Mass Merchant

Los Angeles -- A report released Tuesday by CBRE Group said that New York City remains the world’s most expensive shopping destination as retailers focus on the major fashion capitals.

“Retailers continued to expand their store networks to gain market share during the third quarter despite concerns regarding consumer confidence,” said Anthony Buono, CBRE executive managing director of retail services.

MATTHEWS, N.C. — Family Dollar is expanding into California for the first time with the opening of four new stores in Ontario, Rialto, Riverside and Fontana. The company's aggressive growth plans also include 450 to 500 new stores to be opened in fiscal 2012.  

New York City -- Wal-Mart Stores has acquired Australian tech start-up Grabble for an undisclosed amount. Founded in January 2010, Grabble provides retailers a point-of-service app for purchases.

The discount giant will make the company part of its recently established Walmart Labs.

 

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart has launched a Facebook campaign that is looking to aid local organizations that are providing such basic needs as food, shelter, clothing and baby supplies to their respective communities.

The Canada served up to Americans when they visit the country’s pavilion at Disney’s Epcot Center in Orlando is one of lumberjacks, lakes and abundant wildlife roaming virgin forests. While those elements exist, according to Jeff Doucette, a resident of Calgary in the Western province of Alberta and founder of the strategic consulting firm Sales Is Not Simple, the Canada portrayed at the Disney resort is far removed from the average Canadian’s daily existence and the marketplace Target will enter in 2013.

Plano, Texas -- J.C. Penney Co. reported Monday a loss of $143 million for the quarter ended Oct. 29, compared with a profit of $44 million in the year-ago period. Sagging comps and shrinking margins led to the performance decline.

For the quarter, sales dropped 4.8% to $3.99 billion, reflecting the company’s exit from its catalog and catalog outlet businesses, which it sold off during the quarter. 

As previously reported, same-store sales dipped 1.6%.

It is a good thing Target has been experimenting with smaller stores in the United States. The experience, limited as it is, will come in handy when the company begins opening stores in former Zellers locations in early 2013.

Minneapolis -- Target announced it will open a CityTarget store in the Westwood Market Place, Westwood, Calif., in July 2012. The 98,000- sq.-ft. store will occupy a space that formerly housed Home Depot Expo.

The Westwood location is the second CityTarget store confirmed in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Target previously announced that it would open a small-format, urban store at Figueroa and 7th in downtown Los Angeles in October 2012.