Supply Chain & Merchandising

CARLISLE, Pa. — Royal Ahold banner Giant Food Stores is giving its private-label products a new look.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Caremark announced that it has donated approximately $40,000 in monetary and in-kind donations to support residents of Joplin, Mo., who were impacted by the recent tornado. CVS Caremark and CVS/pharmacy colleagues in the region collected and donated first aid and personal care supplies valued at approximately $35,000 to local relief efforts in Joplin. In addition, CVS Caremark has made a $5,000 donation to the American Red Cross to further support relief efforts in the area.

New York City -- Wal-Mart Stores on Friday morning kicked off its annual shareholders meeting in Fayetteville, Ark., by announcing a $15 billion stock buyback.

Among the early speakers was Doug McMillon, chief of Wal-Mart Stores' international division, who told the audience that the chain is building sales around the world by using the same retailing style that company founder Sam Walton developed.

New York City -- Robert K. Futterman & Associates said it has arranged a 14,564-sq.-ft. lease for Anthropologie at 1230 Third Ave. for its first Upper East Side location.

Set to open this holiday season, the retailer will consist of 5,051 sq. ft. on the ground-floor and 9,513 sq. ft. of lower-level retail space. 

This will be Anthropologie’s fifth location in Manhattan. 

Los Angeles -- Sporting goods chain Sport Chalet reported Thursday that it swung to a profit in its fiscal fourth quarter of $0.3 million, from a net loss of $0.3 million in the year-ago period.

Sales increased 8.8% to $98.2 million. Same-store sales edged up 1.3%.

The fourth quarter profit was the chain’s first in 13 quarters.
ff and service, and store facility. 

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — After nearly four hours of music, cheering, celebrity appearances and brief presentations by senior executives, Wal-Mart Stores president and CEO Mike Duke wrapped up the company’s annual shareholders’ extravaganza Friday morning by sharing five priorities associated with serving what he called the next generation of customers.

New York City -- Wal-Mart will debut its Walmart Express format on June 8, in Gentry, Ark. The 15,000-sq-.ft.-store will sell many of the product categories that a traditional Walmart carries, from general merchandise to consumables. There is also a pharmacy. But it will have from 11,000 to 13,000 items, compared with the more than 100,000 items found in a typical supercenter.

By Harry Herget, syntelllc.com