News

The United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1500 representing the greater New York area claimed victory over Target this week and offered some harsh words following a ruling by the National Labor Relations Board.

Pleasanton, Calif. -- Safeway announced that Robert Edwards, currently the company's president, will succeed Steven Burd as CEO when Burd retires as chairman and CEO on May 14. Edwards, 57, will also join the company's board of directors.

"Since he arrived here in 2004, Robert has successfully met every challenge he has faced," Burd said. "He has demonstrated the ability to lead the company in all facets of its operations, and has earned the respect of the entire organization."

Los Angeles -- Mother's Day spending will be nearly flat this year as more Americans return to work and have less spare time, according to a new report by market research firm IBISWorld.

The report forecast a 0.2% rise in purchases on Mother's Day gifts this year over last year, for a total of $17.1 billion.

By Michael W. Maynard,

Brisbane, Calif. -- Bebe stores announced that it has promoted Liyuan Woo to the position of CFO.
   
Woo will succeed Walter J. Parks, COO and CFO, who is departing the company effective May 3. The COO position will be eliminated and CEO Steve Birkhold will assume the COO responsibilities.
 

Ann Arbor, Mich. -- Pizza chain Domino’s, Inc. reported a 6.2% increase in domestic store sales during first quarter 2013, compared to the same quarter a year earlier.

Domino’s also reported 6.5% international same store sales growth and added a net 75 global stores. Net income increased from $20.7 million to $34.4 million, an almost 66% jump.

As of March 2013, Domino’s operates 10,330 global stores, including 4,923 domestic locations.

Los Angeles – Online fashion magazine Who What Wear is launching a new home décor e-commerce site, DomaineHome.com.

The site functions as an online magazine focused on home décor and decorating with shoppable content.

Ocean Springs, Miss. - A new e-commerce site providing hanging kitchen pot racks and wall racks, HangingintheKitchen.com, opens today.

The site continually updates inventory and also offers social media pages on Twitter and Facebook that offer product reviews, special offers and tips.

Minneapolis -- Consumer electronics retailer Best Buy is leaving the European market. The company is selling its stake in a joint European venture with U.K.-based consumer electronics retailer Carphone Warehouse Group PLC for cash and stock worth about $775 million USD.

Best Buy Co. will also pay Carphone 29 million pounds (about $45 million) related to existing agreements that will be terminated when the deal closes. The U.S. retailer also said that it will incur an approximately $200 million asset impairment charge related to the stake sale.

Boca Raton, Fla. -- Office products retailer Office Depot reported a worse-than-expected first quarter net loss of $17 million, compared with net earnings of $41 million a year earlier, hurt by lower sales and costs related to its pending merger with OfficeMax. The company also said it would hold a special meeting with investors to seek approval for the merger.