Sales & Marketing

Nineteen of the nation’s leading retail and CPG companies received perfect scores on the 2013 Corporate Equality Index compiled by the Human Rights Campaign.

The Human Rights Campaign released its 2013 Corporate Equality Index, which gives companies ratings of up to 100% based on their policies regarding LGBT employees and also released a buyer's guide for LGBT consumers. According to the equality advocacy group, a total of 1,848 companies were invited to submit applications, of those 530 actually did so and of those 252 received scores of 100%.

Houston -- Houston-based X Team International partner Baker Katz said that it has completed the sale of the former Syms clothing store in Houston’s Westchase District.

The 40,777-sq.-ft. building was sold to Tennis Express for an undisclosed amount. Tennis Express will relocate an existing store and consolidate off-site storage into the new location.
 

Retailer and supplier consolidation has led to the demise of some conventional trade shows, but that’s not the case with the Sweets & Snacks Expo.

Record attendance is expected at the event scheduled for May 21 through May 23 in Chicago due in part to format changes by event organizer the National Confectioners Association and the strength of merchandise categories represented at the mega event.

New York -- British clothing and accessories retailer Jack Wills Outfitters is opening a new store, in New Canaan, Conn.

The company has chosen builder and general contractor A&O Danner, Inc., of Plymouth, Mass., to complete the buildout. In 2010-11, Danner built two other Jack Wills stores in Connecticut, in Greenwich and Westport.

Top food executives at Walmart are presumably in the crosshairs of Safeway recruiters now that longtime chairman and CEO Steve Burd has announced his retirement.

Indianapolis -- Finish Line Inc. reported Friday a loss of $107,000 for the quarter ended Dec. 1, compared with a profit of $5.55 million in the year-ago period. The unexpected swing, said the company, was due in part to a lukewarm response to Finish Line’s new online store.
 
Sales in the quarter climbed 5.2% to $296.6 million, missing Wall Street’s expected $296 million in revenue, and same-store sales rose 3.6%.

Oak Brook, Ill.-based Ace Hardware launched Instant Savings, a program for Ace Rewards members that allows them to receive instant discounts at the register.

“We have made it even easier for our customers to shop with Ace by delivering more value and convenience for them,” said John Surane, senior VP, merchandising, marketing, advertising and paint. “We constantly look for ways to add value for our customers, and Instant Savings is a major new exclusive benefit to our Ace Rewards loyalty program that does just that.”

Seattle -- Nordstrom plans to open a full-line store in Minnetonka, Minn., at Ridgedale Center, which is owned by General Growth Properties.

The store will be approximately 138,000 sq. ft. and will open in fall 2015. It will be Nordstrom's second full-line store in Minnesota.