Mass Merchant

Beijing -- Local Chinese newspaper the People’s Daily reported Thursday that, just two days after re-opening all 13 stores in Chongqing following a forced two-week closure for mislabeling regular pork as organic, the retailer has been called out for selling expired coffee in one of its Chongqing stores.

Wal-Mart’s Beijing-based spokeswoman Christina Lee said the retailer is currently investigating the case.

FORT WORTH, Texas — RadioShack's transition from offering T-Mobile products and services to offering those of Verizon Wireless took a toll on the company's third quarter profits, though overall sales managed to increase.

New York City -- Wal-Mart Stores is closing its U.S. apparel office in New York City as it shifts its focus from trendier fashions to more basic clothing. News of the move was first reported by Women’s Wear Daily and Reuters.

Fort Worth, Texas -- RadioShack Corp. reported Tuesday that profit for the quarter ended Sept. 30 plummeted to $300,000, compared with earnings of $46 million in the year-ago period. The retailer cited the transition from T-Mobile offerings to Verizon Wireless as a major reason for the performance decline, although that was offset somewhat by new mobile service and sales centers in Target stores. The company launched Verizon Wireless in more than 4,400 stores on Sept. 15, as well as ramped up its Target Mobile centers rollout in the same period.

Wayne, N.J. -- Toys “R” Us said Wednesday it will make its debut in Poland at the end of November, opening a store in Warsaw.

The company, which currently operates 300+ stores in Europe, said it will add several additional locations in major cities throughout Poland in 2012.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart announced that it has donated $5 million to the Smithsonian Institution to support the construction of the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) in Washington, D.C.

The NMAAHC was established in 2003 by Congress, making it the 19th Smithsonian Institution museum. It will be the only national museum devoted exclusively to the documentation of African-American life, art, history and culture.

CHICAGO — At an event Tuesday in Chicago, Supervalu announced that it will open a Save-A-Lot store in the Lawndale neighborhood of Chicago, bringing thae total number of Save-A-Lot stores in the Chicagoland area to 14. Supervalu, which said it is opening the store as part of its commitment to helping eliminate food deserts nationally, made the announcement alongside First Lady Michelle Obama and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. The Lawndale store will open by the end of November. 

Issaquah, Wash. — Costco Wholesale's donations to a Washington state voter initiative that would legalize liquor sales by private retailers have broken state records, according to published reports.

Minneapolis -- Target Corp. confirmed Tuesday that its website crashed for the second time in six weeks, going down at approximately 12:50 p.m. EDT and then coming back up two hours later, at 2:50 p.m. EDT.

Target.com also crashed on Sept. 13, after the retailer’s online introduction of its new line of Missoni apparel and items.

Target has not yet said what caused Tuesday’s crash.
 

New York City -- A Tuesday report by Women’s Wear Daily said that the outlet division of Saks has named a former Barneys executive as its new VP.

Saks Off 5th has named Peter Rizzo, former Barneys executive VP, as its new senior VP and creative director for merchandising.