Events

Nashville, Tenn. -- Kirkland’s net profit in its fiscal third quarter as operating expenses and cost of sales rose, and same-store sales declined. But its results still beat Wall Street's expectations. The company earned $1.2 million, compared with $2.3 million a year earlier.

Operating expenses rose 8% to $31.3 million, while the company's cost of sales rose 7% to $60.9 million.

Sales rose 5% to $97.1 million, from $92.7 million. Same-store sales were down 3.6%.
 

Washington, D.C. -- Holiday shoppers are expected to spend $155.43 on average for gift cards this season, and total gift-card spending is projected to reach $27.8 billion, according to a survey released Friday by the National Retail Federation.

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway Inc. announced that its stores raised $1 million for the Wounded Warrior Project, an organization that exists to honor and empower military men and women who incurred service-related injuries on or after Sept. 11, 2001.

The money was raised during Veteran's Day weekend by all Safeway, Vons, Pavilions, Dominick's, Randalls, Genuardi's, Tom Thumb and Carrs stores in the United States

MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis. — Kohl’s Department Stores announced that the company has been recognized with its third Green Power Partner of the Year Award by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Department of Energy and the Center for Resource Solutions. With this year’s award, Kohl’s is the first retailer to be named a Green Power Partner of the Year for three consecutive years, the company reported.

Cleveland -- CenterMark Development said it has signed a lease with Deal$, a division of Dollar Tree, to occupy an 11,000‐sq.-ft., former Easttown Eagle Market building in the Glenville neighborhood of Cleveland.

CenterMark purchased the long‐vacant building in October and said it expects to complete the rehabilitation by the spring of 2012. A grand opening is expected during the second quarter following interior improvements by Deal$.
 

New York City -- A report released Thursday by the International Council of Shopping Centers and Goldman Sachs said that 34% of consumers plan to shop on Black Friday, up from 31% in 2010 and 26% in 2009.

“In addition to buying gifts, consumers overwhelmingly indicated that they would be looking for bargains on Black Friday for themselves as well,” said Michael P. Niemira, chief economist and director of research for ICSC.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Winn-Dixie on Wednesday announced it has joined forces with Feeding America to launch the Give a Meal program, which gives Winn-Dixie guests and team members the opportunity to help provide food to nearly 37 million Americans — including more than 14 million children — facing hunger this holiday season. Give a Meal runs through Jan. 3 and is available in all of Winn-Dixie’s 482 stores in Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi.

Washington, D.C. -- A survey released Thursday by the National Retail Federation said that the number of people “definitely” shopping stores and websites on Black Friday as jumped to 33%, from 27% in 2010.