News

Challenging holiday takes toll on Kohl’s profit
Positive trends with its online business were not enough to help Kohl’s offset in-store weakness and intense competition, which pressured profits and caused a significant downward revision in guidance.

Kohl’s said its fourth quarter same-store sales increased 0.4% while the digital business grew 30%. Full year same store sales increase 0.7%.
Chain Store Age announces winners of first-ever Breakout Retailer Awards
Chain Store Age on Thursday announced the winners of its first annual Breakout Retailer Awards, which honors emerging retail/restaurant concepts that are innovative in their segment and show strong potential for growth.

Costco sales mostly soft in January

Same-store sales at Costco were mostly flat in January across the globe, mirroring reports from other retailers reporting soft sales.
Boot Barn kicks into higher gear in Q3

Boot Barn reported double-digit profit and revenue growth in the third quarter helped by its recent acquisition of Sheplers.
The surprising lessons retailers can learn from online dating sites

Dating websites exploit data relationships to find great matches and the same approach can help retailers make a love connection with their customers.

Online dating is a huge success story. Estimated to be a $2 billion global business, about one in every ten Americans is using an online site or mobile dating app to look for love today.
CVS Health opens first pharmacy within Target in N.C.

The first of the pharmacy-within-a-store concepts showcasing the CVS Health and Target partnership went live Wednesday morning in the Charlotte, N.C. market. CVS Pharmacy and Target executives participated in a grand opening celebration at the Target store on Weddington Road in Wesley Chapel.
Lowe's steps it up in Canada with RONA purchase

Lowe's is making major moves in Canada with the $2.3 billion purchase of RONA Inc., a Canadian home improvement retailer and distributor.

Lowe's had previously made an unsolicited bid on the company more than three years ago, but the substantially higher offer this time around was accepted by Rona's board.
Baker Katz acquires 30,000 sq. ft. of land in Houston

Houston -- Baker Katz, an X Team International partner and full-service commercial real estate brokerage firm specializing in retail tenant representation, investment sales, and project development and leasing, announced that it has purchased 30,000 sq. ft. of land in Houston and completed a 7,000-sq.-ft. lease on behalf of Advance Auto Parts. Construction will slated to begin this month with an opening in May 2016.
Lowe’s in big step up in Canada with purchase of home improvement chain

Lowe's is making major moves in Canada with the $2.3 billion purchase of Rona Inc., a Canadian home improvement retailer and distributor.

Lowe's had previously made an unsolicited bid on the company more than three years ago, but the substantially higher offer this time around was accepted by Rona's board.
Sephora pays more than lip service to mobile experience

Specialty beauty retailer Sephora is launching a new mobile tool that eases the process of selecting a lip color.

Sephora is now offering a feature called Sephora Visual Artist on its existing Sephora To Go consumer mobile application. Sephora Virtual Artist utilizes a smartphone’s camera to map a user’s lip location and shape using technology developed by facial visualization provider ModiFace.
Walmart expands omnichannel grocery offering in Canada

Walmart is extending the reach of its online grocery pickup service in Canada.

After initially launching online grocery pickup at 11 Canadian stores in July 2015, Walmart is now offering online grocery pickup at 12 more stores in the Greater Toronto market. Orders can be placed at six stores as of Feb. 3 with first pickup Feb. 9; while orders can be placed Feb. 18 with first pickup Feb. 23 at the remaining six.
Victoria's Secret aims to score with new promotion

Just in time for Super Bowl Sunday and Valentine's Day, Victoria's Secret's Angels are taking to the field for an epic game of football in a new omnichannel video campaign.