Mass Merchant

Sears Canada president and CEO Douglas C. Campbell has resigned his spot so he can return to the United States by the end of the calendar year to tend to personal family issues. The board will commence a search for a new CEO immediately.

Campbell intends to continue as the CEO until Sears Canada names a replacement, but no later than January 1, 2015.

New York -- More than half of consumers will spend more for the Halloween holiday than they’ll spend for either Mother’s Day or Father’s Day, according to the 2014 Halloween Happenings Survey by Alliance Data Retail Services, which manages credit card programs.

Some highlights include:

• 67% of consumers buy Halloween candy that they like, in case they want to enjoy a few treats before the tricksters ring the bell.

New York -- L.L. Bean plans to open a 29,000-sq.-ft. store in Mall of America, Bloomington, Minnesota, the Star-Tribune reported. It will be the Freeport, Maine-based retailer’s first ever location west of the Mississippi River.

The store will be an anchor tenant in the mall, taking over a former Bloomingdale’s location, the report said.
 

Dublin, Calif. – DD’s Discounts, a division of Ross Stores Inc. will open its first store in Oklahoma, on Sept. 27. The store is located in the Windsor Hills Center in Oklahoma City.  

Including this new location, DD’s Discounts will operate more than 150 locations in 15 states and is on schedule to complete its expansion plan to open approximately 20 locations in 2014.

Hhgregg plans to hire more than 450 home electronics and home appliances salespeople this holiday season to support its 228 stores.

New York – More than 100 retailers, including Macy’s and J.C. Penney, have reportedly joined forces with the New York Police Department to create the Metropolitan Organized Retail Crime Alliance. According to the New York Daily News, the alliance will share information on criminals and scams targeting retailers and their customers.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. – Kmart Corp. will close at least eight stores by the end of 2014 as part of broader cost-cutting moves by parent company Sears Holding Corp. Kmart spokespeople sent emails to media outlets in Michigan, Indiana and Iowa announcing that Kmart will close at least five stores in the Detroit area, two in the Indianapolis area and one in Ames, Iowa.

Walmart has been on a building boom in Northwest Arkansas. Small-format Express stores have been open now for several years, the new convenience concept Walmart To Go opened earlier this year and the latest development is a hybrid concept that allows online grocery orders to be picked up at a dedicated drive-through facility.