News

Jacksonville, Fla. -- Winn-Dixie Foundation on Thursday announced it is investing nearly $1.4 million in neighborhoods across the Southeast through partnerships with 116 nonprofit organizations, providing a broad range of services.

By providing grants to programs that feed the hungry, assist women and children in need, help the sick and address inequalities in education and health, the Winn-Dixie Foundation reaches out to neighbors in five states across the Southeast, the foundation noted.

By Jeff Kim, [email protected]

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — Ric Jurgens, chairman and CEO of Midwestern supermarket chain Hy-Vee, will retire on June 1, the company said Wednesday.

Jurgens, 62, began working for Hy-Vee 42 years ago while a student at Iowa State University, taking a full-time position after his graduation. In 1995, he was named SVP and chief administrative officer, becoming president in 2001, CEO in 2003 and chairman in 2006. Jurgens said he will ask the company's board of directors to elect president and COO Randy Edeker as chairman and CEO.

WAYNE, N.J. — Toys"R"Us Has announced that its stores nationwide will remain open for 112 uninterrupted hours beginning at 6am on Tuesday, Dec. 20 and continuing through 10 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

In conjunction with continuous shopping during the last few days leading up to Christmas, Toys"R"Us will hold a two-day sale from Tuesday, Dec. 20 to Wednesday, Dec. 21.

WASHINGTON — The National Retail Federation is putting its faith in the holidays by upgrading its spending forecast for the season.

After initially anticipating sales growth of 2.8%, the NRF said it now expects holiday sales to rise 3.8% to $469.1 billion. The projection may be lower than the 5.2% increase the retail industry saw last year, but the group said a number of factors, such as strong year-over-year sales and the fact that not all consumers have completed their holiday shopping lists, could provide the industry with a great gift after all.

FORT WORTH, Texas — Pier 1 Imports continued its streak of strong same-store sales for the third quarter, reporting that same-store for the quarter ended Nov. 26 sales increased 7% versus last year’s increase of 10.2%. Net income for the quarter was $23 million, or 21 cents per share, which included an income tax provision of $12.4 million.

SAN FRANCISCO — JoS. A. Bank's mobile checkout on Black Friday saw an increase of over 3,000%, compared with its previous daily average.

The m.josbank.com site, powered by 5th Finger's RedShop, has been in operation since early 2011 and offers on-the-go shoppers a detailed product catalog, reviews, educational tools and offers. "JoS. A. Bank considers mobile a critical part of its multichannel strategy, and another way to provide customers with a friendly, quick, and convenient shopping experience,” said Pete Zophy, divisional VP of Ecommerce.

WESTBORO, Mass. — Micros-Retail, a division of Micros Systems, announced that luxury watch retailer Tourneau has completed a successful launch of the Tourneau.com website utilizing Micros-Retail Open Commerce Platform.

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — Ric Jurgens, chairman and CEO of Hy-Vee plans to retire on June 1, 2012.

Jurgens, said he will ask the company's board to elect Randy Edeker, president and COO, to succeed him.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The National Retail Federation said Thursday that it has upwardly revised its holiday forecast, now expecting holiday sales to rise 3.8% this year to a record $469.1 billion. 

NRF’s initial forecast, announced on October 6, called for anticipated sales growth of 2.8%. While a 3.8% sales increase is considerably above the 10-year average sales increase of 2.6%, it is still lower than the 5.2% increase the retail industry saw last year, said NRF.