Retail

JavaJig is the name of a clever little item from Melitta that enables owners of single serve coffee makers to avoid the expense of prefilled cups.

Plenty of consumers love their Keurig machines – 1.4 million of them were sold by parent company Green Mountain Coffee Roasters the third quarter ended June 23 – but those darn K-cups are pricy. For example, Target featured a Keurig machine on the cover of its circular this week with a promotional price of $10.99 for an 18 count pack of Folgers or Millstone brand K-cups. That works out to 61 cents a cup.

Deerfield, Ill. -- Walgreens announced plans to close more than half of the stores it is acquiring in its deal with USA Drug.

The company — which said in July it would purchase the mid-South drug store chain for approximately $438 million — confirmed it would close approximately 76 stores across the region. USA Drug operates 144 stores under the USA Drug, Super D Drug, May's Drug, Med-X and Drug Warehouse banners.

BOONE, Iowa — Dole Food Company partnered with Hy-Vee Food Stores to donate five salad bars to schools in the central Iowa area at the United Community School in Boone, Iowa. The salad bars were donated as a part of the First Lady’s Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools initiative, which has donated more than 1,440 salad bars serving more than 720,000 children across the country.

Walmart unveiled its top toy list Friday morning and couldn’t resist taking a shot at Toys "R" Us which launched a toy reservation program earlier in the week.

Walmart said its layaway program and top toy offering gives parents the confidence to shop now for the toys kids want at every day low prices. And in an obvious dig at Toys "R" Us, the press release for Walmart’s top 20 toys declared, "no reservations required: America’s largest toy seller’s hassle-free layaway program begins this Sunday."

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Holdings disclosed in a regulatory filing that "because we believe that the company has substantial liquidity and financial flexibility," the company has elected to contribute an additional $203 million to its domestic pension plan on Sept. 14, after which the plan will be 80% funded under applicable law.

Atlanta -- The Home Depot Inc. said Friday it will close its remaining seven big-box outlets in China and focus on Internet-based sales and specialty stores.

OAK BROOK, Ill. — Ace Hardware Corp. has reported substantial growth and expansion in priority markets across the country.

“Our aggressive, long-term growth strategy features a total package of resources and support to ensure a successful future for our retailers,” said Mike Berschauer, director, retail development for Ace Hardware. “After a prosperous second quarter focused on store activations and conversions, Ace is on-track to achieve its goal of opening 170 new domestic stores in 2012.”
 

New York -- Retailers may soon be getting an assist from the weather, according to a Friday report from Planalytics. Businesses should be prepared for a demand spike in seasonal products as consumers react to the change in conditions, the report advises.