News

TEMPE, Ariz. — Walmart has opened a new small-format store on the campus of Arizona State University as part of a pilot program.

The company announced its plans to open the 5,000-sq.-ft. store in the Vista del Sol plaza at the university in late March of this year. The store includes health and wellness services, a pharmacy, convenient shopping services, convenience items and merchandise tailored to the campus. The Walmart on Campus store is the second in the country, the first having opened at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville in January 2011.

FORT WORTH, Texas — RadioShack has partnered with Maker Media, the creators of Make Magazine, Makezine.com, and Maker Faire, to tap into the DIY market. Maker Media and RadioShack will collaborate on an expansive DIY product lineup, exclusively carried at RadioShack and Maker Shed, including kits, robotics and tools.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Kenmore, one of Sears Holding Company’s key proprietary brands, has turned 100. The brand made its debut on sewing machines in 1913. Since then it has expanded to refrigerators, washing machines, dryers and dish washers. 

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — American Giant, a California-based apparel brand for men which operates through a direct-to-consumer e-commerce model, has launched a womenswear line. 

The first women's offerings will consist of both heavyweight and mid-weight sweatshirts and a jersey knit line, all made in America and sold exclusively online. Women will be able to pick from seven styles, all made from 100% pre-washed cotton and shrunk to fit and priced from $19.50 to $89.

Los Angeles -- The Kroger Co.  unveiled a clean energy production system that will convert food that can't be sold or donated into clean energy to help power its Ralphs/Food 4 Less distribution center in Compton, Calif.

ARMONK, N.Y. -- Consumers shopping online for Mother’s Day gifts was up 15%, spurred by mobile commerce growth of 23% over 2012, according to IBM’s Digital Analytics Benchmark, a cloud-based analysis of the online retail market.

St. Petersburg. Fla. – HSN has promoted former executive VP and CFO Judy Schmeling to the new position of CEO and CFO. In her new role, she will be responsible for supply chain operations and customer care functions in addition to continuing her responsibility for finance and IT. Schmeling will oversee these areas for both the HSN and Cornerstone brands.

Pleasanton, Calif. -- Preliminary results from the Safeway annual stockholder’s meeting show that a majority of stockholders followed board of directors recommendations in electing each of the eight directors with a majority of at least 73%. Stockholders also approved the appointment of Deloitte & Touche LLP as Safeway’s independent accounting firm for fiscal 2013.

Cincinnati -- Macy’s reported increases in sales and income for the first quarter of 2013 compared to the same period a year earlier, despite cool weather that delayed spring shopping in key markets. Net income was $217 million, a 20% hike from $181 million in the year-ago period.  

While net income slightly beat analyst predictions, same-store sales rose 3.8%, short of the 4.3% expected by analysts. Net sales totaled $6.39 billion, up 4% from $6.14 billion in the year-ago period.

For the first time in quite some time, attendees at the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) Spring Convention in Las Vegas (RECon) might be hoping that what happens in Vegas doesn’t stay in Vegas. There is no doubt in my mind that all the signs are pointing to an event that looks very different than the last few years. The convention runs from Sunday, May 19th through Wednesday, May 22nd at the Las Vegas Convention Center, and will play host to more than 30,000 attendees, around 1,000 exhibitors, and a renewed sense of enthusiasm about the future of our industry.