News

Blockbuster retail deal in Canada
One of the largest grocers in Canada has just expanded its presence in the drugstore business. Metro Inc., the third largest food retailer in Canada, on Monday announced a deal to acquire the Jean Coutu Group, which operates more than 400 pharmacies, for $3.6 billion. The deal creates a combined food and pharmacy retailer with annual sales of $12.8 billion, and an overall network of more than 1,300 stores in Canada, with 677 drug stores.
Making a case for unified commerce
Centralized operating platforms help retailers become digitally competitive, according to Jimmy Duvall, chief product officer of BigCommerce. Duvall told Chain Store Age that integrated platforms are key for brands that want to deliver exceptional, targeted customer experiences.

What trends are changing the game for omnichannel retailers — especially those that are not digitally native?

Department store retailer's attempt to go private stalls

Nordstrom may not be going private anytime soon. Attempts by the Nordstrom family to take Nordstrom private have stalled over financing difficulties, reported CNBC. According to the report, banks have become cautious amid today's unstable retail climate. The Nordstrom family group owns 31.2% of Nordstrom. In June, the family said it was exploring a possible buy-out.
Five Common—and Costly—Omnichannel Mistakes

Brick-and-mortar retailers collectively have staked their claim online, accounting for at least half of U.S. e-commerce sales. The trouble is, most of them are losing money at it.
Regulatory Wrap-Up: New wage hikes, paid leave initiatives take shape

Wages
SPECS 2018 Update

Planning is underway for Chain Store Age’s 54th annual SPECS conference, which will be held March 18-20, 2018, at the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine (Dallas), Texas. The event will have attendees that are retail and foodservice executives involved in the planning, design, construction and maintenance of stores and restaurants nationwide.
Denim specialty retailer helps shoppers find the ‘perfect fitting jeans’

Silver Jeans Co.’s newest service solves one of female consumers’ most dreaded tasks — shopping for jeans. By partnering with Fitcode, a fashion-data company that specializes in women's denim, Silver Jeans Co. now has a way to deliver a personalized, fit-focused shopping experience. Integrated on the retailer’s e-commerce site, the service allows consumers to take a fit quiz, and then shop personalized style recommendations tailored to their unique body types.
Shop Talk

Trending Stores
Dollar General to offer tuition assistance

Dollar General wants to make it easier for its employees to pursue higher education. In a newly announced partnership with Bellevue University, all full-time and part-time Dollar General employees now qualify for $8,000 and $5,250 respectively in tuition assistance after working at Dollar General for a minimum of 30 days. Plus, immediate family members of employees are eligible for up to $2,625, as well.
The modern case for mixed-use retail

We have a tendency to take things that have been with us forever, reinvent them, and give them new names. Mixed-use centers, for instance, are essentially the 21st century version of downtowns. But whereas America’s towns grew up organically alongside harbors, rivers, and transportation crossroads, mixed-use centers aren’t always able to be so logically placed.