Mass Merchant

Olympia, Wash. -- Youngstown, Ohio-based Cafaro Co. said Tuesday that Ross Dress for Less will open a new store at its Target Place Plaza, located in Olympia, Wash.

The new 28,000-sq.-ft. store will open to the public on March 5.

Target Place Plaza is a 282,183-sq.-ft. center anchored by Target, along with Ross Dress For Less, OfficeMax, Macy’s Furniture Gallery, FedEx Kinkos, Whistle Workwear, Honey Baked Ham, Jo-Ann Etc. and more.

Suffern, N.Y. -- Ascena Retail Group's fiscal second-quarter net income nearly doubled to top expectations, buoyed by solid results at its Justice stores.

The company, formerly The Dress Barn, reported net income of $42.5 million for the quarter, up from $21.7 million last year.

Revenue for the period ended Jan. 29 was up 27% to $752.2 million, better than the Street's $716.2 million estimate. Same-sale sales rose 9%.

DENVER -- Walmart announced that it has donated $100,000 to continue the Walmart Tribal College Scholarship Program. This program is providing 33 greatly needed scholarships for the spring 2011 semester, supporting one student at each of the nation's 33 tribal colleges and universities.

Framingham, Mass. -- Fourth-quarter sales at Staples increased slightly to $6.4 billion, net income increased 17% to $275 million, and earnings per share increased 19% to 38 cents courtesy of a favorable tax benefit of six cents.

Staples chairman and CEO said he was proud of all the company achieved in 2010.

New York City -- While Walmart and Target continue to closely contend on price, Target’s basket price came in less expensive in the latest semi-annual pricing study by Kantar Retail.

“Walmart’s price positioning reveals that it has largely returned to a blanket EDLP approach, while Target’s TPC positioning is centered on price promotions to drive guests’ impressions and achieve actual basket price leadership,” said Leon Nicholas, senior VP of Retail Insights for Kantar Retail and contributor to the study. 

 ISSAQUAH, Wash. and WESTBOROUGH, Mass. -- The past three-months were favorable to the warehouse sector, as both Costco and BJ’s Wholesale reported quarterly results that were in-line with or beat analysts’ expectations.

New York City -- Retailer demand for new locations is up across the board, according to ChainLinks Retail Advisors’ just-released National Retailer and Restaurant Expansion Guide. The report details the current expansion plans for hundreds of the largest U.S. retail and restaurant chains.

PITTSBURGH and BENTONVILLE, Ark. — GNC is making its foray into the warehouse club for the first time by offering select private-label products at Sam's Club locations.

GNC's products will boost Sam's Club's current health-and-wellness offerings by extending GNC's specialty retailing brand to mass-market customers.