Mass Merchant

Minneapolis -- Scott Kennedy was named president of Target financial and retail service to replace long time finance executive Terry Scully.

Scully spent nearly 35 years with Target and is moving into a strategic advisory role to ensure the smooth transition of the recently sold credit card portfolio to TD Bank Group. Scully, 60, will officially retire in March 2014. Filling his shoes as head of financial and retail services is Scott Kennedy, 44. He joined Target in 2005 and currently serves as VP of pay and benefits.

PHILADELPHIA — The Pep Boys – Manny, Moe & Jack has announced that Robert Rosenblatt and Andrea Weiss have joined its board of directors. With these appointments, Pep Boys has increased the current size of its board from seven to nine directors.

New York -- Herald Center, the giant 10-story, 250,000-sq.-ft. black glass retail and office property at the southwest corner of 34th Street and Broadway in Manhattan, is about to undergo a major transformation under long-time owner JEMB Realty. The property will be completely reclad to create a new leasing opportunity encompassing more than 50,000 sq. ft. of prime retail space at one of the most heavily trafficked, high-visibility corners in the world.

City of Industry, Calif. -- Hot Topic reported net income in the fourth quarter ended February 2, 2013, of $12.1 million, up from $9.0 million in the year-ago period.

Total sales for the fourth quarter increased 11.0% to $233.0 million, compared to $209.9 million last year. Total same-store sales increased 2.6%. (Due to the 53rd week in fiscal 2012, fourth quarter comparable sales are compared to the corresponding 14 week period ended February 4, 2012.)

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart President and CEO Mike Duke introduced First Lady Michelle Obama at the Business Roundtable Wednesday with the following remarks:

"We are pleased to be joined by our guest today, First Lady Michelle Obama.  Mrs. Obama speaks movingly about the service, strength, and sacrifice of our current generation of troops, veterans, and military families.  It is a personal privilege to share some of her work and to start our discussion around creating opportunity for this new group of heroes.

New York -- Retail spending in the United States rose a better-than-expected 1.1% in February, the highest increase since September, according to figures released Wednesday by the Commerce Department.

Sales, excluding gasoline, building materials and autos, rose 0.4%. Industry experts said that consumer spending is holding up even in the face of the higher payroll tax.

Knoxville, Tenn. -- CHM announced that it has broken ground on Knoxville’s first urban, vertical retail complex, University Commons.

The Publix- and Walmart-anchored shopping and dining center will cover 12+ acres, with 211,000 sq. ft. of retail space and parking. Besides the two anchors, an additional 40,000 sq. ft. will be dedicated to smaller retailers and service providers once the project is completed.

TORONTO — Target Canada has announced its first entertainment sponsorship with three-time Grammy award-winning singer and songwriter Michael Bublé. The retailer will sell an exclusive deluxe edition of Bublé's highly anticipated sixth studio album, "To Be Loved."  The exclusive version of the album, featuring three bonus tracks, will hit stores April 22 and continue to be available as Target stores open across Canada throughout 2013.