News

British supermarket giant Tesco puts a friendlier and more contemporary spin on its hypermarket format at its revamped store in Swansea, Wales.   The new format, developed by Swedish design firm Blink in collaboration with Tesco's in-house team and corporate identity group Wolff Olins, offers innovative digital services, a more personal approach and simplified shopping for different needs. The remodeled store, which opened in June, is delivering a significantly higher profit, according to Blink.    

Consumers were cautious in their spending during the summer months.   Retail sales in August decreased by 0.2% from July on a seasonally adjusted basis, according to the National Retail Federation. (The NRF numbers exclude automobiles, gasoline stations and restaurants. Also, the Commerce Department said data for July was revised to show sales increasing 0.3% instead of the previously reported 0.6% jump.  

Women's footwear brand Aerosoles has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as it looks to shutter nearly all of its U.S. stores.   The company has about 80 stores in the United States, and also sells its shoes through other retailers. It has begun store closing sales and is seeking approval from the Bankruptcy Court to proceed with the sales. Aerosoles said it plans to maintain four flagships, in New York and New Jersey, and will also enhance its e-commerce, wholesale and international businesses.    

An 80-year-old fashion magazine is using technology to bring the fashion, beauty and entertainment featured on its glossy pages to life.  

Even headquarters have shelf life.   Walmart is planning to build a new, central headquarters — one better suited to a "digitally native" workforce — in its hometown of Bentonville, Arkansas. The discount giant revealed the news in a note by CEO Doug McMillion on the company's website.   

Oregon passed Senate Bill 828, known as the “Fair Work Week” law, last month. This law requires foodservice, retail and hospitality employers to give hourly workers reliable work week schedules upon hire, maintain a voluntary list of standby employees to address unanticipated customer needs or unexpected employee absences, and provide their workers with advance notice of schedule changes.  

Gap Inc. CEO Art Peck is refocusing the 3,000-store company on the areas with the biggest potential for driving growth — and they do not include its oldest divisions.   “We’re certainly not giving up on Gap or Banana [Republic], but we’re acknowledging the world continues to change,” Peck said in an interview with Bloomberg.  “And those are the two most mature brands in the portfolio.”  

Fewer stores translates into reduced holiday hiring for Macy's this year.   Macy's plans to hire a total of 80,000 workers for the holiday rush, down from about 83,000 last year. The company has been closing underperforming stores and currently operates some 70 fewer stores than it did last year.