Events

Fairfax, Va. – A competitive promotional environment and delivery problems had a negative impact on net income and revenues at Geeknet, parent company of online retailer ThinkGeek.com and licensed merchandise distributor ThinkGeek Solutions, during the fourth quarter and full year 2014. Net income for fourth quarter 2014 was $1 million, down 80% from net income of $5.1 million in the same period a year earlier.

Total revenue for fourth quarter 2014 was $72.4 million, a decrease of 3% from $74.3 million.

PetSmart is hoping to stand out in the pet category with a new marketing campaign that celebrates “pethood.”

The campaign, called "Petsmart Partners in Pethood," explores how having a pet can be similar to having a child -- from potty training to feeding, bathing to doctors visits.

The Secretary of Homeland Security, Jeh Johnson, has warned shoppers at shopping centers to be vigilant after a terror group called for attacks at shopping venues in Canada, the U.K. and the United States, mentioning by name the Mall of America, in Bloomington, Minn.

New York -- The Secretary of Homeland Security, Jeh Johnson, warned shoppers at shopping centers to be vigilant after a terror group called for attacks at shopping venues in Canada, the U.K. and the United States, mentioning by name the Mall of America, in Bloomington, Minnesota.

"I'm not telling people to not go to the mall," Johnson said Sunday on NBC's Meet The Press. "I think that there needs to be an awareness."

The White House recently hosted a daylong Summit on Cybersecurity and Consumer Protection at Stanford University. Speakers ranged from President Barack Obama to Apple CEO Tim Cook to Walgreens president Alex Gourlay). Here are a few takeaways.

Retailers Recognize Chip and PIN

Are you one of America's Top Developers, Acquirers or Third-Party Managers? Chain Store Age will release the results of the 26th Annual Top Developers and Fastest-Growing Acquirers and 3P Managers in the May 2015 issue distributed at the RECon show in Las Vegas.

The three surveys measure retail and shopping center space developed, acquired and contracted for management/leasing during the 2014 calendar year.  The top five or six companies in each category (by square footage) will be ranked in the May issue. In short:  
 

Deerfield, Ill. — Walgreens will celebrate the official opening of a two-story, flagship store in Honolulu, in the Ala Moana shopping district on Feb. 21 at 9 a.m.
 
This is Walgreens 15th flagship store, its 12th store on Oahu and 18th overall in Hawaii. The culturally inspired design reflects elements of traditional Hawaiian architecture, as well as embraces components of the natural landscape.
 

Washington, D.C. -- The National Retail Federation called for President Obama to become involved in the ongoing contract negotiations between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) if a deal is not reached.

“It has been nearly a week since President Obama dispatched Labor Secretary Perez to the West Coast to help settle the protracted contract dispute between the ILWU and PMA,” Jonathan Gold, VP for supply chain and customs policy, NRF, wrote in a statement issued Friday.