Retail

New York -- The Deloitte Consumer Spending Index remained flat in February 2014, showing only a marginal change. The Index tracks consumer cash flow as an indicator of future consumer spending.

The Index, which comprises four components, tax burden, initial unemployment claims, real wages and real home prices, ticked down slightly to 3.9 from 4.0 last month. Highlights of the Index include:

Tax Burden: The tax rate stayed at 11.8%, consistent with recent months.

Academy Sports + Outdoors is carrying on with its Midwestern expansion and plans to open four new stores across Indiana and Kentucky later this fall.

The first two locations — Evansville, Ind., and Owensboro, Ky., will mark Academy's entry into both states followed by the opening of stores in Louisville and Middletown, Ky., prior to the holidays. In total, the four stores will generate approximately 575 jobs.

Cincinnati — Phillips Edison-ARC Grocery Center REIT II has acquired its first grocery-anchored shopping center — the 81,674-sq.-ft. Bethany Village in Alpharetta, Ga., an affluent suburb of Atlanta.

A 51,674-sq.-ft. Publix anchors the center. Publix is the number one grocer by market share in the Atlanta metropolitan statistical area. Other national tenants at Bethany Village include Marco’s Pizza, Subway and Workout Anytime.

San Mateo, Calif. – Six-in-10 (60%) of those who knew about any data breaches at notable retailers, such as Target and Neiman Marcus, hold the merchant responsible for preventing future incidents of a data breach. The “2014 Consumer Reaction to Financial Data Breaches Study” of more than 2,000 adult U.S. consumers from Feedzai and Harris Interactive also found that 43% think nothing is more aggravating than getting credit/debit card data stolen.

Retailers have been known to employ all sorts of clever devices when commemorating a grand opening, but shapewear retailer Spanx takes the practice to a new level.

Home Depot was known to saw a board in half in lieu of a traditional ribbon cutting and outdoor retailer Gander Mountain once had an archer with a razor tipped arrow sever the ribbon. When Spanx opens its fourth retail location on April 11 at the International Plaza mall in Tampa the company plans to commemorate the occasion with a hosiery cutting as part of a “jiggle-free jubilee.”

Bentonville, Ark. – Wal-Mart is piloting a new small format convenience concept called “Walmart To Go.” The first Walmart To Go store has opened in Bentonville, Ark., location of the retailer’s corporate headquarters.

New York -- Kohl's Department Stores was honored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its efforts to reduce emissions linked to climate change. The retailer was recognized with EPA’s Excellence in Greenhouse Gas Management (Goal Achievement) Award for reducing carbon emissions by improving the energy efficiency in its stores and buying renewable energy and installing solar panels.

Wilson Sporting Goods is celebrating a century of sport with the launch of its “100 Venues in 100 Days” contest.

Participants will have the chance to win daily prizes as well as a grand prize trip to the 2014 U.S. Open Tennis Tournament in New York City.

“Wilson celebrates athletes at every level, from the backyard to the professional player,” said Tom Gruger, VP of marketing. “To kick off our 100th year, we will celebrate our partnership with these athletes as we look forward to the next century of champions.”