News

OAK BROOK, Ill. — Ace Hardware Corp. has reported substantial growth and expansion in priority markets across the country.

“Our aggressive, long-term growth strategy features a total package of resources and support to ensure a successful future for our retailers,” said Mike Berschauer, director, retail development for Ace Hardware. “After a prosperous second quarter focused on store activations and conversions, Ace is on-track to achieve its goal of opening 170 new domestic stores in 2012.”
 

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens announced plans to close more than half of the stores it is acquiring in its deal with USA Drug.

The company — which said in July it would purchase the mid-South drug store chain for approximately $438 million — confirmed it would close approximately 76 stores across the region. USA Drug operates 144 stores under the USA Drug, Super D Drug, May's Drug, Med-X and Drug Warehouse banners.

With shoppers making fewer trips and impulse purchases, the need to influence them earlier and more frequently in the purchase decision-making cycle is critical for sales success. To accomplish this, consumer packaged goods (CPG) retailers and manufacturers are increasingly using cooperative advertising and promotion programs that target shoppers at home when they are most likely to be planning shopping trips and creating lists. As retailers, understanding what your competition is planning for in-home is just as essential to staying competitive as what’s happening in-store.

Dover, Del. -- A Friday report by the Associated Press said that Staples Inc. will pay $8.9 million to settle an abandoned property dispute with the state of Delaware.

A final payment is slated to be paid by Staples on Monday to settle the two-year-old suit that involved Delaware’s method of calculating liability for abandoned property. Staples argued that unclaimed customer rebates should not be considered abandoned property, but a judge disagreed.

Arlington, Va. -- The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) said Friday it is applauding the impending implementation of sales tax fairness in California, which stands to even the playing field between bricks-and-mortar retailers and online competitors.

Plano, Texas -- J. C. Penney Company said that in conjunction with an open house tour of its new in-store shops, the company will webcast a question and answer session with its chief executive officer, Ron Johnson.

The question and answer session will be held on Sept.19, starting at approximately 2:45 p.m. ET and will be available via live webcast on J.C. Penney’s Investor Relations page.

Replays of the webcast will be available for up to 90 days after the event.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Holdings disclosed in a regulatory filing that "because we believe that the company has substantial liquidity and financial flexibility," the company has elected to contribute an additional $203 million to its domestic pension plan on Sept. 14, after which the plan will be 80% funded under applicable law.

Cincinnati -- KSS Retail, a division of Dunnhumby, announced that Bi-Lo Holding, the Jacksonville, Fla.-based parent company of Bi-Lo and Winn-Dixie grocery stores, has extended its business relationship with KSS Retail to include price modeling and optimization services for the Winn-Dixie banner.

The OfficeMax Green Tie Ball will be held this weekend to raise funds for the beautification of Chicago.

The retailer on Thursday morning disclosed it was the title sponsor of the 21st annual event being held Saturday, September 15. The event is hosted by nonprofit organization Chicago Gateway Green, which is dedicated to greening and beautifying Chicagoland's expressways, gateways and communities. OfficeMax has a strong business presence in the Chicagoland area between its headquarters in Naperville and 45 stores and two distribution facilities.

An expanded offering of private label pet care products will be coming soon to retailers shelves following the acquisition of Sergeants Pet Care Products by Perrigo, the leading global provider of store brand health and personal care items.

Perrigo said it signed a definitive agreement to acquire substantially all of the assets of Sergeant’s, a privately held Omaha-based company, for $285 million in an all cash deal that enables Perrigo to enter the $8 billion pet care market.