Retail

Austin, Texas — Golfsmith International has named Sue E. Gove president and CEO.

Gove, formerly president and COO of the combined Golfsmith and Golf Town business, has also served as the chief integration officer leading the successful Golfsmith-Golf Town combination, which was finalized this past July. Marty Hanaka, the previous CEO, will serve in an advisory role through the end of this year.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Meijer is offering discounts on more than 400 toys at stores and online in anticipation of the holiday season as many customers are likely to want to keep prices down, the Midwestern mass-merchandise chain said Thursday.

The chain also plans to release a holiday gift guide that includes 18 pages of toys and an online release of its list of its top 25 toys. The toy discounts include toys in “virtually every” category, ranging from action figures to educational toys.

Naperville, Ill. -- OfficeMax Inc. announced that its U.S. contract business will now go to market as OfficeMax Workplace.

The company said the new name reflects its commitment to developing strategic relationships with a wide array of customers including businesses, universities, hospitals, schools and local governments to provide them with tailored solutions specific to the unique needs of their workplace.

SALISBURY, N.C. — Food Lion has partnered with the American Red Cross to accept register and online donations to support disaster-relief efforts and help replenish the American Red Cross Disaster Relief funds in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. 

Minneapolis -- Target Corp. unveiled its lineup of gift cards for the upcoming holiday season. The expanded assortment, which include traditional gift cards with holiday and multicultural designs, and digital options, will be available in stores on Nov. 4

Chicago — Black Friday will be the single biggest sales and foot traffic day of this holiday season, followed by Saturday, Dec. 22, according to ShopperTrak, the world’s largest counter and analyzer of retail foot traffic. With the greatest possible number of shopping days — 32 — lying between Black Friday and Christmas this year, ShopperTrak predicts that national retail sales will rise 3.3% (over last year) during the peak holiday shopping months of November and December; retail foot traffic will increase 2.8%.

Former OfficeMax executive Ryan Vero has been named SVP and president of grocery, drug and pharmacy at Sears Holdings.

Vero spent 17 years with OfficeMax and last served as the company’s EVP and chief merchandising and marketing officer. In his new role with Sears Holdings, Vero will be responsible for the oversight, leadership and growth, both in-store and online, for the company’s grocery, drug and pharmacy businesses.

Matthews, N.C. -- Harris Teeter Supermarkets reported Friday a profit of $22.8 million in its fourth quarter, compared with a loss of $8.9 million last year.

Sales edged up 3.7% to $1.14 billion, and same-store sales increased 3.01%.

The grocer has introduced a new format and banner – 201central – that it is using as a platform to sell a global variety of wine, beer, specialty foods and other selected merchandise.

Plans for fiscal 2013 include 12 new stores and nine major remodels.