News

WAYNE, N.J. — Toys"R"Us announced that it will offer an exclusive collection of toys based on the animated short Toy Story: Hawaiian Vacation, playing in theaters in conjunction with Cars 2.

Examples in the line include:

• Sheriff Woody 16-inch action figure dressed in Hawaiian shirt, straw hat and lei. The toy can say 20 phrases when kids pull the string on his back and plays Hawaiin music.

MINNEAPOLIS — Target last week announced that Target Canada has reached an agreement to transfer to Walmart Canada the leasehold interests in up to 39 sites, currently operated by Zellers.

Specific locations will be identified later this fall. Terms of this transaction were not disclosed.

NEW YORK — Tiffany & Co. announced that Patrick McGuiness has been appointed SVP and CFO  and that James Fernandez has been appointed to the newly-created role of COO. 

Target shoppers whose Fourth of July activities involve more than eating Doritos and drinking Coke can expect to pay considerably more than last year. The company is again offering Doritos at two bags for $4, although this year the bag contains 11.5 ounces of product compared with 12 ounces last year, and Coke products are being offered at three 12-packs for $9 as opposed to last year’s comparable promotion of Pepsi product 12-packs for $3.

During a question-and-answer style interview in Monday’s USA Today, Target chairman, president and CEO Gregg Steinhafel shared his thoughts on a wide range of topics including Walmart, inflation, designers and competition.

NEW YORK — Technology needs to constantly evolve was the message delivered by Tim O'Brien, VP marketing for LG Mobile, during a keynote session at the 3D Entertainment Summit. O'Brien also used the opportunity to demonstrate LG's latest smartphone, the LG Thrill 4G.

Italian luxury brand Missoni hits target stores this fall (Sept. 13 to Oct. 22) and like a lot of the edgier designer exclusives the retailer brings into its stores you have to wonder about the degree of brand awareness among the Target faithful. Missoni certainly sounds like it could be an Italian luxury brand, but then the same thing could be said of Mossimo, Merona or any brand that ends in a vowel.

Walmart doesn’t need a lot of help when it comes to growth, which is why last week’s announcement by Target to sell its larger rival 39 sites in Canada was a surprise. Walmart is on track to end this year with 333 stores, and on Friday Target said it had reached an agreement to transfer to Walmart Canada the rights for leasehold interests in up to 39 sites currently operated by Zellers. The sites are among the up to 220 possible sites whose leasehold interests Target is acquiring as part of a real estate transaction announced in January.

The most recent iteration of a pricing study conducted by Credit Suisse shows Target was 4.7% more expensive on a basket of items in Chicago and Dallas compared with 4% the prior month. 

LA JOLLA, Calif. — Select Target stores are now the exclusive retailer of Bear Naked's newest breakfast cereal.

Bear Naked Nut Cluster Crunch comes in honey almond and maple nut variety is available for a suggested retail price of $3.99.  

Bear Naked, which specializes in natural food products, was designed to give busy, active people the natural energy they need to make the most of their morning.