Retail

The New Year began in unconventional fashion for retailers in Colorado where legal sales of marijuana by specialty shops are creating wide-ranging ramifications for other retailers.

Products with curious sounding names such as Trainwreck and Sour Diesel went on sales early Wednesday morning at shops in Colorado where residents can buy up to one ounce per day after voters in 2012 approved an amendment to the state constitution. A similar measure was passed in Washington state and stores there are expected to begin marijuana sales later this year.

Framingham, Mass. -- Staples is changing its logo by removing the bent staple that forms the “L” in “Staples.” Initially, Staples is excluding the bent staple in its logo in a number of places, including its e-commerce site and the company's social channels such as Twitter, Facebook, and the easyBlog.

A decade after Staples made the phrase, “that was easy,” part of the American lexicon, the company is changing how it communicates with consumers and revising its brand logo.

New York -- Macy’s and Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia have reached a confidential settlement in their ongoing legal dispute over whether Martha Stewart breached a contract by selling certain goods at J.C. Penney Co.

Martha Stewart and Macy’s both said the terms of the settlement aren’t material to their businesses. In a separate statement, Macy's said that the settlement did not affect its outstanding claim against Penney.

Bicycle supplier Huffy Corporation is turning to Experian Data Quality, a part of Experian Marketing Services and a leading provider of contact data management software and services, to ensure accurate and timely package deliveries and improve service levels to its customers.

New York — Target Corp. said a “small percentage” of its gift cards were not properly activated and, as a result, are not working properly when customers try to redeem them.

“We are aware that some Target gift cards were not fully activated and apologize for the inconvenience,” Target spokeswoman Molly Snyder said in an e-mail, Reuters reported.

Whole Foods Market’s Local Producer Loan Program has reached the initial goal of funding $10 million in low-interest loans to local and independent food businesses, and has now committed an additional $15 million for a total of $25 million in funding.

The Local Producer Loan Program (LPLP) has provided 184 loans to 155 companies since its inception in 2007.

Altoona, Pa. — David Woodley, VP of sales and marketing for convenience store chain Sheetz, has moved into the executive VP spot vacated by Louie Sheetz.