Events

Coca-Cola to give $1 for every video share of Olympic song
Coca-Cola wants U.S. consumers to “Reach Up” to support the 2015 Special Olympics in Los Angeles.

The company has assembled a star-studded team to record a song for the games called “Reach Up,” which will be featured on Coke's social media channels. The song features rock band O.A.R., recording artist Cody Simpson, Breanna Bogucki, a singer and decorated Special Olympics athlete from Illinois who has Autism, and Madison Tevlin, a young Canadian woman with Down syndrome who became a viral sensation earlier this year.
Music festival cool coming to the mall
Simon Property Group is giving shoppers a reason to come to that mall that doesn’t involve shopping.

The company is teaming up with Refinery29 to transform mall shopping into a summer festival experience with fashion "stages," beauty bars, and live musical performances. Style Festival takes inspiration from the music festival culture that has become a millennial rite of passage.

Macy's touts appointment service for Father's Day

Just ahead of Dad’s big day on Sunday, Macy’s is promoting its Father’s Day offerings by encouraging shoppers to use its appointment service to find the perfect gift for Dad.
37.7% of Target shareholders want independent chairman

Target’s annual meeting was pretty much a non-event on June 10, aside from the fact that a corporate structure in which Brian Cornell serves as both chairman and CEO doesn’t sit well with many shareholders.
RILA urges Congress to approve trade promotion authority

Arlington, Va. — The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) is publicly urging members of the U.S. House of Representatives to approve H.R. 1314, a bill to renew Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) and extend Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) legislation. The bill is scheduled for vote June 12.
Walmart CEO McMillon wants cake with icing

Walmart Stores, Inc., president and CEO Doug McMillon invoked a baking metaphor at a retail conference in Northwest Arkansas this week to describe the company’s merchandising philosophy and approach to offering customers every day low prices.
Two retailers ‘making’ moves with the White House

Etsy and the West Elm division of Williams-Sonoma continue to fuel the maker movement with new initiatives that were launched to coincide with a Presidential Proclamation establishing the National Week of Making.

In conjunction with an event at the White House and a proclamation by President Barack Obama, online retailer Etsy said it planned to expand its Craft Entrepreneurship program to 30 cities by July 2016 from the current 19 cities.
Whole Foods: New store concept to be called ‘365 by Whole Foods Market’

Austin, Texas — Whole Foods Market unveiled the name of its new banner of smaller, value-focused and millenial-targeted stores: “365 by Whole Foods Market.”
Incoming Penney CEO reveals the three key areas company will focus on

New York -- J.C. Penney CEO-designee Marvin Ellison, who officially takes over on Aug. 1, outlined three key areas the company will focus on in the coming months in a presentation on Wednesday at the Piper Jaffray conference, The Street reported.

Click here for the story.
Nordstrom to open store in 2018 in Carlsbad, California

Seattle -- Nordstrom announced plans to open a full-line store in a new open-air retail promenade to be built by Caruso Affiliated, in Carlsbad, California.

The 124,000-sq.-ft. store is scheduled to open fall 2018 and will be the fifth Nordstrom full-line store in the greater San Diego area. The company opened its first Nordstrom in San Diego at Fashion Valley in 1981.
Target doubles share buyback authorization

Minneapolis – Target Corp. is doubling the amount of its share buyback authorization from $5 billion to $10 billion. Under this authorization, through first quarter 2015, the company had invested a total of $3.7 billion to retire 56.9 million shares at an average price of $65.06 per share.
Dick's opening new stores in Va., S.C., and Fla.

Dick's Sporting Goods Inc. is opening four new stores this month as the company moves forward with its plan to open as many as 750 stores by 2017.

The company will distribute free Reebok Play Dry T-Shirts to the first 100 people in queue on the opening day. Also, the early birds will get an opportunity to open the DICK'S Sporting Goods Gift Locker on all three days. Moreover, on Saturday and Sunday, the company plans to give away free Mystery Gift Cards worth $5–$500 to the first 100 adults in line.