Events

Washington, D.C. -- Consumers are opening up their pocketbooks for St. Patrick’s Day, according to the National Retail Federation’s St. Patrick’s Day Spending Survey.

The survey, conducted by Prosper Insights and Analytics, finds that nearly 127 million Americans are planning to celebrate the traditional Irish holiday and will spend an average of $36.52 on green garb, festive food and more, compared to $35.78 last year.

New York -- Visa Inc., Pizza Hut and Accenture have teamed up to develop a connected car to test mobile and online purchases on the go. The connected car is expected to feature Visa Checkout (Visa’s online payment service), cellular connectivity, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), and Beacon technology deployed at Pizza Hut restaurants to alert staff when the customer has arrived and is ready to pick up the order. Accenture is managing the integration of the technologies.

New York -- One of the most buzzed-about retailers in the country, Nadia Shouraboura, will present her singular vision of retailing in a digital age at Chain Store Age’s 51st annual SPECS Conference, March 15-17, 2015, at Sands Expo at the Venetial/Palazzo Hotel, Las Vegas.

Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores is aiming to attract more families with a new corporate giving campaign.

The fabric and craft specialty retailer announced that Boys & Girls Clubs of America will be a major recipient of Jo-Ann corporate giving in 2015. To help inspire young minds, customers will be able to purchase a “pin-up” upon checkout to benefit the organization from March 1 through April 4 at all Jo-Ann stores nationwide.

Las Vegas -- A giant “starburst ” a 14-ft.-diameter structure composed of 911 custom-cut Swarovski crystal spheres that put on a dazzling show at midnight, is the sparkling centerpiece of Las Vegas’ newest retail destination, Grand Bazaar Shops. The starburst, was created for — and towers above—the outdoor center’s new Swarovski store, whose exterior is composed of dozens of large, angular facets designed to make it resemble a cut crystal.

Kohl’s is sponsoring a Milwaukee-area school grant program for the third year in a row.   The Kohl’s Cares Field Trip Grant Program gives more than $1 million in funding to schools throughout the metro-Milwaukee area.  

Orlando, Fla. - Planet Hollywood, is transforming its Orlando flagship location into a four-story star-gazing observatory set to debut in spring 2016. The reimagined “Planet Hollywood Observatory” will overlook the heart of Downtown Disney with a newly-expanded outdoor terrace and bar.