Retail

Seattle – The flop of Amazon’s Fire smartphone device last year continues to have repercussions.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Amazon has laid off dozens of employees who worked on developing Fire at its Lab126 innovation center in Silicon Valley.

Pembroke Pines, Fla. -- General Growth Properties and AMC Theatres announced the addition of a new 40,000-sq. ft. theater to Pembroke Lakes Mall in Pembroke Pines, Florida. Construction is set to begin early 2016, with an expected opening in early 2017.

The nine-screen AMC theatre will also feature power-reclining seating for up to 1,000 guests, a Marketplace food and beverage area, IMAX and Dolby Cinema.
 

Workwear brand Carhartt has opened a flagship in the city where it was founded in 1889.  

Columbus, Ohio – Big Lots on Friday reported second-quarter profit and revenue that beat analysts' estimates. The retailer also announced several promotions as part of a realignment of its supply chain management.

Big Lots’ net income dropped 13% to a better-than-expected $17.63 million from $19.94 million, with loss from discontinued operations cutting otherwise flat profit.

Net sales for the quarter increased 1% to $1.21 billion, from $1.19 billion. Same-store sales rose 2.8%.

Memphis —  Fred’s Inc. remained unprofitable for its fifth consecutive quarter as pharmacy continued to weigh the chain down.

Fred’s reported a bigger-than-expected net loss of $4.9 million in the second quarter, down from $16.4 million for the same period last year. 

Reductions in the percent of revenue represented by cost of goods sold and selling, general and administrative expenses helped shrink net loss.

Net sales grew 10%, from $491.18 million to $546.08 million, while same-store sales grew 0.9%.

Dollar General grew customer traffic and average ticket for the 30th consecutive quarter even as the company refocuses on efforts to strengthen topline growth.

Washington — The National Retail Federation wasted no time responding to a ruling by the National Labor Relations board concerning the redefinition of the concept of joint employees.

NRF and other business groups are concerned that the redefinition  could be used to make large businesses and franchisors responsible for the actions of subcontractors or local franchisees even when they do not exercise direct control over those companies’ employees.

Meijer's free digital savings program, mPerks, is turning 5 this week and has already set a company record with $100 million in savings to customers this year.