Events

Sears, Macerich form $150 million joint venture for nine mall stores
Hoffman Estates, Ill. – Sears Holding Corp. and Santa Monica, California-based shopping mall operator The Macerich Co. are forming a 50/50 joint venture that will purchase nine Sears stores located in Macerich malls for $150 million. The venture will then lease the stores back to Sears or to other retailers.

Sears has entered two other similar leaseback joint ventures during April 2015, including deals with General Growth Properties and Simon Property Group. According to Macerich, the stores have average in-line sales of $680 per square foot.
North Face enhancing in-store experience with virtual reality
New York -- Outdoor apparel, equipment and footwear retailer The North Face has collaborated with Jaunt, which provides virtual reality (VF) hardware and software, on an immersive VR in-store experience designed to boost customers’ connection to the outdoors.

The attraction arrived in select North Face locations beginning in March in Chicago, and is now being rolled out to the company’s store in Manhattan. It transports viewers to Yosemite National Park and Moab, Utah, alongside North Face global athletes Cedar Wright and Sam Elias.

True Religion opens digitally enhanced flagship in Manhattan

Vernon, Calif. -- True Religion Apparel Inc. has opened its first global flagship, at 513 Broadway in downtown Manhattan. The 3,000-sq.-ft. space is the brand’s largest and most digitally-savvy store to date, starting with storefront windows that display a continuous stream of video content. The windows are also able to showcase style statements from shoppers themselves.

Inside the store, digital kiosks and iPads provide product-on-demand by offering the entire True Religion collection through an endless digital aisle.
ECRM/Retailing Today Supplier Showcase: Loco Brands

Gene Operle, Regional Sales Manager for Hallandale Beach, Fla.-based Loco Brands, participated in ECRM’s recent Snack & Dry Grocery Event in Jacksonville, Fla.
Kroger's SoCal stores ask shoppers to give

The Food 4 Less and Ralph’s divisions of Kroger Co. are asking shoppers in the Southern California area to support the Special Olympics.

The 2015 Special Olympics World Games are coming to Los Angeles this summer, and Ralphs customers and associates can show their support of Special Olympics through the supermarket chain's nonprofit arm, The Ralphs Fund, by donating their spare change in collection canisters located at the checkstands in their neighborhood Ralphs supermarket.
WMT exec to offer Savings Catcher insight

With the one year anniversary of Walmart’s Saving Catcher app approaching, the executive who led its development is slated to give an update on what’s next for the price comparison app at a May 14 event in Bentonville.

Greg Chandler, senior marketing director of customer engagement at Walmart, is the featured speaker at an upcoming meeting of Doing Business in Bentonville. Chandler is scheduled to speak on the topic of “Walmart mobile retail – how Savings Catcher is changing the way Walmart things about digital retail.”
Target names Ecolab CEO as lead independent director

Minneapolis – Doug Baker, CEO of environmental technology firm Ecolab, has been named by Target Corp. as lead independent director of the Target board. Baker, who already serves as an independent director for Target, will replace current independent director Jim Johnson, who is retiring from the board in June after almost 20 years.
Staples targets small business customers

On the heels of Amazon’s B2B move, Staples is launching a marketing campaign to lure more small business customers. Staples says it will offer 40% off large posters, banners and lawn signs, and 50% off custom invitations and announcements through June 27.
MCX founder Best Buy will accept Apple Pay in stores

Minneapolis – Best Buy Co. Inc., a founder of the MCX retailer consortium that is developing a mobile payment system called CurrentC, will accept Apple Pay in stores starting later in 2015. Apple announced Best Buy’s planned participation in Apple Pay during a call with investors.
It’s nothing but ‘Star Wars’ at Toys ‘R’ Us

Wayne, N.J. – If Darth Vader scared you, then you’ll probably want to check out the new online “Star War”s hub that Toys “R” Us Inc. is launching as part of a year-long omnichannel promotion tied to the classic movie franchise, which returns with a new film in December. The hub will showcase video content, event information and more in the coming months.
NRF, RILA says NLRB erred in micro-union decision

Washington, D.C. – The National Retail Federation (NRF) and Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) have filed a friend-of-the-court brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals saying the National Labor Relations Board’s decision to recognize a “micro-union” of workers in a single department at a Macy’s store in Massachusetts was incorrect. According to the trade organizations, allowing workers in a single department instead of the whole store to organize violates longstanding precedents on union organizing.
Toys“R”Us unveils omnichannel campaign for 'Star Wars'

Toys“R”Us and Toysrus.com are set to bring customers to a galaxy far, far away with a year-long omnichannel celebration in honor of the epic Star Wars saga.