Retail

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Branded footwear and accessories retailer DSW recently leveraged social media to hold a contest encouraging existing and potential consumers to vote for nonprofit organizations nominated by DSW employees.

As part of the retailer's Shoe Lovers Care Leave Your Mark program, DSW employees nominated nearly 200 nonprofit organizations for the opportunity to win a grant. Finalists were selected by DSW and then presented via social media for public voting, which wrapped up in late June 2013.

Winson-Salem, N.C. – Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corporation has completed the sale of three company-owned stores in the Dallas market to Sun Life Holdings LLC as part of a broader agreement where Sun Holdings has agreed to develop 15 additional Krispy Kreme locations in the market during the next five years. Sun Holdings operates nearly 400 restaurants in Texas and Florida, including the Burger King, Popeye's, Arby's, CiCi's, Golden Corral and Del Taco brands. The company also operates 13 T-Mobile stores.

MT. PROSPECT, Ill. — A newly redesigned $100 bill designed to thwart the efforts of counterfeiters is due to hit the market in early October, creating new challenges for retailers.

In recent years, the United States government redesigned multiple banknotes to curb counterfeiting. As Cummins Allison, a leading innovator and provider of coin, currency and check handling solutions, explains, government officials are always looking for ways to stay one step ahead of those trying to forge U.S. currency.

FORT WORTH, Texas — RadioShack released a statement in which it contends its balance sheet remains strong, with total liquidity of $820 million at the end of the first quarter.

The retailer released the statement a day after reports said it was considering hiring a financial adviser as a result of debt maturities, bloated inventories and slumping sales.

New York -- The growing appeal of smaller format stores and the increasing number of international moves by emerging market retailers are two of the key trends revealed in the Accenture Globalization Index, Quarter One 2013.

New York -- Michael Kors is suing Costco Corp., accusing the chain of illegally using pictures of its pocketbooks in its ads to attract customers, according to the Associated Press. Michael Kors said Costco was not authorized to sell the designer's goods.

In a federal lawsuit, Michael Kors accused Costco of using the bags as a lure. It claimed Costco advertised the bags as starting at $99, but didn't actually have any to sell, the report said.

National Retail Federation SVP for government relations David French spoke to Fox News' Stuart Varney about D.C.’s decision to pass a living wage bill requiring non-union, big box retailers to pay their employees $12.60 per hour. As a result of the bill's passing, Walmart has scrapped plans to open three stores in the District. While defenders of the bill point out that the living wage is a fair one given cost of living and the still challeneging economic climate, Varney says the District, via its council members, is turning down 2,000 jobs and French agrees.

San Diego -- Fixtures Living, which specializes in premium lifestyle products for the home, is changing its name to "PIRCH." The official switchover occurs on Aug. 29.