Mass Merchant

Arlington, Va. -- In response to legislation introduced on Tuesday by Montana senator Jon Tester to reopen critical reforms of the debit payments market, the Retail Industry Leaders Association issued the following statement:

“Despite the American people’s repeated disapproval of bank bailouts, the Tester bill is just that, this time at the expense of retailers and their consumers,” said Katherine Lugar, executive VP for public affairs, RILA.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- The economic downturn has been especially tough on the Midwestern region of the United States, but now Meijer is bringing some renewed hope to the area with news it will invest more than $75 million in a major remodel project for stores in Michigan and Ohio, with eight Michigan stores benefiting from this new initiative. The announcement was made by Hank Meijer, co-chairman and CEO of the company.

MATTHEWS, N.C. -- Family Dollar today showed why dollar stores are such a hot commodity right now by reporting a comparable-store sales increase of 5.1% for the second quarter ended Feb. 26. Net sales for the quarter increased 8.3% to $2.26 billion from $2.09 billion last year. According to the company warmer weathr earlier in the year as well as strong performance in its consumable and seasonal categories helped drive sales. 

NEW YORK -- Macy’s announced Matthew Williamson as the second acclaimed fashion designer to take part in the designer capsule collection series for the retailer’s contemporary fashion Impulse department. Sold in approximately 225 Macy’s stores nationwide and on macys.com beginning April 13, Williamson’s collection will include dresses, tops, scarves and unique leather and suede pieces.

Price points for the collection will range from $50 to $120, with specialty pieces selling up to $300. 

Considering how the addition of food at Target and the company’s PFresh remodeling initiative has dominated headlines for the past year, it is somewhat of an eye opener to see the company is really just beginning to scratch the surface in food.

At the end of last year, the food and pet supplies category accounted for 17% of total company sales of $67.4 billion compared with two years earlier when those categories accounted for 15% of sales of roughly $65 billion. That’s according to a category sales breakdown contained in the company’s annual report.

SECAUCUS, N.J.  -- The Children's Place Retail Stores has announced the appointment of Michael Giannelli as SVP design, effective March 28, 2011. He will report to Natalie Levy, EVP merchandising and design.

Giannelli spent 18 years with Gap Inc., culminating in his appointment as VP Gap Body. For 12 years of his tenure with the company, he designed children's apparel and non-apparel for Gap Kids and Baby Gap. Most recently, Giannelli held the position of SVP design for Ann Taylor Loft. 

From win-win to lose-lose. Do enough deals with different celebrities and sooner or later one of them is bound to blow up. That’s what happened to Target last week when entertainer/singer/gay rights advocate Lady Gaga had a change of heart regarding a prior commitment with Target.

Target recently filed its annual report on form 10-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Here’s a look at some interesting facts and figures contained in the document:

• Target employed 355,000 “team members,” last year, a figure that swells to 400,000 during the holidays.

• The company operated 37 distribution centers, including four food distribution centers and maintains 27 international sourcing offices in 18 countries

It promises to be a fashion forward spring at Target as this week began a first-of-its-kind designer event online and in stores. The company is celebrating five years of its GO International program by offering a collection of 34 dresses from 17 designers who participated in the program in the past. Ranging from $24.99 to $44.99, the GO International Designer Collective will be available March 13 through April 10.

Ann Arbor, Mich. -- Borders Group is expected to announce that another 75 stores will be closed.

Mike Edwards, president, in a conference call said that the additional store closings would come from a group of 140 "bubble stores" that had already been identified for possible closings.

The bookseller previously said it would close 200 stores when it announced it had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Feb. 16. At the time, the retailer said another 75 could be closed. The new round of stores has not yet been identified.