News

One year after beginning operation, two 415 foot tall wind turbines at SC Johnsons’ Mt. Pleasant, Wis., manufacturing facility are helping the facility generate 100% of its power needs on site.

The mammoth turbines are located at the company’s largest manufacturing facility known as “waxdale” which encompasses an area the size of 36 football fields. It’s where brands such as Glade, Windex, Pledge, Scrubbing Bubbles, Shout, Raid and OFF! are manufactured.

Paris -- French retailing giant Carrefour has joined an investment group aiming to acquire more than a 100 shopping malls in France, Spain, and Italy.

According to a New York Times report, the $2.7 billion deal will add 127 malls to Carrefour’s current 45-mall portfolio. The plan is to create a new, separate property company in which Carrefour would hold a 42% stake. Institutional investors would hold the rest.

J.C. Penny will eliminate the jcp menswear brand and reduce the assortments in its Joe Fresh, Michael Graves and Martha Stewart lines, Reuters reported.

All four brands were introduced by former CEO Ron Johnson. Penney plans to use the resulting space to emphasize its exclusive private-label brands.

Starting in January, Penney will shrink its Joe Fresh in-store shops and reduce the assortment, the report said, moving the shops away from the front entry to give a more prominent spot to the chain’s own a.n.a and jcp women's wear collections.

Washington, D.C. -- The National Retail Federation issued the following statement from senior VP and general counsel Mallory Duncan in response to U.S. District Court Judge John Gleeson’s approval of a controversial antitrust lawsuit over credit card swipe fees:

Shopko plans to open two new Shopko Hometown stores. The stores, which will average 36,000 sq. ft., are located in Mayville, Wis., and Valentine, Neb.

The Shopko Hometown retail format, developed to augment Shopko’s larger store model and focused on serving the needs of smaller rural communities, combines retail health services with a broad offering of national brands and high-value private label brands of apparel, home furnishings, toys, consumer electronics, seasonal items, every day consumable items and lawn and garden products.

New York -- Due to the holiday rush and related closings, Chain Store Age has extended the deadline for its 32nd annual Retail Store of the Year Design Competition until Wednesday, January 8, 2014.

More than 20 competition categories are featured, including department stores, supermarkets, discounters, restaurants, convenience stores, specialty stores, service, sustainability and pop-up stores. This year, for the first time, the competition also includes the category of in-store digital innovation.

Black & Decker has unveiled four new cordless power tools and a variety of new combination kit solutions.

The products are described by the company as “powerful and durable home-improvement solutions at a value for cost-conscious homeowners.”

These cordless tools are powered by the Black & Decker extended runtime 20V MAX lithium ion battery, and include a 1/2 inch drill/driver, impact driver, reciprocating saw and circular saw.

York, Pa. – Bon-Ton Stores has entered into an amendment to the company’s existing $675 million asset-based revolving credit facility that was scheduled to mature in March 2016. Bank of America, N.A. continues to serve as Agent on the credit facility.

The second amendment extends the maturity date of the commitments under the credit facility to Dec. 12, 2018. The amendment provides interest rate reductions and generally favorable revisions regarding the facility requirements.