Retail

Indianapolis – The Finish Line posted increases in net income, net sales and same-store sales during the second quarter of fiscal 2013. Net income totaled $26.19 million, up 6.1% from about $24.44 million a year earlier.

Consolidated net sales were $436 million, up 13.3 % from $385 million in the same quarter the previous year. Same-store sales rose 0.9%.

Consumer packaged goods companies are poised to gain a more robust offering of shopper insights from an expanded relationship between TiVo Research and Analytics and DunnhumbyUSA.

Boulder, Colo. — Transwetern’s Denver office has announced the completion of two leases at Hilltop Plaza, a four-story retail/office building in Boulder, Colo., in the University Hill shopping district just one block from the University of Colorado.

BoCo Café has taken a 1,742-sq.-ft. space in the food court. Spark Boulder, a provider of student and entrepreneurial co-working facilities, has leased 5,482 sq. ft. and plans to opening in November.

Whole Foods Market’s core values of local, natural and environmentally responsible commerce are showcased in its store in downtown Detroit. The 21,506-sq.-ft. store, the retailer’s first location in the Motor City, features lower pricing and combines its signature organic and locally-made/grown goods with a larger selection of private-label items and frozen and prepackaged foods.

In anticipation of increased store traffic this holiday shopping season, Jo-Ann has announced plans to hire more than 3,000 seasonal employees in stores across the country — a 14% increase over its non-seasonal in-store workforce.

Cincinnati -- The Kroger Co. has promoted Steve McKinney to president of the Fry's Food Stores division. Fry's operates 119 food stores in Arizona.

McKinney, 57, has been VP of operations at the company's Ralphs division since 2007. He succeeds Jon Flora, who passed away unexpectedly two weeks ago.

Walmart was quick to sever ties with Paula Deen earlier this year, but the extent of the company’s outrage over her racist comments wasn’t sufficient to warrant immediately rooting the disgraced Food Network Star’s merchandise from its supply chain.

Atlanta – The Home Depot, Inc. reportedly expanding the national rollout of Redbeacon, its online handyman referral service. According to Bloomberg, Home Depot is making Redbeacon, which connects customers online to home repair professionals, in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Utah, Montana, and Alaska.

Home Depot now offers Redbeacon in 11 states and plans to roll out the service in additional states during the next two years. The retailer acquired Redbeacon, which was founded by three former Home Depot employees, in 2012.