Seasonal

New York -- TJX Cos., The Buckle and Zumiez all reported better-than-expected same-store sales for April, even as concerns about the job market bit into other retailers’ results.
   
TJX Cos. said that same-store sales in April were up 8% on strong customer traffic, better than 6.8% increase that analysts had expected. For the four weeks ended May 4, total revenue rose 9% to $2 billion.
   

NEW YORK — The Buckle and Zumiez all reported better-than-expected same-store sales for April, even as concerns about the job market bit into other retailers’ results.

The Buckle, Inc. reported a 6.2% increase in same-store sales for April, well ahead of the 1.5% same-store revenue growth anticipated by Wall Street analysts. The teen apparel retailer also reported year-to-date same-store revenue growth of 1.2% and total sales of $269.7 million, a 2.3% increase. 

Memphis -- Fred’s, Inc. reported a slight boost in total sales for the first three months of fiscal 2013 compared to the same period last year – an increase from $500.5 million to $501.4 million. However, comparable store sales during the period decreased 1.3%, compared to a 0.3% drop a year earlier.

Total sales for the four weeks ending May 4 rose 3% from $147.6 million to $152.2 million. Comparable store sales for the month increased 1.2% compared with a decline of 0.3% in the same period last year.

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Total U.S. Shopper Traffic in Retail Stores and Malls for April 2013

An expected post-Easter decline in shopper activity was compounded by unseasonably cold weather last month. Retail foot traffic decreased 10.1 percent in April compared to March 2013, deviating from previous positive month-over-month retail traffic trends. Foot traffic for April 2013 decreased 0.4 percent compared to the same month in 2012. 

Research from DeWalt found that 650 out of 1,000 pros were aware of DeWalt mechanic tools. That's pretty good awareness. But DeWalt didn't have mechanics tools at the time of the survey.

It does now. And a partnership with Sears is bringing DeWalt wrenches, ratchets, sockets and mechanics tool sets online and in Sears stores in time for Father's Day.

DeWalt and Sears executives announced the news during a presentation at the National Hardware Show here at the Las Vegas Convention Center. 

IRVING, Texas — Michaels is not the first place you think of when it comes to getting a pair of shoes for graduation day, but the arts and crafts retailer is courting graduates seeking to jazz up their footwear for their big day. 

PHOENIX — Reality television star and Poison frontman Bret Michaels is bringing the eighties back to PetSmart with the Pets Rock collection, a line which has expanded to a throwback, neon-inspired line of apparel, toys and accessories for dogs.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Meijer and its customers helped to raise more than $500,000 for food pantries throughout the Midwest. Customers donated $184,230 during the retailer’s Simply Give Double Match Days. Meijer double matched all donations made from April 12-13, bringing the total donation amount to $552,690. 

New York -- Modell’s Sporting Goods will celebrate the grand opening of its store in Arlington, Va., on May 9.
   
The store is located in Pentagon Centre. With its opening, Modell’s will have a total of 154 storefronts.
 
“We are thrilled to have our 18th store in the Virginia-Maryland area,” said Modell’s president and CEO Mitchell Modell. “We look forward to becoming a stronghold in our new community and getting them everything they need for the summer.”