News Briefs

It’s official: The Bed Bath & Beyond brand will live on.

A U.S. bankruptcy court judge has approved online home furnishings retailer Overstock.com's $21.5 million bid to buy some of the assets of Bed Bath & Beyond Inc.  The sale includes the retailer’s brand name, intellectual property and online platform, but not its stores or inventory. (Bed Bath & Beyond’s BuyBuy Baby division was not included in the sale, but will hold a separate auction.)

“This acquisition is a significant and transformative step for us,” said Overstock CEO, Jonathan Johnson. “Bed Bath & Beyond is an iconic consumer brand, well-known in the home retail marketplace. The combination of our winning asset-light business model and the high awareness and loyalty of the Bed Bath & Beyond brand will improve the customer experience and position the company for accelerated market share growth.” 

At the court hearing in Newark, N.J., U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Vincent Papalia approved the sale, saying that he was “gratified” to see a bidder emerge that would preserve Bed Bath & Beyond’s brand.

According to a report by Reuters,  Bed Bath & Beyond is making good progress in winding down its stores and is finalizing hundreds of lease transfer agreements after a successful lease auction earlier this week, but it is still dealing with its lenders. 

The retailer is headed back to court to defend the $240 million loan it took out at the start of its bankruptcy case, the report said.  A group of junior bondholders claim that the bankruptcy loan was based on inaccurate financial information, causing Bed Bath and Beyond to borrow more money than it needed and eroding potential repayments for junior creditors, the report said.

 

Northeast Grocery has added a Tops veteran to its C-suite.

The parent company of Price Chopper/Market 32 and Tops Friendly Markets has named John Persons as chief operating officer. Persons will oversee both operating companies, as well as the Northeast Shared Services (a subsidiary of NGI providing services to both operating companies) merchandising and marketing functions.

Persons joins NGI after 39 years with Tops, most recently serving as the president of the grocery chain, which is based in Williamsville, N.Y.  Ron Ferri, a 34-year Tops veteran and most recently executive VP, operations & distribution, will succeed Persons as president of Tops. 

In addition to Persons’ promotion, Mike Miller has been named chief administrative officer (CAO). He was previously senior VP, human resources and executive VP, human resources and administration at Northeast Shared Services. In his new role, Miller will lead the human resources, legal, government affairs, corporate communications, public relations, and risk management functions, as well as oversee merger integration.

“Promoting John to COO and Mike to CAO fills out our executive leadership team and bolsters our experience and expertise in many of the functional areas that continue to contribute to our combined company’s growth,” said Frank Curci, CEO of Northeast Grocery.

“We are very fortunate to have the seasoned, proven leadership of Blaine Bringhurst at Price Chopper/Market 32 and now Ron Ferri at Tops at the helms of our operating companies.”

  Headquartered in Schenectady, NY, Northeast Grocery, Inc. (NGI) is the parent company of Price Chopper/Market 32 and Tops Friendly Markets, which collectively operate nearly 300 supermarkets across New York, Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and New Hampshire and employ more than 30,000 associates.

Southern New Jersey’s highest-trafficked mall has added a fast-expanding seafood sensation to a restaurant lineup that includes The Capital Grille, Seasons 52, and Maggiano’s Little Italy.

Eddie V’s, a national chain highly regarded for one of the restaurant industry’s most complete menu of fresh oysters, has opened its 30^th location at PREIT’s Cherry Hill Mall, a high-income suburb of Philadelphia.

Know for its wide-ranging menu of shellfish and fresh fish (including three different preparations of red snapper), Eddie V’s has a presence in 14 states that include Massachusetts, Texas, Michigan, and California.

The restaurant also serves up filet mignon, New York strip, and ribeye steaks in main-course menu that ranges from $40 to $100.

“We are committed to providing best-in-class offerings, and Cherry Hill Mall continues to be a beacon for new-to-portfolio tenants elevating the region’s dining as well as shopping and entertainment needs,” said PREIT CEO Joseph Coradino.

