Retail

Duckwall-ALCO Stores on Friday reported a 1.7% first quarter same-store sales increase that was regarded as an improvement for the company, but light relative to figures posted by retail leaders.

Speaking at The Home Depot’s 2012 Investor and Analyst Conference in Atlanta, Home Depot EVP merchandising Craig Menear revved up the power tool rhetoric.

Menear said the company intends to defend its position as power tool market share leader.

He also described power tools as a category with a relatively high vulnerability to online competitors. One of the best defenses is a large fleet.

One of the biggest gripes residents of Northwest Arkansas have of the region, be they long time residents or recent transplants, is that Walmart is the only game in town when it comes to groceries. That situation will change later this summer when The Fresh Market opens its first location in Rogers.

NEW YORK — Procter & Gamble, in partnership with Walmart.com, is targeting urban shoppers in New York and Chicago throughout the month of June to offer savings on limited-edition everyday essentials.

Through the promotion — which kicked off in Chicago on Wednesday and launched in New York on Thursday — P&G is bringing to life its “everyday needs delivered for free” message for consumables.

MOORESVILLE, N.C — Through its charitable and educational foundation, Lowe's has awarded more than $2.3 million in Spring 2012 Lowe’s Toolbox for Education grants to 543 schools in 47 states throughout the nation. The grants were given to schools and parent organizations for parent-initiated school-improvement projects benefiting K-12 public education.

The projects funded during the spring grant period include technology and safety improvements, library renovations, walking trails, greenhouses, outdoor learning environments and more.

Technology continues to transform every aspect of society and the delivery of health care is no exception with Smart Care Doc branded clinics inside select Walmart stores now offering patients the ability to video conference with doctors.

BCS Global and Telemed Ventures this week announced they had teamed up to deliver deliver “cloud-based managed visual collaboration services” to Walmart’s Retail Clinics. Telemed operates Walmart clinics under the Smart Care Doc brand and BCS Global is provider of videoconferencing services.

People today seamlessly integrate the use of all types of technologies in their lives, including the way they shop – at any time, at any location. As a result, they are more informed and selective about the products and services they want and use, and are more empowered towards the industries that serve them.

CINCINNATI — Macy's Inc. has invested in the future of America, by hiring more than 1,000 college and university students for its Executive Development Program and for summer internships nationwide.