News

Online jewelry retailer continues mall expansion with 'Webroom' format
Online fine jeweler Blue Nile is set to open its first physical location outside of New York City in an ongoing effort to reimagine the jewelry buying experience.

Seattle-based Blue Nile said it would open a store at Tysons Corner Center mall in Fairfax County, Virginia by mid-summer as part of a strategy to open four locations this year.
New Restoration Hardware program offers shoppers more exclusivity

Home furnishings retailer RH (Restoration Hardware) is rolling out a new membership program that aims to reimagine the luxury shopping experience by adding an element of exclusivity.

The company has announced the launch of the RH Grey Card. For a $100 annual fee, the RH Grey Card provides 25% savings on everything RH, every day, across all of its brands – RH, RH Modern, RH Baby & Child, RH TEEN and RH Contemporary Art.

Chip-card payment system delays costing retailers

Delays in the required certification of payment terminals that accept credit and debit cards with embedded chips are frustrating many retailers, particularly midsized ones, and also costing them as, since Oct. 1, stores that cannot accept chip cards have had to shoulder the cost of fraud — and banks are not shy about passing along the bill, the New York Times reported.
Kroger names executives for Roundy's, Mariano's divisions

The Kroger Co. has named new leaders for its Roundy's and Mariano's grocery chains.

The company announced that Michael Marx, currently vice president of people operations for Kroger, has been promoted to serve as president of Roundy's Supermarkets, Wisconsin, effective April 1. The company also announced the promotion of Don Rosanova, currently executive VP of operations for Roundy's, to be president of Mariano's, effective immediately. Both leaders will report to Roundy's CEO, Bob Mariano.
Target tests recipe for food growth

Target Corp.’s partnership with MIT Media Lab and global design firm IDEO is bearing fruit — literally.
Urban Outfitters goes geek to stay cool

Urban Outfitters Inc. offers what can appear to be a random and eclectic variety of products on its shelves, but careful planning goes into the specialty chain’s store assortment.
Hot Canadian brand signs lease for first U.S. store

A popular goose has found a nest in Manhattan’s SoHo neighborhood.

Canada Goose, best known for its signature goose-down jacket with Arctic Circle logo and fur-trimmed hood, has signed a lease for an approximate 4,400-sq.-ft. store on Wooster Street, The Real Deal reported. The asking rent for the space, according to the Real Deal, was $550 a foot.
Exclusive Preview: Cheesecake Factory adds mobile payment to menu

The Cheesecake Factory is known for offering a wide variety of food items, and now is also expanding its range of payment options.

Starting in April, The Cheesecake Factory will roll out a new mobile payment app called CakePay. To use CakePay, guests will check in and receive a four-digit code they give to the server at the time their order is taken. The server will then enter the order and the code into the POS system.
Aaron’s makes a difference in D.C., and beyond

Store managers from 2,000 Aaron’s location gathered in Washington, D.C., for their annual meeting and to participatein a wide range of unique community outreach efforts.

The giving efforts kicked off with a donation event in which Aaron's donated furniture to 28 apartments for families who have experienced homelessness. This effort supports Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser's (pictured above) efforts to ensure safe, dignified housing for all Washingtonians and end homelessness in the District of Columbia.
Starbucks to donate all unsold food

Starbucks Corp. announced a major initiative to help the nation’s neediest citizens.

The coffee giant is launching FoodShare, a program to donate all leftover ready-to-eat meals from its 7,600 U.S. company-operated stores to food banks. In the first year alone, the program will be able to provide nearly 5 million meals, according to company estimates.