Mass Merchant

Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores detailed a number of moves, including opening smaller stores in the United States, cutting back on overseas growth and increasing its investments in technology and e-commerce,  on the occasion of the  company’s 20th annual investor meeting.

Walmart will be opening more small stores next year and beyond as the company pursues a vision of omnichannel retailing that it contends no other company is capable of executing.

Walmart U.S. president and CEO Bill Simon on Tuesday morning shared a message of physical and digital convergence involving an acceleration of smaller format stores and continued advancement of the retailer’s digital capabilities. He suggested multiple times during his presentation that the company has reached an inflection point in terms of building a next generation retail enterprise.

Niwot, Colo. -- Former Wal-Mart executive Greg Sullivan has been appointed general manager of Crocs' Americas region, which includes all of North America, Central America and South America. In this role, Sullivan will be responsible for managing the region's day-to-day operations, including overseeing sales, marketing, finance and human resources functions, as well as the region's wholesale, Internet and direct-to-consumer channels.

Ann Arbor, Mich. -- Black Friday shopping may be on the decline, according to a new study by CFI Group, a customer satisfaction technology and analytics firm. The company’s 2013 Holiday Retail Spending Report found fewer than 25% of consumers plan to spend more than half of their total holiday shopping budgets during the Black Friday/Cyber Monday period. But 45% said they will begin before November, with 61% indicating they'll finish their shopping completely by early December

Pleasanton, Calif. — Dd’s Discounts recently opened nine new locations across five states as part of the retailer’s 2013 expansion program totaling 23 new locations.

The retailer now operates 131 locations in eight states. The new stores are located in California (4), Texas (2), Arizona (1), Florida (1) and Tennessee (1).

Jacksonville, Fla. -- Stein Mart is expanding its presence this fall with four new stores and two relocated stores. The new stores are located in El Paso, Texas; Buford (Atlanta), Ga.; Elk Grove (Sacramento), Calif.; and Watchung, N.J.

Dallas and New Orleans — The Howard Hughes Corp. has announced the tenant lineup for the redevelopment of Riverwalk Marketplace in New Orleans. The $70 million renovation is transforming the aging mall into The Outlet Collection at Riverwalk, the nation’s first downtown outlet center.

According to Hughes Corp., virtually all of the space in the new Riverwalk has been committed, and well-known national outlet retailers and popular local retail, dining and entertainment offerings hold 94% of the leases.

Pleasanton, Calif. — Ross Dress for Less opened 24 new locations last Friday, on Oct. 11. The openings complete the retailer’s 2013 expansion plan to open 65 new locations this year.

The new store openings bring the total of Ross stores to 1,154. Four of the new Ross stores opened in Illinois, three in Missouri and one in Indiana, as the retailer continues its growth in new markets it has entered over the past two years.