News Briefs

Sprouts Farmers Market’s expansion efforts are bringing it to a new state in the Midwest. 

The natural and organic grocer will open its first Michigan location in the eastern Detroit suburb of St. Claire Shores, according to local news outlets and the city in a Facebook post. Sprouts will fill the space of a former Kroger store and will be located next to a Planet Fitness.

The retailer confirmed the planned opening in an email to The Detroit News, adding that the store is scheduled to open in 2029.

"Sprouts provides fresh food at a lower price point than competing grocers while also stocking plenty of non-perishables," St. Clair Shores officials wrote in a Facebook post. “Renovations will start next year.”

After opening seven stores during its second quarter, Sprouts plans to ramp up its expansion in the third quarter, opening at least 15 stores, which would be its largest “quarterly opening cadence” to date. The grocer has a target of 42 net new stores this year.

For the period ended June 28, Sprouts reported earnings per share of $1.37, compared to earnings per share of $1.35 in the year-ago period. Analysts had expected earnings per share of $1.35.

Net sales rose 5% to $2.3 billion. E-commerce sales rose 12%, representing approximately 16% of the quarter’s total sales. Same-store sales inched down 1%.

[READ MORE: Sprouts opens new Phoenix HQ amid ongoing expansion]

Sprouts employs approximately 36,000 team members and operates more than 500 stores in 25 states nationwide.

Auto-themed dining chain Ford’s Garage has made its debut in the Volunteer State.

The burger and craft beer restaurant inspired by the heritage of The Ford Motor Company has opened its first Tennessee restaurant, in Chattanooga. Inside the 8,000-sq.-ft. restaurant, customers will find an immersive automotive-themed atmosphere, featuring decor such as classic cars, gas pumps and more for a 1920s “garage vibe.”

Ford’s Garage Chattanooga joins one of the city’s busiest retail and dining corridors, located near Hamilton Place Mall and other popular attractions including Lookout Mountain, Ruby Falls and Rock City.

"We couldn't think of a better community than Chattanooga to introduce Ford's Garage to Tennessee," said Ted Moats, managing partner of TN Legends and franchise owner of Ford's Garage Chattanooga. "We were drawn to Ford's Garage because it brings the heritage of one of the world's most iconic brands together with great food, friendly service and an atmosphere that's unlike anything else. Chattanooga's rich automotive history and strong sense of community make it a natural fit, and we're excited to open our doors to locals and visitors alike."

Founded in 2012 in downtown Fort Myers, Fla., just minutes from Henry Ford's winter estate, Ford's Garage is an official licensee of the Ford Motor Company. The chain operates 36 locations across nine states.

[READ MORE: Ford's Garage to make Delaware debut]

"For us, hospitality has always been about people – creating opportunities for our team members and legendary experiences that make guests want to come back," added Moats. "Opening the first Ford's Garage in our home state, building a new team, and becoming part of the Chattanooga community makes this especially meaningful."

The Rolling Stones are returning to New York City – with a limited-time promotional pop-up store.

“The Greatest Rock n Roll Band in the World” has a long and storied history with New York City going back to playing Carnegie Hall during their first U.S. tour in 1964. While the band is not currently touring, they are opening a pop-up shop at the Universal Music Group UMusic Shop at Penn Plaza in New York City Friday, Oct. 16-Saturday, Oct. 17.

In a promotional email, The Rolling Stones said the pop-up will feature “brand new merchandise, music, limited daily drops,” and plenty of other offerings. The official Facebook and Instagram pages of The Rolling Stones Store are also promoting the upcoming pop-up.

The Rolling Stones are no strangers to selling branded merchandise via brick-and-mortar stores, pop-up or otherwise. In October 2023, the band opened two U.S. pop-ups, with locations in New York City’s Union Square neighborhood and another on Santa Monica Blvd. in Los Angeles, to promote the release of their “Hackney Diamonds” album.

[READ MORE: First Look: Check out Rolling Stones NYC pop-up store]

The temporary stores marked the first expansion of the RS No. 9 retail brand outside of the U.K., where it made its debut in 2020 with a permanent store on Carnaby Street in London. At that time the Rolling Stones also opened a a semi-permanent physical location in Japan, dubbed RS No. 9 Harajuka, in Tokyo’s fashionable shopping district, showcasing an elevated product mix alongside Japan-exclusive music and merchandise.

