Legislative, Regulatory & Legal

New York City -- Walmart has reached a deal in principle with the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York, Crain’s New York Business reported. The agreement guarantees union workers will construct or renovate any stores that the chain opens in the city during the next five years, Crain’s New York reported.

The agreement is a win for Walmart, which has faced tough opposition from unions in New York City.

New York City -- New York City residents spent nearly $200 million at about a dozen Walmart stores in the New York metropolitan area in 2010, up about 20% from the amount reported in a previous 12-month period, the company said Monday, according to Crain’s New York.

Although Wal-Mart does have any stores in New York City proper, the chain is determined to break into the market and is working to overcome opposition from labor, community and small business groups.

New York City -- A report released Monday by Bloomberg said that J. Crew Group’s $10 million settlement of an investor lawsuit over the proposed takeover by private-equity firms TPG Capital and Leonard Green & Partners LP has fallen apart.

Citing a lawyer for the shareholders, the report said that J. Crew officials undermined a deal in which the clothier agreed to extend the period to solicit competing offers to the $3 billion buyout bid. The accord also included a $10 million payment to plaintiffs.

Ann Arbor, Mich. -- Borders Group Inc. said Sunday that payment of some bills due at the end of January is being delayed to help the book seller "maintain liquidity" while trying to complete a restructuring of its debt.

Last week, the company received a commitment for $550 million in financing from General Electric Capital, subject to conditions that include securing $175 million from other lenders and continuing to close stores.

Dallas -- Davaco said Tuesday it is preparing to roll out high-volume retrofits of interior and exterior restaurant menu boards in response to the FDA’s new nutrition/menu labeling program.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 requires restaurants and similar retail food establishments with 20 or more locations to list calorie content information for standard menu items on restaurant menus and menu boards.

Washington, D.C. -- The National Retail Federation welcomed President Obama’s recognition of the importance of the retail industry to job creation in Tuesday night’s State of the Union address, and pledged to work with the White House on initiatives to promote continuation of the nation’s economic recovery.

WASHINGTON — The largest retail trade association on Wednesday said that President Obama's State of the Union address recognized the industry's role in job creation.

The National Retail Federation said that the president's "continued support of 'commonsense safeguards,'" which included support of such proposals as swipe fee limits, "will help retailers innovate and support the consumer spending that is crucial to job creation."

Orange, Va. -- Wal-Mart Stores has abandoned its plans to build a Walmart Superstore near a Civil War battlefield in Virginia. The retailer’s lawyers made the announcement Wednesday in a northern Virginia court, where a judge has been hearing a case to block the plan.