Sales & Marketing

New York City -- Bloomingdale’s 520,000-sq.-ft. Manhattan flagship is undergoing a 100,000-sq.-ft. renovation, Women’s Wear Daily reported, with bridge, contemporary, home, shoes, fine jewelry and parts of the designer floor included in the remodel.

The project is estimated to cost $50 million, according to Women’s Wear Daily.
 

The departure last week of Target chief marketing officer and spearhead of the retailer’s entry into Canada, Michael Francis, was a significant development in the retail world, but someone forgot to tell the company’s suppliers.

Americans spent lots of money on apparel in September, and Target was among the beneficiaries, reporting that the category’s performance exceeded the total company same-store sales increase of 5.3%. Target didn’t elaborate on any key merchandising initiatives that may have influenced the results, such as the launch of the Missoni collection, but it was hardly alone in reporting strong apparel sales.

NEW YORK — Supermarket chain Stop & Shop will work with Foodshare to sponsor events at its stores in Hartford, Conn., to help qualifying residents access the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefit.

About 70% of Connecticut residents who qualify for SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program, actually receive the benefit, Stop & Shop said. This is because of such issues as language barriers, lack of transportation or lack of knowledge of the program.

New York City -- Jos. A. Bank Clothiers is teaming up with wedding and bridesmaid dressmaker/retailer Alfred Angelo, Investors Daily said.

Catalogs of Jos. A. Bank's tuxedos and matching accessories will be available at Alfred Angelo Signature’s bridal stores, while Alfred Angelo will be the exclusive wedding-gown partner for the women in Jos. A. Bank's customers' lives, according to the report.

The two will also team up on bridal shows, web content, blogs and social media.
 

CINCINNATI — Kroger announced that its annual Honoring Our Heroes fundraising campaign to support the United Service Organizations garnered $1.5 million.

The funds were raised in partnership with customers and associates through a variety of in-store activities at Kroger stores nationwide, as well as online at HonoringOurHeroes.com. Procter & Gamble and Anheuser Busch also participated in the program and contributed $250,000 each in conjunction with special sales programs in Kroger stores.

Chesapeake, Va. -- Dollar Tree said that its board has approved a $1.5 billion share repurchase program. The company said it has invested more than $1.9 billion for share repurchase since 2003, including $414.7 million in 2010 and $345.9 million in 2011, to date.

Satellite Beach, Fla. -- Lighting Science Group is performing an LED lighting upgrade for Villa, the Philadelphia-based urban-inspired apparel and footwear retailer. Villa estimates the lighting upgrade will pay for itself in one to two years, with energy and maintenance savings continuing to shave costs from its bottom line going forward.