Events

Import volume at major U.S. container ports is expected to hit an all-time record in August as retailers concerned about the lack of a West Coast longshoremen’s contract rush to bring holiday season merchandise into the country, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released today by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

Shanghai, China -- M&M’S celebrated the grand opening of its first M&M’S World store in Asia – M&M’s World Shanghai, a 17,000+-sq.-ft. entertainment destination that marks the brand’s fifth M&M’s World flagship store. Current flagships include Times Square, New York; Orlando; Las Vegas; and Leicester Square London.
 
Spanning two floors and combining iconic Chinese landmarks and cultural elements, the store features a large array of candies and M&M-branded merchandise.

New York - Fairway Group Holdings Corp., the parent company of Fairway Market, shrank its net loss to $9.7 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2015 compared to $27.95 million in the same quarter the prior year. Declining general and administrative expenses, resulting from the elimination of IPO- and consultant-related fees from the first quarter of fiscal 2014, helped reduce net loss.

Indianapolis -- Simon, in concert with joint-venture partner PREIT-Rubin, has broken ground on Gloucester Premium Outlets in Gloucester Township, New Jersey, a multi-million dollar upscale outlet destination that will bring more than 80 retailers to the southern New Jersey market.

Beauty retailer bareMinerals unveiled its new bareMinerals Shade Shop concept, in Manhattan’s SoHo area. The format puts a different spin on the company’s signature complexion products, merchandising them by what it calls shade family – light, medium, tan, dark and deep– in a streamlined, easy-to-navigate environment.

New York -- Faith Hope Consolo, chairman, and Joseph Aquino, executive VP, along with Arthur Maglio of Douglas Elliman's Retail Group are bringing fashion designer Victor de Souza to a pop up boutique at 2312 Adam Clayton Powell Blvd. as he prepares for his New York Fashion Week debut on Sept. 3.

Polygroup Limited, Chartpak and Tru Vue were among the trading partners and service providers recognized by The Michaels Companies as Partners of the Year.
 
The arts and crafts retailers held a gala event in Dallas on August 7 and singled out 11 companies who demonstrated a commitment to surpassing expectations and continually providing excellence in service, quality and innovation.
 

Phoenix – Sprouts Farmers Market Inc. reported net income of $30.2 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2014, more than double the $12.5 million profit reported in the same quarter a year earlier. The elimination of pre-tax loss on extinguishment of debt of $8.2 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2013 helped boost Sprouts’ net income.