Events

Fresh Thyme Farmers Market is upping its store count in the greater Chicago market.

The new specialty grocer will open three Chicagoland stores on Oct. 14, with one in the city, one in Crystal Lake and one in Naperville. The openings will give Fresh Thyme seven Chicagoland locations.

The chain, which offers organic products at value prices, recently opened a central support hub in Downers Grove, Illinois.

The National Retail Federation issued an above average holiday season sales forecast in which the desire of Americans to spend will be offset by their ability to do so.

The trade group projects that total holiday sales will increase 3.7% to $630.5 billion during the November time-frame and that online sales would increase between 6% and 8% to represent $108 billion of the total.

The “paint ‘n’ sip” phenomenon, whereby friends, neighbors, and colleagues come together to paint, drink and relax, is showing no signs of slowing down and that’s good news for a Louisiana-based company.

Painting with a Twist, which bills itself as the original and largest paint-and-sip franchise, has opened more than one new location each week this year, and is on track to reach its goal of 100 new locations in 2015.

Retailers constantly experiment to serve customer needs in new ways and HSN has taken that concept to a new level with an initiative involving Ford.
 
Through the end of October, HSN and Ford Motor Company are offering a “preferred price event” based on the core value proposition of a prenegotiated price on a wide range of the automaker’s models.
 

The “paint ‘n’ sip” phenomenon, whereby friends, neighbors, and colleagues come together to paint, drink and relax, is showing up signs of slowing down and that’s good news for a Louisiana-based company.

Painting with a Twist, which bills itself as the original and largest paint-and-sip franchise, has opened more than one new location each week this year, and is on track to reach its goal of 100 new locations in 2015.

Chattanooga, Tenn. -- CBL & Associates Properties and DreamWorks Animation are ringing in the holiday with the ultimate Santa experience at Oak Park Mall in Overland Park, Kansas City.

Lowe's is coming to the aid of the communities it serves with a donation to help provide relief in the wake of massive flooding in the Southeast.

The retailer plans to donate $500,000 to American Red Cross Disaster Relief and work to provide both immediate and long-term support to local communities in the Southeast.

A new event for retailers and consumer package goods executives is taking shape called Shoptalk and the successful entrepreneurs behind its creation have big plans and funding to make it happen.

The National Retail Federation has formed a Digital Council to focus on the e-commerce, mobile and innovative initiatives that exist within the retail industry today.

The members-only council, powered by NRF’s Shop.org digital division, will support and promote collaboration in efforts like the exchange of information on digital retail trends and strategies, the development of original research, and educational events and advocacy opportunities in Washington, D.C.

The National Retail Federation has formed a new entity to enhance the strategic value of NRF and the e-commerce, mobile and innovative initiatives that exist within the retail industry.

The members-only Digital Council, powered by NRF’s Shop.org digital division, will support and promote collaboration on digital retail trends and strategies, the development of original research, and educational events and advocacy opportunities in Washington, D.C.