Mass Merchant

L.L. Bean is going to set up camp in Boston.   The Freeport, Maine-based retailer will open its first permanent, full-line store in an urban location in spring 2018, in the Seaport District of Boston. The store will feature active and casual apparel, outerwear, and footwear, as well as outdoor lifestyle gear curated for residents and visitors of Boston. At 8,600 sq. ft., the Boston outpost will be significantly smaller than Bean’s traditional retail footprint.  

Walmart is the subject of a federal lawsuit involving its alleged treatment of pregnant workers.   

Online retailing is on an upward trajectory that shows no sign of slowing.   In fact, the segment is expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of close to 16% between 2017-2021, according to a research forecast from Technavio.  

CBL continued to reduce its credit position with the disposition of mall assets this week and announced the dawning of a new day for the company.   The mall owner and developer closed on the sale of two Tennessee properties for a total of $53.5 million — Foothills Mall in Maryville and College Square in Morristown. Proceeds of the sales, CBL reported, were used to reduce outstanding balances on its lines of credit.  

The message is clear: Amazon wants to furnish its shoppers’ homes.   The online retailer has made a strong commitment to the furniture category by expanding its merchandise assortment and custom designs. Now it is giving the category even more attention, according to sources that said the Amazon is building at least four massive warehouses focused on fulfilling and delivering bulky items, MarketWatch reported.  

There’s been a new twist in the U.S. lawsuit over Wal-Mart’s alleged bribery in Mexico.  

Watch out Walmart — discount grocer Aldi is beating you in one crucial area.    Aldi’s prices are 21% lower than its lowest-priced rivals, including Walmart, CEO Jason Hart told Reuters. And he plans to maintain that gap going forward.   The fast-growing Aldi, which recently entered California, operates some 1,600 stores in the United States, with 400 new locations planned by the end of 2018.  

Macy’s reported disappointing earnings for its first quarter, as its sale continued to slide.    Macy's posted a first quarter profit of $71 million, or 23 cents a share, down from $116 million, or 37 cents a share, in the year-ago period. Excluding some costs, Macy's adjusted per-share profit fell to 24 cents from 40 cents, below analysts' expectations for 35 cents.