Displays & Signs

On average, across the retailer set, both the number of inserts and number of page counts decreased when comparing the month of May 2011 to May 2010. Notable standouts for the insert counts include a decline of 39% for Home Depot and an 11% decrease for Lowe’s.  While both Home Depot and Lowe’s dropped fewer inserts this year compared to last year, Home Depot’s decline was more pronounced from nearly seven inserts in 2010 to four in 2011.

BERLIN, N.J. — A.C. Moore Arts & Crafts, which operates 135 stores along the U.S. East Coast, has announced a summer-long schedule of free "Make & Take" arts and crafts activities for children ages two to 12, through Aug. 31. All A.C. Moore stores (www.acmoore.com) will offer the free activities, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., each Wednesday, through the end of the summer.

New York City -- Winick Realty Group LLC said that luxury luggage retailer Mitsosa Group has leased its second Manhattan location at 40 East 55th Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues.

The 1,150-sq.-ft. store is expected to open in late summer or early fall, and will feature 35 feet of frontage on 55th Street.

According to Winick, the retailer is looking at other tourist-driven areas throughout Manhattan with plans to open three stores within the next 18 months.

HINGHAM, Mass. — Talbots reported that first quarter income from continuing operations was $0.9 million, or 1 cent per share, compared with last year’s loss from continuing operations of $7.1 million, or 12 cents per share.

CHICAGO and CAMBRIDGE, Mass. and SPRINGFIELD, Mass. and BOSTON — Through a partnership with Incentive Targeting and HaloEffect, Big Y Foods will become the first grocery retailer to offer Groupon deals digitally loaded to shoppers’ loyalty cards, the companies announced.

It’s the time of year when retailers engage in the annual Dads and Grads promotional extravaganza, and Target is promoting the Apple iPad at $499 as a gift-giving solution.

The iPad appeared on a full-page ad in this week’s circular along with other Apple products such as the iPhone 4 and the iPod Touch.

Not that dads and grads wouldn’t want an iPad, and it never hurts to feature an item that shoppers can aspire to, but the iPad would appear to be out of the price range of most gift-givers, especially where Father’s Day is concerned.

New York City -- SRS Real Estate Partners said that “Sugar and Plumm Purveyors of Yumm” has leased 4,206 sq. ft. at the northeast corner of Amsterdam Avenue and West 78th Street on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.

The retail and food concept features artisan desserts, candy and more, with the interiors designed by Rockwell Group.

Sugar and Plumm will open its first location this summer at Bergen Town Center in Paramus, N.J.

New York City -- Express will officially debut its new store design concept this month, in King of Prussia Mall, King of Prussia, Pa. The format was created by Masamichi Katayama, interior designer and principal of Japanese design firm Wonderwall.

The new environment features design elements of refined chic mixed with unconventional edge and forward-thinking composition to create an individual space with a definite sense of style. The same concept is scheduled to launch at Kenwood Towne Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, also this month.