Retail

LOS ANGELES — A new line of nutrition bars for dogs is on its way to Walmart.

Though the manufacturer, The All American Pet Co., did not mention the retailer by name, it did say that its three SKUs of NutraBars were on their way to "the world's largest retailer" for its first purchase order.

"We can get the retailer, but we can't write the retailer's purchase order," AAPT CEO Barry Schwartz said. "We created the bar and have the capabilities to meet the demand."

Brisbane, Calif. -- Bebe Stores Inc. swung to a loss in its fiscal second quarter from a profit a year ago amid heavy discounting during the holiday shopping season.

Bebe said it lost $4.8 million for the three months that ended Dec. 29, according to preliminary results, versus a profit of $6.5 million a year earlier.

Net sales dropped 11% to $135.5 million. Same-store sales fell 10.5%.

St. Louis -- Retail veteran Maxine Clark announced she is stepping down as CEO of Build-A-Bear Workshop, the chain she founded in 1997. Clark, 63, said she will remain as CEO until a successor is found. She will also remain on the company's board of directors.
 

The Journal of Shopper Research named University of Indiana business professor Raymond Burke as editor.

WASHINGTON — U.S. commissaries could face severe cuts if Congress fails reach a budget, leaving many military families without the benefits they rely on to make ends meet, according to the Coalition to Save Our Military Shopping Benefits.

NEW YORK — Saks has introduced its Saks Love Your Cause Initiative, which will give 5% of all registered purchases to the American Red Cross and select local organizations, during February.

“Saks Fifth Avenue is committed to our local communities. We appreciate our customers’ charitable involvement and look forward to giving back locally for a second year with this exciting and newly implemented national program,” Steve Sadove, chairman and CEO, Saks Inc., said.

MATTHEWS, N.C. — Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic supermarket chain, Harris Teeter, reported that sales for the first quarter of fiscal 2013 increased by 3.7% to $1.16 billion from $1.12 billion in the first quarter of fiscal 2012. The increase in sales was driven by an increase in comparable-store sales of 2.53% and sales from new stores, partially offset by store closings.

New York -- Sears Canada is letting go of 700 workers as part of a plan to "right-size" the operation.

The lay-offs will include 360 department store associates and about 300 distribution center workers, as well as some head office personnel.

Sears Canada, majority-owned by Sears Holdings Corp., has falling sales. It is also facing major competition by Wal-Mart Stores and Target, which is set to make its Canadian debut this spring.