Department Store

The consulting firm Gravitytank named Bob Thacker as a strategic advisor to help the firm’s consumer electronics, retail, consumer packaged goods and technology clients. Thacker most recently served as SVP of marketing and advertising at OfficeMax and was with Target from 1989 to 1998 as a VP of marketing. He also served as president and CEO of BBDO in Minneapolis and served as an SVP of marketing at Sears.

New York City -- Retailers from around the world have until May 20 to enter the annual global competition, the Oracle World Retail Awards. Online entry is open at worldretailcongress.com.

The awards, designed to recognize the outstanding innovation and creativity delivered by l retailers worldwide, are presented each year at a gala event during the World Retail Congress. This year’s presentation will be held Sept. 27 in Berlin.

The winners in 2010 were as follows:

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Holdings on Tuesday announced that its same-store sales for the first quarter fell 3.6%. The retailer forecast a loss for the quarter ended April 30 of $145 million.

Same-store sales decreased 1.6% at Kmart, and 5.2% at Sears in the quarter. Sears Canada projects same-store sales will be down 9.2%.

MINNEAPOLIS --Target announced that it has donated $200,000 in cash to the American Red Cross to support tornado relief efforts in the Southern United States. An additional donation of more than $75,000 will include product and relief kits containing hygiene and food items that will be distributed to hardest-hit areas.

PLANO, Texas -- JCPenney has completed a new five-year $1.25 billion bank credit facility.

The new facility replaces a $750 million credit facility that was scheduled to mature in April 2012 and provides further strength to the company's liquidity position. The facility may be used for general corporate purposes and will mature in April 2016.

The 5% REDcard Rewards program Target launched last fall has contributed to sales results and served as a game changer on the pricing front with Walmart. Savvy shoppers are increasingly realizing the additional 5% savings they receive by using their REDcard can result in the price of a basket of food and consumables at Target slipping below the price of a comparable basket at Walmart.

New York City -- Target Corp. was due in court in Canada on Monday in an attempt to win exclusive right to use its name in Canada, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Target is asking the court to impose a preliminary injunction against Canadian retailer Isaac Benitah and his company, Fairweather, which owns 15 stores across Canada called Target Apparel and has a logo similar to that of Target Corp, the report said.

New York City -- Hudson’s Bay Co. will test its HBC’s Home Outfitters concept in the United States, opening two stores in New Jersey in late summer, The Globe and Mail reported.

If successful, the company will further expand the home-goods concept, which will be called Lord & Taylor Home in the United States. (Hudson’s Bay and Lord & Taylor are owned by Purchase, N.Y.-based NRDC Equity Partners.)

Vancouver, Wash. -- Jacksonville, Fla.-based Regency Centers said it has leased retail space to Pita Pit and Yolicous, which will open in a 2,032-sq.-ft. space this summer at Orchard Market Center, Phase II, located in Vancouver, Wash.

The 178,000-sq.-ft. shopping center is anchored by Wholesale Sports and LA Fitness, alongside national retailers such as Jo-Ann, Office Depot, Petco and Starbucks.

Newington, N.H. -- Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group said it will assume leasing, management and marketing duties of the Fox Run Mall, located in Newington, N.H., effective May 15.

The enclosed regional shopping center, built in February 1983, is anchored by Macy’s, J.C. Penney and Sears. Other tenants include Abercrombie & Fitch, Hollister, Express, Loft, Limited, Men’s Wearhouse, American Eagle Outfitters and Victoria’s Secret.

The center totals 604,000 sq. ft. and is situated on nearly 70 acres.