Events

Books-A-Million is re-defining the meaning of summer camp and fun for kids this summer with a new character-based series of store events.

Summer Fun Camps at Books-A-Million will take place from 2-4 pm each Saturday in July, and feature activities based around popular characters like the Minions, Percy Jackson and Harry Potter. The camps will take place at all Books-A-Million locations.

Seattle – Lovers of the great outdoors in the Cleveland and Philadelphia areas have something else to celebrate as Independence Day approaches.

Outdoor gear and apparel retailer announced it will open new stores in fall 2016 in Cleveland and in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.

PetSmart is launching a promotion to bring panting pups and their owners into the store for heat relief this summer.

Staples is coming to the rescue of consumers with long school supply lists by creating an inventive new way to attract these shoppers.

The retailer has created a panel of experts called the Back to School Council to offer advice to teachers, parents and students on how to get prepared for the next school year.

From the latest products and technology to cost-saving deals and easy ways to get ready for the school year, the council will offer up advice through their blogs and social media channels.

The experts are:

The parent company of Winn-Dixie, BI-LO and Harveys said all profits generated at its nearly 800 stores on July 4 will be donated to the Wounded Warrior Project.

The project’s Independence Program is designed to help warriors who need to rely on their families and friends for support due to injuries they have suffered, such as brain injury, spinal-cord injury, or other neurological conditions. Individualized plans are created with goals to provide a future with purpose at no cost to the warriors or their support teams.

Rite Aid will be teaming with the Skin Cancer Foundation for the eighth consecutive year to provide Rite Aid customers free private screenings with a local dermatologist volunteer.

Michaels is giving children a Passport to Imagination this summer with a new free program.

This year, the low-cost, in-store sessions will focus on summer vacation fun, including lake picnics, afternoons at the beach, county fairs, music festivals and more. Passport to Imagination begins July 6 and will run through Aug. 21 in all Canadian stores, with three classes per week, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to noon.

Warren, Mich. -- At least one retailer is bucking the current smaller store trend by opening its biggest location to date.

Art Van Furniture will open a two-story, 112,000-sq.-ft. store showroom in Downers Grove, Ill., on July 30. It will not only be the largest Art Van Furniture store among the company's 90 Midwest locations, but also and the largest furniture store in Chicagoland.

Toronto – Canadian Tire Corp. is rallying around a flag that contains no controversy with a new omnichannel promotional campaign. To celebrate the upcoming July 1 Canada Day holiday, Canadian Tire has posted a promotional video on YouTube using the hashtag #FlyYourCdnFlag.

Canadian Tire is encouraging consumers to post photos and videos on social networks such as Twitter, YouTube and Instagram using the #FlyYourCdnFlag hashtag.

Barnes & Noble is debuting a strangely appropriate omnichannel promotion for a retailer who might wish it could go back to an era in which bookshops were more relevant.