Image: The Rolling Stones Store.

Sprouts Farmers Market is adding another online delivery partner.

Sprouts is now allowing customers to shop from more than 500 of its store locations nationwide for same-day delivery through online delivery platform Shipt, with access to the fast-growing natural and organic grocer full assortment. 

Sprouts customers on Shipt can leverage the delivery platform’s artificial intelligence tools such as Ask Shipt, Shipt's new AI shopping assistant which enables customers to describe what they're looking for or upload a photo to build a fully customized cart in seconds. They can also use the one-click cart builder feature called “Shipt Kits” that provides product bundles curated around events such as summer cookouts.

[READ MORE: Shipt taps actress Eva Longoria to promote curated assortment tool]

Sprouts is no stranger to partnering with third-party platforms to offer same-day online delivery. The grocer also partners with delivery providers including Instacart, DoorDash and Uber Eats.

"At Sprouts, we help customers live and eat better by making healthy living accessible with a wide selection of fresh, natural and organic products, alongside unique and seasonal finds that make shopping fun and worth it," said Mandy Rassi, chief customer officer at Sprouts Farmers Market. "Through our new partnership with Shipt, customers have another convenient way to explore our assortment and shop for products that fit their tastes, dietary preferences, and lifestyles."

Sprouts employs approximately 36,000 workers and operates more than 500 stores in 25 states nationwide.

Target acquired Shipt for $550 million in 2017, and it is an independently operated, wholly-owned subsidiary of Target Corp.

BJ’s Wholesale Club is showing appreciation to its employees across its footprint.

The membership warehouse club retailer gave more than 30,000 hourly team members awards totaling more than  $25 million. The awards, handed out based on team member tenure, represent BJ’s investment in its workforce and appreciation for 42 years of “unbeatable customer service,” the retailer said.

BJ’s held surprise celebrations at clubs and distribution centers nationwide on Oct. 13, where team members received BJ’s gift cards ranging from $250 to $2,000. 

“BJ’s Wholesale Club is driven by a powerful purpose: we take care of the families who depend on us,” said Bob Eddy, chairman and CEO of BJ’s Wholesale Club. “We’re living that purpose by taking care of our team members across our clubs and distribution centers. Our team members are essential to delivering unbeatable value and service every day. They are the foundation of our success, and these awards are a way to thank them for their commitment to our company and our members.”

[READ MORE: BJ’s beats Wall Street on Q2 profit, revenue; new Texas store to open]

Headquartered in Marlborough, Mass., BJ’s operates 268 clubs and 209 BJ's Gas locations in 22 states. 

Bain & Company expects retail sales growth between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday to almost double that of overall holiday sales.

Retail sales during the five-day Thanksgiving Day – Cyber Monday period will top $85 billion, according to analysis from Bain & Company. This is expected to account for 8.5% of more than $1 trillion in total U.S. retail sales Bain previously forecast will take place during the upcoming November-December holiday season.

[READ MORE: Bain & Co.: U.S. holiday sales to exceed $1 trillion for first time]

Retail sales during the five-day shopping window will likely grow 8.75% year over year, outpacing Bain’s overall holiday season growth forecast of 4.5%.

Bain also surveyed more than 1,100 U.S. consumers about their holiday shopping plans, with findings including:

• More than 90% of respondents plan to shop Black Friday, Cyber Monday, or another major holiday sales event. 
• Seven-in-10 respondents plan to shop Black Friday and/or Cyber Monday, up from 64% in 2025.
• More than half of respondents plan to change their holiday spending this year, citing higher prices as one of the top factors. 
• Thirteen percent of respondents who are online shoppers plan to use a retailer’s own AI shopping agent, such as Walmart’s Sparky or Amazon’s Alexa for Shopping.

"Black Friday and Cyber Monday are becoming increasingly important battlegrounds for retailers, especially as US consumers prioritize value and deal-heavy shopping days," said Aaron Cheris, global head of retail at Bain & Company. "Retailers that capitalize on these crucial sales days with personalized promotions, can’t-miss events, and targeted campaigns will set themselves up well for the rest of the holiday shopping season."