Events

Although retail sales in August increased, they came in at a much slower pace than anticipated, according to the National Retail Federation. Sales (excluding automobiles, gas stations and restaurants) increased 0.1% seasonally adjusted from last month, and increased 3.9% unadjusted year-over-year.

New York -- In the final hours of its 2013 regular session, the legislature in California voted to approve a bill that would raise the minimum wage from $8 an hour to $10 an hour within three years. Gov. Jerry Brown has indicated he would sign the bill into law, saying "The minimum wage has not kept pace with rising costs. This legislation is overdue and will help families that are struggling in this harsh economy."

Special guest judge, Marlon Wayans, was on hand to help Miller Lite select the winner of the brand's national comedy competition "Stand Up. It's Miller Time."

Ocean City, Md. — Fractured Prune Doughnuts has announced a national expansion projecting 50 new store agreements in the next six months. The next Fractured Prune www.fracturedprune.com will open in St. George, Utah, on Sept. 24.

The brightly colored doughnut shops promote always hot doughnuts, available all ways and offers 15 glazes and 15 toppings.

Walmart president and CEO Bill Simon prefaced his comments at the Goldman Sach Global Retailing Conference by saying he wouldn’t have much to say. That proved to not be the case as Simon said a lot about a wide range of subjects.
 

An already impressive speaker lineup was further strengthened this week when executives from Walmart.com, Salesforce.com, DataRank and Saatchi & Saatchi X were added to the lineup for the Emerging Trends in Retailing conference.

District of Columbia Mayor Vincent Gray this week vetoed one of the most wrong-headed regulations ever proposed and the nation’s two leading retail trade groups were quick to praise the action.

Dr. Mehmood Khan, EVP and chief scientific officer for PepsiCo, has been appointed to the CTO Forum Advisory Board. The CTO Forum brings together senior technology executives and business leaders to discuss and collaborate on key technology issues facing the industry and to accelerate innovation across organizations.