There's been another development in the planned Walgreens Boot Alliance and Rite Aid merger.  

A new report suggests that Walgreens Boots Alliance’s acquisition of Rite Aid may be in jeopardy.    The Capital Forum reported that the Federal Trade Commission's staff are prepared to recommend that the agency file a lawsuit to stop the deal, according to Reuters. A source close to the deal told Reuters that FTC staff has asked companies and groups concerned about the deal for depositions and affidavits that could be used in a lawsuit aimed at stopping it.  

The vacated Whispering Pines Mobile Home Park in North Attleboro, Massachusetts, will be filled with retail by a local developer building centers large and small along the Rhode Island border.   The still nameless project makes the fifth center that Johnston, Rhode Island-based Carpionato Group has under development in the area. They range in size from 53,000 sq. ft. of GLA at the Shoppes at Mayfaire in Attleboro to 830,000 sq. ft. at the Stonehill Marketplace power center in Johnston.  

Walmart shared the results of its 47th annual shareholders meeting held June 2.  

A lawsuit accusing a natural-foods grocer of overcharging customers has been revived.   On Friday, June 2, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York City ordered Whole Foods Market to face a proposed class-action lawsuit accusing it of overcharging shoppers in New York City. The suit claims the chain overstated the weight of pre-packaged food in its supermarkets, according to Reuters.  

Gymboree Corp. could be filing Chapter 11 sooner than expected.   Struggling to manage its debt and churn a profit, Gymboree missed an interest payment due June 1, for its outstanding 9.125% senior notes due 2018. The missed payment was reported in a filing on Thursday, June 1, by the Securities and Exchange Commission, according to CNBC.   

Wages

Federal $15/Hr Minimum Wage . As promised, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders with support from Democratic Leadership introduced a bill this week to raise the federal hourly minimum wage to $15 by 2024 to index it to inflation starting in 2025. Passage is highly unlikely, although Democratic leadership has vowed to make the Fight for $15 a larger focus of the party platform.
 

As retail operators return to work this week after what was hopefully a busy Memorial Day weekend for them, they should be encouraged by some rare good news out of Washington, D.C. The industry had some big wins last week on very important issues. Republican House leaders wisely decided to remove language from the popular CHOICE Act that would have repealed the debit card swipe fee reforms the industry fought hard to pass in 2010.