Seasonal

NEW YORK — Macy’s continues preparations for its Fourth of July fireworks display and has tapped New York-based supermarket Fairway Market to be its hospitality partner. 

Fairway will provide dinner, drinks and dessert to the thousands of guests invited by Macy's and to watch the 37th annual Fourth of July fireworks display from a prime location on the Westside of Manhattan.

CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. — Ikea was joined by journalist and television host Lisa Ling to mark its third annual Life Improvement Project with a $50,000 donation to Save the Children’s early education programs.

In addition to the donation, Ikea provided home furnishings, design advice and manpower to help make over a Family Head Start/Early Learn location in Brooklyn, N.Y., a Save the Children-supported facility which was affected by Hurricane Sandy.

Norwalk, Conn. — Pepperidge Farm is looking to drive sales of its Puff Pastry product by bringing in culinary expert and Top Chef judge Gail Simmons. Simmons developed a collection of exclusive recipes that feature the company’s Puff Pastry as a key ingredient. 

In addition to being a judge of Bravo’s Emmy-winning show, Simmons is also the special projects director at Food & Wine magazine. 

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — The Craftsman brand spent Father's Day weekend in Philadelphia with hard core golf fans and putt-putt enthusiasts at the Craftsman Father's Day Miniature Golf Classic.

Attendees were invited to play a free round on the one-of-a-kind miniature golf course specially built by the Craftsman brand and designed by former professional golfer and analyst Gary McCord, featuring Craftsman tools at every hole.  

H&M is finally tackling the online market, and plans to launch an e-commerce site in the U.S. in August.

The timing of the move for a brand synonymous with affordable fashion is opportune because it coincides with the heart of the back-to-school shopping season and sets the stage for the company to drive online sales during the holiday season.

Burlington, N.J. -- Burlington Coat Factory credited the unusually cold winter experienced by many parts of the country, which dampened the first quarter results of many retailers, for helping to drive its strong financial performance during the first quarter.

The retailer reported net income of $11.1 million, a substantial improvement from $842,000 in the first quarter of the prior year, primarily driven by sales growth and improved gross margin rate which was in turn partially offset by increased selling and administrative expenses.

Oklahoma City -- The vast majority (91.4%) of American consumers plan to give up to three retail gift cards as gifts over the next three months, according to survey results released Tuesday by the Retail Gift Card Association.

However, the survey also found that consumers will continue to keep their wallets tight - only 30.6% of respondents would purchase something they would not normally buy. The rest, 69.4%, said they would spend the gift card on something they needed, or put it toward a larger purchase.

BURLINGTON, N.J. — Burlington Coat Factory was the beneficiary of an unseasonably cool first quarter that resulted in soft sales at some other retailers.

The company’s net sales increased 8.4% to nearly $1.1 billion for the quarter from $982 million for the quarter ended April 28, 2012. Comparative store sales increased 3.4%.

IRVING, Texas — To celebrate its 40th birthday, Michaels will launch the first-ever Michaels Craft Tour this month in a specially designed 18-wheeler that features a fully stocked, 1,000-sq.-ft. craft room on the inside. 

The tour will travel throughout the U.S. from coast-to-coast, visiting store openings, outdoor festivals and other events along the way.

PHILADELPHIA — Customers and employees of extreme value retailer Five Below have raised nearly $345,000 for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to finding a cure for cancer for all children.