Events

The “March Madness” college basketball tournament will no doubt a major trending topic on social media for the next few weeks, and sporting goods retailer The Finish Line Inc. is joining the craziness.

The Finish Line is offering customers two opportunities to digitally celebrate March Madness games this year. The retailer is offering a Finish Line Bracket Challenge for its Winner’s Circle loyalty program members with a top prize of $5,000, as well as the #CallYourShot social campaign that will last the duration of the tournament.

ModCloth is going on tour this summer.

The online apparel retailer known for its indie and vintage-inspired styles is launching the “ModCloth IRL (in real life) Tour,” a series of five pop-up shops.

The IRL shops are modeled after ModCloth’s first-ever physical outpost, a pop-up in San Francisco. The store opened last July and is due to close March 26.

Deals in “Mind” Games

Brain fitness might seem an unusual specialty for a retailer, but it’s proved a sweet spot for Marbles: The Brain Store.

Founded by Lindsay Gaskins and Scott Brown, the Chicago-based retailer sells games and other items designed to stimulate the brain. It made its debut in 2008, with a kiosk in a local mall. People were intrigued, but they wanted a more engaging shopping experience, said marketing director Hallie Steube.

Macy’s is ushering in the spring promotional season by celebrating America'as vast and varied landscapes at the 2016 Macy’s Flower Show.

The show will sprout to life at five Macy’s downtown store locations nationwide, including Herald Square in New York City, Center City in Philadelphia, State Street in Chicago, Downtown Minneapolis and Union Square in San Francisco.

The 2,200 unit Bridgestone Retail Operations chain of automotive stores is drawing inspiration from a gold medal winning Olympic sprinter to help accelerate its performance.

Phoenix-based PetSmart and the Arizona Diamondbacks are teaming up to create the first-ever season-long dog-friendly ballpark in America.

The retailer worked with the team on new PetSmart Patio, PetSmart Park and the Dog Days of Summer program, where dog-loving fans can bring their dogs to all 13 Sunday Diamondbacks home games in the 2016 season (the first game will be on April 10 vs. the Chicago Cubs).

The Retail Design Institute will hold its 45th Annual Awards Gala & Fundraiser on March 12, 2016, at the Hilton Anatole, Dallas, the night before the kickoff of Chain Store Age’s SPECS Conference.

The winners of the competition, including the Store of the Year, will be unveiled at the event, which will also showcase the latest trends in materials, signage, fixturing and in-store technology.

Most people do not get a paid holiday for “Leap Day,” Feb. 29.

Then again, most people do not work for online footwear and apparel retailer Zappos. Known for doing things a little differently, such as replacing the traditional bureaucratic management structure with decentralized “holacracy,” Zappos is taking a novel approach to Leap Day.

Chattanooga, Tenn. -- CBL & Associates Properties announced it will be partnership with Girls World Expo. Girls World Expo is an organization that produces one-day events that bring young women together with positive female role models and programming meant to empower girls and help them realize their potential. In 2016, the expo will make stops at 10 CBL centers across the country.

Petco is launching an omnichannel campaign in support of a new program designed to appeal to its target market: pet parents.

Petco's new and free Welcome to the Family Program supports all new pet parents, complete with a companion care pack, information on proper pet care and 24/7 support. The program helps pet parents as they expand their brood and embark on new adventures with the newest addition to their family.