News

Secaucus, N.J. -- The Children's Place said Wednesday that current CFO Michael Scarpa has also been appointed COO, effective immediately.

Scarpa will continue to oversee finance, information technology, distribution, logistics and wholesale, and will add store operations, store development and international to his current responsibilities.

Prior to joining The Children's Place, Scarpa was COO and CFO of The Talbots.

By Brian Gillespie, Continuum

New York -- Supervalu Inc., which recently divested 877 supermarkets in a $3.3 billion transaction, reported Wednesday a loss of $179 million in the fourth quarter, widened from $42 million in the year-ago period.    

Washington, D.C. -- The U.S. Senate on Wednesday voted 96-0 to confirm former Wal-Mart Foundation president Sylvia Mathews Burwell as White House budget director.

Burwell, the first fully confirmed budget director since January 2012, when Jack Lew, now Treasury Secretary, left the position to become Obama's chief of staff, received a vote of confidence from her former employer.

Brentwood, Tenn. -- Tractor Supply Co. reported Wednesday that net income for the quarter ended March 30 rose to $44 million, compared with $40.3 million in the year-ago period.

Sales increased 6.4% to $1.09 billion from $1.02 billion in the prior year's first quarter. Same-store sales edged up 0.5%.

It is with great pleasure that I introduce myself to you as the new senior editor of Chain Store Age, focused on covering all the news, trends and happenings in the constantly changing world of retail IT. Technology is evolving at a breakneck pace with major implications for retail. Emerging technology areas such as mobile, social and cloud are changing the very nature of customer experience, while the explosion of Big Data offers both a major challenge and opportunity for retailers that can successfully harness the immense of volume of information that is now available.

When Swann’s opened its 51,000-sq.-ft. freestanding flagship store in Tyler, Texas, it unveiled a new design that takes the 117-year-old furniture retailer and home design consultant to an even higher-end level.

Stamford, Conn.-based Martin Roberts Design completed the $4.4-million Swann’s store, with the objective of elevating both the retailer and its surroundings.

SILVER SPRING, Md. — The Food and Drug Administration has launched an interactive map that allows users to find licensed online pharmacies by searching through states' board of pharmacy databases.

The site, BeSafeRx, is designed to help users distinguish between legitimate pharmacies and fake ones, noting that fake pharmacies will often use various means to appear legitimate. "If you cannot confirm that an online pharmacy is licensed in the United States, you should not use that online pharmacy," the site states.

SHELTON, Conn. — Hawaiian Tropic has retired its Miss Hawaiian Tropic Bikini Contests and is looking for a woman who will serve as the "new face" of the brand, which is owned by Energizer Personal Care, a division of Energizer Holdings.

The brand, which has introduced new formulas and packaging, is launching the contest through Facebook, and the winner will become its new spokeswoman. The contest takes place from May 6 through May 31.

NAPERVILLE, Ill. — OfficeMax has been awarded the National Employment Team 2013 “Private Sector Business of the Year” by the Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation (CSAVR) for its commitment to employing people with disabilities, including veterans.

OfficeMax is one of two organizations — and the only private sector company — to receive this year's CSAVR distinction.