Walmart

With the addition of Jembro Stores and Cricket Wireless, Saddle Brook Square – in Saddle Brook, New Jersey – has reached full occupancy, according to brokerage firm Ripco Real Estate, which has led the leasing efforts.   The 221,892-sq.-ft. shopping center is anchored by Walmart, TJ Maxx, Modell’s, and 24 Hour Fitness. Jembro Stores, a regional discount retailer, will occupy 5,280 sq. ft. adjacent to TJ Maxx. Cricket Wireless occupies 2,100 sq. ft.  

The world’s biggest online retailer took a big step to move drone deliveries forward.   Amazon has entered into a partnership with the British government that will allow the retailer to test and develop new drone delivery systems.  

Influential and longtime Walmart executive Don Soderquist died after complications related to heart surgery. He was 82.   Soderquist joined Walmart in 1980 as executive VP of administration and logistics and was a driving force behind the company’s growth. From 1988 to 1999, he served as vice chairman and COO. He retired in 2000 and remained on the Walmart board until 2002.   

Walmart has asked suppliers to remove "high priority chemicals," such as formaldehyde and triclosan, from their products as part of an effort to eliminate controversial chemicals from household goods.

That sound of nervous pacing you hear every night at 3 a.m.? It’s America’s retail executives. They’re feeling the pressures of a rapidly evolving sales landscape and trying to figure out how to stay one step ahead — or just keep up.   From demanding consumers who expect a bargain at every turn to new technologies, from an aggressive e-commerce marketplace to a U.S. economy that refuses to kick into gear with any consistency, the challenges retailers are facing demand a shift in thinking and strategy.

Forrester Research has identified the retailers with the most and least satisfactory experience, and a very prominent name scored poorly.  

The first fully autonomous drone delivery to a customer home has occurred, and the retailer behind it is not who you would expect.   Leading convenience chain 7-Eleven partnered with independent drone delivery service Flirtey and the Nevada Institute for Autonomous Systems (NIAS) to complete two deliveries from a store in Reno, Nevada on Sunday, July 10. 7-Eleven merchandise, including hot and cold food items, were loaded into a Flirtey drone delivery container and flown autonomously using precision GPS to a local customer’s house.

A familiar chain has been named the most powerful retail brand of 2016.   According to the 2016 Top 100 Most Powerful Brands report from brand marketing firm Tenet Partners, Barnes & Nobile is the most powerful retail brand, and 32nd most powerful brand overall, of the year. This is the second straight year Barnes & Noble ranked highest among retailers.