Mass Merchant

The Woodlands, Texas - Conn’s, Inc. reported net income of $19.2 million, up $7.6 million, or 65.1%, from the prior-year period during the second quarter of fiscal 2013.

Consolidated revenues totaled $270.7 million, an increase of 30.5% from last year.

Same-store sales grew 18.4%. Sales increased significantly in product categories including home appliance, laundry, refrigeration, cooking, furniture, mattresses, TVs, tablets and computers.

New York -- Drugstore operator Duane Reade in late August passed an important milestone: It surpassed 1 million Twitter followers. The drugstore chain, which is owned by Walgreens, is most-followed retailer on Twitter in the food, drug and mass arena.

Duane Reade has garnered five times more Twitter followers than its parent company Walgreens (180,390 followers), the second-most followed drug store retailer. CVS/pharmacy, No. 3, is followed by 117,931 Twitter followers.

Retailers were already leery about the outlook for consumer spending this holiday season and reports Wednesday of record auto sales in August only add to the concern.

Both Walmart and Target reported disappointing second quarter sales and tempered their outlook for the full year. Conversely, car salespeople across the country were clinking champagne glasses and cashing commission checks as their employers, everyone from Mazda to Honda to Porsche and Ford, said August was a record month.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Sears Holdings is launching a menswear collection by Grammy Award-winning recording artist Adam Levine, exclusively at Kmart and ShopYourWay.com beginning Oct. 1.  

Levine's collection includes premium denim washes, outerwear, wovens, knits and accessories. 

New York -- Kimco Realty and NRG eVgo, part of NRG Energy, opened the Bay Area’s first electric vehicle charging station, at Westlake Shopping Center, Daly City, Calif.

Multichannel integration hasn’t exactly been Target’s strong suit to date, but this holiday season could be different if the company is able to successfully roll out an order online, pick up in store service.

New York — Modell’s Sporting Goods will celebrate the grand opening of two new stores in Long Island today. The stores are located in the Huntington Shopping Center and Fivetowns Shopping Center.

The new stores will boost the company’s store-count to 155.

Target’s entry into the world of video streaming with a service called Target Ticket is said to offer instant access to 15,000 titles and serve as an alternative to the Apple’s iTunes, Walmart’s Vudi and Netflix.

The service will work with Windows, Xbox, Android and Apple devices and was tested with Target employees, according to published reports. A roll out is said to be imminent with content providers including, ABC, AMC, CBS, CW, Fox, FX, HBO, The WB, NBC, Showtime, Starz and USA.