Mass Merchant

DALLAS — Kimberly-Clark, maker of the limited-edition jeans diaper, has introduced camouflage diapers to its Little Movers line, available exclusively at Walmart. 

PHOENIX — PetSmart has the announced the launch of a new collection from Martha Stewart Pets. The collection features innovative, cat-friendly feeding bowls and mats, a well-designed bed and a range of fun, stimulating toys made exclusively for PetSmart stores and PetSmart.com, the company reported.

HANNIBAL, Mo. — Hannibal Regional Medical Group has announced that on Sept. 13 it will open its first “The Clinic at Walmart” inside a Walmart in Hannibal, Mo.

New York City -- The third annual Fashion’s Night Out -- created by Vogue editor Anna Wintour -- is set to kick off on Thursday, Sept. 8, at 6 p.m. Although the shopping extravaganza has spread to more than 100 U.S. cities as well as select cities abroad, its nexus remains in New York City. More than 1,000 Big Apple merchants and designers are participating in the event, which is the kickoff to the city’s Fashion Week industry gathering.

Columbus, Ohio -- Developers Diversified Realty and Glimcher Realty Trust announced Wednesday that the companies have entered into an agreement to swap two assets better aligned with the other’s operating platforms and strategies. 

DDR will sell Glimcher its open-air mall, Town Center Plaza, in Kansas City, Kan., and Glimcher will sell DDR its power center, Polaris Towne Center, in Columbus, Ohio.

The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2011.

New York — Consumers are spending more, but doing so in fewer transactions, according to American Express Business Insights’ most recent Business Insights Spend Sights report.

The study, which examines spending patterns across several key categories, U.S. cities and demographic groups, finds that while economic uncertainty continues to dampen overall consumer confidence, a new pattern of less frequent but measurable splurging has become evident among a range of customer groups in several categories.

Target last week announced the donation $250,000 in cash and product to assist with Hurricane Irene relief efforts, pushing the total amount the company has committed to domestic disaster relief to more than $1 million. The donations will be distributed among relief agencies including The Salvation Army and the American Red Cross. In addition, Target is giving gift cards and 10,000 relief kits to other local, regional and national nonprofit organizations for such essentials as water and food.

Target’s relationship with the Peterson Milla Hooks ad agency is ending soon but Ad Age reported on details of a final campaign set to air soon for the new Missoni line of apparel and accessories due to hit stores this month for a limited engagement. According to Ad Age, the new campaign includes a 30 second spot shot in Milan that features Margherita Missoni, granddaughter of Missoni’s founders.

So far so good. The third quarter at Target is off to a solid start as Target reported a 4.1% same-store sales increase that was squarely in the middle of the company’s guidance range, which called for an increase in the low to mid single digits.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Retail same-store sales held steady with a 4.9% gain in August as retailers reported mostly solid back-to-school results at the same time sales at department stores were hurt by the impact of Hurricane Irene and weaker spending plans by shoppers, Kantar Retail reported on Thursday. However, shoppers plan on reducing their spending over the next few months, the company reported.