Other new arrivals at Cherry Hill Mall, whose average sales per sq. ft. are $940, are Psycho Bunny. Brooks Brothers, Uniqlo, and Oak & Fort are scheduled to open there later in the year.

Walmart is upping its commitment to delivering custom care for people with HIV.

 

The nation’s largest retailer announced the opening of 70 new HIV-focused “specialty pharmacies of the community” (SPOC) in locations around the country. Housed “discreetly” inside existing Walmart pharmacies,  each location was chosen for the company’s ability to make an impact among those who need it most, the company said.

 In June, Walmart opened 70 SPOCs in Colorado, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia and expanded its footprint in Florida, pairing the openings with free HIV testing events. By the end of the year, the company will have more than 80 SPOCs open in 10 states.

The SPOCs are designed to help people living with HIV holistically manage every aspect of their condition, from discussing treatment options to conversations around mental health to sharing resources and helping navigate insurance options.  The pharmacists work with the patient’s prescribers to partner on a treatment plan that is best for them. (One in three people living with HIV in the Unites States is not on regular HIV treatment.)

 “These pharmacies play an important role in understanding and addressing the specialized needs of the people in our communities living with HIV,” Kevin Host, senior VP, Walmart Health & Wellness, Pharmacy, wrote in a post on the company’s website. “Our team of HIV-trained pharmacists, technicians and Community Health Workers is dedicated to making a difference and helping patients navigate their health journey, removing barriers to care in every way we can.”

It’s only the end of June, but October 31 is already creeping up at the nation’s largest Halloween retailer.

With a record number of seasonal locations expected to open this year, Spirit Halloween said it is looking to hire its largest seasonal workforce yet. Approximately 40,000 positions are available throughout the U.S. and Canada.  

With more than 1,500 locations scheduled to open in strip centers and malls across North America, Spirit is a one-stop destination for all things Halloween. Stores offer an immersive and interactive experiences for shoppers, complete with a vast assortment of costumes and accessories along with exclusive décor and animatronics.

"This will be Spirit's 40th season of bringing the mystique of Halloween to life and that starts each year with the hiring of our talented and enthusiastic associates and store managers," said Steven Silverstein, CEO of Spirit Halloween and Spencer’s. "We look forward to welcoming back returning team members and introducing new employees to the Spirit Halloween family as we get ready for a truly unforgettable season."

Spirt Halloween and Spencer’s are part of Spencer Spirit Holdings Inc.. In May, the company announced an expansion of its corporate headquarters in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey. It will add 81,000 sq. ft. of office space and amenities to the retailer’s current campus. The project is expected to be completed by the spring of 2024.

If a big mall is truly “of” America, it has to fit big-time wrestling somewhere inside its galleries, don’t you think?

Mall of America did it 27 years ago when it hosted the very first episode of World Championship Wrestling’s Monday Nitro with a bill headed by Hulk Hogan, Sting, and Ric Flair. It got back into the ring last year with Saturday Night Nitro, an event put on by Minneapolis-based F1RST Wrestling. That packed the house, and so it’s back again this year.

Saturday Night Nitro will return to Mall of America’s Huntingdon Bank Rotunda on September 9, but the fun for wrestle-maniacs will begin on Friday the 8^th with a Fan Fest giving them the opportunity to meet their favorite wrestlers in person.

“Last year’s event was epic, truly a dream come true for fans of sports entertainment.” said Chris Grap, VP of experiential at Mall of America. “These fans are the some of the best we’ve ever had in the Rotunda. After witnessing firsthand the rapturous reception to last year’s event and how quickly it sold out, we knew we needed to do it again.”

Tickets for the event go on sale this week, and Mall of America is expecting another sell-out.

The headline match at WCW’s Monday Nitro debut at MOA on September 4, 1995, had Hulk Hogan clashing with Big Bubba Rogers. It also provided the stage for Lex Luger’s emergence as a WCW star after leaving the World Wrestling Federation.