Home Improvement

Duck Tape brand duct tape is joining forces with Fiskars Corp. to introduce a new line of scissors for crafting.

“Both Duck brand duct tape and Fiskars share a commitment to creating innovative products that help people express their creativity,” Fiskars VP brand marketing Jay Gillespie said. “This partnership is a perfect fit, and we’re looking forward to giving enthusiasts tools that make creating with Duck Tape easier than ever before.”

The scissors will be available at select retailers June 2014.

Top trends include increased use of alternative energy sources and daylighting

Green building is on the rise, with half of all new U.S. retail and hotel projects expected to be green by 2015, according to recent surveys. The boom is credited to a number of factors, including higher energy efficiency standards, a move toward greater transparency, decreased operating costs, increased sustainability awareness and a more responsible use of building resources. 

Phoenix -- Leslie's Poolmart announced it has acquired the assets of Pool Supply World, one of the nation's premier Internet retailers of swimming pool supplies.

As a separate division of Leslie's Pool Supplies, the acquired business will continue to operate as Pool Supply World with its distinct brand and website. Mark Krueger, CEO of Pool Supply World, will continue to lead the business.

Green Bay, Wis. -- Shopko continues on its growth path with the opening of five new Shopko Hometown stores in November. The new stores are located in: Afton, Wyo.; Ellsworth, Wis.; St. Peter, Minn.; Tomahawk, Wis., and Winneconne, Wis.

New printing techniques, sizes allow for greater options.

Whether it’s a high-end specialty store or a big-box discounter, flooring can go a long way toward setting the right mood — and making shoppers feel comfortable. “It’s naturally innate in us to look down at the ground,” said Nathan Lee Colkitt, CEO, Colkitt&Co., an architectural firm with offices in San Diego and New York City. “If we get the lay of the land, we feel safer and more comfortable.”

Clorox saw volume for the first quarter ended Sept. 30 increase 1%, primarily driven by gains in the company's professional products, charcoal, laundry and Burt's Bees businesses, which were partially offset by declines in home care.

Sales grew 2%, with increases in three out of four segments, reflecting the benefit of price increases, higher volume and favorable mix and assortment, partially offset by unfavorable foreign currency exchange rates. Excluding the impact of foreign currencies, sales grew 3.5%.

New York -- The Container Store on Friday, Nov. 1, began trading on the New York Stock Exchange, under the ticker symbol “TCS.” Expectations were high: On Thursday, the retailer set its IPO price at $18 per share, higher than the originally-expected range of $14 to $16 per share.

The company is offering all 12.5 million shares of common stock, with an additional 1.9 million shares 30-day purchase option for the underwriters.

Portland -- The Green Building Initiative (GBI) announced that Wegmans Food Markets has been awarded a “two Green Globes” certification for its store in Germantown, Md. Green Globes, which is administered in the United States by the GBI, awards buildings that qualify one through four Globes based on environmental achievements in management, site, energy, water, materials and resources, emissions, and indoor environment.