Retail

New York -- Nine West has opened the first standalone store for its Vintage America Collection line. The store, in New York City’s SoHo neighborhood, reflects the modern bohemian ethos of the brand.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — The trend of doing away with layaway fees continues, this time with Kmart announcing that it has removed its layaway service fee both in stores and online through Nov. 17.

The retailer follows suit with Toys"R"Us, which said it would drop the $5 upfront service fee and eliminate the minimum purchase requirement for all orders created in stores through Oct. 31 and Walmart, which, while not cutting back its layaway fee, has rolled it back to $5 from $15.

Bed Bath & Beyond is offering a trio of Granite Gold branded products as part of an exclusive new Home Care Collection.

The product offering includes Granite Gold’s daily cleaner, a countertop polish and a specialty cleaner and that retails for $23.99.

"Harsh and abrasive ordinary cleaners have damaging effects on natural stone-surfaces," said Lenny Sciarrino, president and CEO of Granite Gold. "Our Home Care Collection provides Bed Bath & Beyond customers the essential tools to easily and safely clean, shine and protect their surfaces."

NEW YORK — Popular women's magazine Cosmopolitan is leveraging its brand in the retail space by launching its first-ever fashion collection at JCPenney.  The collection includes lingerie, sleepwear, footwear and handbags, available now exclusively in more than 600 JCPenney stores nationwide, as well as on JCP.com.

Cincinnati -- The Kroger Co. reported a better-than-expected second quarter profit of $279.1 million, down from $280.8 million a year ago. The supermarket company raised its forecast for the full year, buoyed by its strong loyalty program and its ability to keep costs in line.

Revenue, including fuel, rose 3.9% to $21.73 billion.

MALLE, Belgium — Belgium-based cleaning brand Ecover, said it has created the world's argest green cleaning product company with the acquisition of San Francisco-based Method.

The acquisition will expand Ecover's distribution network across Europe, the United States, Asia and Australia. Collectively delivering sales of $200 million and employing around 300 staff, Ecover and Method will continue as separate brands with a shared ambition to bring as many new consumers as possible into the green cleaning and personal care market, the company said.

San Francisco -- Gap Inc. announced Friday that it will open its first standalone store in Mexico, part of the retailer’s previously announced global expansion strategy.

The new store, to be located at Interlomas Mall outside Mexico City, expands on Gap’s store-in-store concepts in Liverpool Department stores in the region.

BOCA RATON, Fla. — Office Depot will auction off items worn by NASCAR driver Tony Stewart to raise money for the Office Depot's National Backpack Program.

Through Sept. 14, fans can bid on an autographed firesuit and helmet worn by Stewart, driver of the No. 14I Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The auction is accessible via www.OfficeDepotRacing.com.