minnesota, they and managing agent Simon created a whole new ball game.  

New York City’s transformation of an old warehouse district into a Jetson-esque neighborhood of the future begins in earnest this week with leasing beginning at the 33-story One Hudson Yards residential tower.   “One Hudson Yards was curated for those who seek an elevated sense of living,” said Benjamin Joseph, Executive VP of Related Companies, developer and leasing agent for the massive project.   

In 2016, Chain Store Age unveiled its first-ever SPECS Ambassadors Club, created to recognize selected retail executives who have made significant contributions to the industry and to SPECS. Produced by CSA, SPECS is attended by retail and food-service executives who plan, design, build, and maintain stores and restaurants nationwide.  

Target Corp. and Best Buy didn't just talk the talk when it came to killing a border adjustment tax on imports that was the centerpiece of House Republicans tax reform plan.    In the first six months of 2017, Best Buy spent $1.71 million in lobbying efforts, twice as much as it spent the entire year in 2016, the Star Tribune reported. Target Corp. spent $1.48 million lobbying from January through June 2017, which was slightly less than it spent all of last year.  

Wages

The retail industry lost jobs in July.   Retail industry employment declined slightly in July, decreasing 1,700 jobs from June, according to the National Retail Federation. On a three-month average, retail jobs have decreased by 4,200 jobs as calculated by NRF. (The numbers exclude automobile dealers, gasoline stations and restaurants.) On a positive note, the economy overall saw gains of 209,000 jobs in July, exceeding growth expectations for the month.  

Someone forgot to tell At Home that big-box stores are passé.    Since Lee Bird took the reins as chief executive at the beginning of 2013, the Plano, Texas-based home decor superstore retailer has been on a steep upward trajectory — and it shows no signs of losing momentum anytime soon.   

Empire Outlets, the outlet center taking shape on the Staten Island side of the Staten Island Ferry, has turned to Manhattan and Holly Nichols to help promote the center.   Nichols’s illustrations have guided campaigns for Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman-Marcus, not to mention New York and Boston Fashion Weeks. Her work has 600,000 followers on Instagram, and originals sell to collectors on Etsy.