September 30 – IHA Announces Global Honorees for gia Top Window Award
The Inspired Home Show and the International Housewares Association (IHA), the global sponsors and organizers of the IHA Global Innovation Awards (gia) program announced the Global Honorees for the gia Top Window Awards during the Connect FALL “Winning Visual Clicks/gia Top Window Award” presentation by gia expert Anne Kong. From: HomePage News
September 30 – NRF: Halloween Looks to Be Sweet This Year
Consumer spending on holiday items could reach an all-time high of $10.14 billion, up from $8.05 billion in 2020, according to the National Retail Federation’s annual survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics. From: HomePage News
September 30 – Dollar Tree to Sell More Products Above $1
The discounter said that it will start testing sales of products that cost more than $1 in select Dollar Tree stores and add more $1-plus items at its new Combo and Dollar Tree Plus stores. From: Chain Store Age
September 30 – Orvos Named Ross CFO
In his new role, Adam Orvos will supervise the company’s accounting, treasury, financial planning, tax, corporate responsibility and investor relations functions as the company continues pressing its growth agenda. From: HomePage News
September 30 – Whole Foods Market Names New CEO
The company’s co-founder and CEO John Mackey announced that he is retiring next year and that taking his place as CEO will be Chief Operating Officer Jason Buechel. From: Progressive Grocer
September 29 – Target Kicking Off Holiday Season Early with October Deal Days
From October 10 -12, consumer will find Deal Days bargains on kitchen appliances, vacuums, televisions, Beats headphones, fleece, video games, food and beverage offerings, and other product categories. From: HomePage News
September 29 – Rite Aid Expanding Home Delivery with Uber Eats
Rite Aid announced the expansion of its partnership with Uber Technologies to offer delivery of Rite Aid products, including general merchandise and housewares in the service. From: HomePage News
September 29 – Amazon Supports Upper Midwest With Fargo Fulfillment Center Debut
The newest, one million square foot Amazon fulfillment center in Fargo, ND has opened as the company’s first in the state. From: HomePage News
September 28 – Dollar General Expands into 47th State: Idaho
As of July 2021, Dollar General noted it had more than 17,600 stores in operation so that about 75% of the population across the United States resides within five miles of a Dollar General store. From: HomePage News
September 27 – Ace Retailers Glad to Be Back In-Person for Fall 2021
For the first time in over 18 months, Ace Hardware retailers from around the country came together in-person for the Fall 2021 Ace Hardware Convention. From: Hardware Retailing
September 24 – Target Adds Worker Hours, Staffs Up for the Holidays
Target Corp. is providing five million more hours to current stores employees for the 2021 holidays, the retailer announced, resulting in more than $75 million more in pay for its existing team, while looking to hire 100,000 seasonal workers. From: HomePage News
September 24 – NYC Nordstrom Unveils 2 Floors of Home Goods
Nordstrom’s New York City flagship store is embracing local companies and female-owned businesses in its new, two-floor home goods department. Colorful pottery and Mondrian-influenced vases from the Museum of Modern Art hold court along with a home-and-kitchen selection from fashion stylist Beverly Nguyen. From: Housewares SmartBrief
September 24 – Rite Aid Q2 Loss Increases
Net loss increased at Rite Aid, but it still managed to beat a Wall Street estimate for second-quarter results. From: HomePage News
September 24 – Hy-Vee is Bringing Inventory Robots to 5 Stores
The grocery chain is the latest to deploy the automated shelf-scanning devices, which use high-resolution cameras to alert employees when items are out of stock. From: Grocery Dive
September 24 – H-E-B’s Literacy Program Celebrates 10 Years
As National Literacy Month draws to a close, H.E. Butt Grocery is marking the 10th anniversary of its Read 3 program, which has provided more than 5 million books to promote early childhood literacy in Texas. Through Oct. 5, the grocer is staging a series of events to support the initiative, including a book drive, chances for customers to make donations and a half-hour “Read-in” on Oct. 1. From: NRF SmartBrief
September 24 – Costco Posts Strong Q4 Comps, Tackles Holiday Supply Challenges
Costco Wholesale Corp. clubs in the U.S. posted double-digit comparable sales gains in the fourth quarter as e-commerce sales growth slowed with consumers returning to in-person shopping, while at the same time beating a Wall Street estimate on earnings. From: HomePage News
September 23 – Walmart Launches Built For Better Program Supporting Nutrition, Sustainability
In a move to address sustainability and related concerns, Walmart is launching Built for Better, a program that will call out products that benefit consumers and the planet, the retailer stated. From: Home Page News
September 23 – Giant Food Meets Online Demand by Removing Delivery Fees
Food retailer also eliminates minimum purchase requirement on pickup orders. From: Progressive Grocer
September 23 – Bed Bath & Beyond Expands DoorDash Delivery
To further boost its “omni-always” strategy, Bed Bath & Beyond has announced that it is expanding a partnership with DoorDash to offer consumers on-demand delivery of essential housewares products and items from more than 700 Bed Bath & Beyond locations and almost 120 buybuy BABY locations across the United States. From: HomePage News
September 23 – Albertsons Teams with Firework on Shoppable Video
The Albertsons Cos. has struck a deal with Firework, a short-form video platform that supports shoppable, live stream video, to transform its digital offerings, bringing online shoppers a new browsing and purchasing experience. From: HomePage News
September 22 – IKEA Takes Aim at Gamers with New Furniture, Accessories
IKEA has teamed with ASUS-owned Republic of Gamers to create a line of desks, chairs and other furniture and accessories tailored to the needs of both casual and serious gamers. The line first launched in Japan and China and will roll out online and in stores in the US and UK next month. From: NRF SmartBrief
September 22 – Amazon, Lendistry Partner on Loan Program for Marketplace Sellers
In a move to support its marketplace users, Amazon has launched a joint pilot program with Lendistry, a minority-led and technology-enabled small business and commercial real estate lender, dubbed Amazon Community Lending and aimed at driving growth opportunities for small and medium-sized businesses. From: HomePage News
September 22 – Ron Johnson Loves Stores but Says Retail is Moving to ‘Commerce at Home’
Commerce at home is already underway. He cites a readiness on the part of consumers to shop differently, with three-quarters, according to McKinsey, having tried new ways of shopping since the pandemic hit the U.S. last year. From: Retail Wire
September 22 – Ulta Recognizes Black Beauty Influencers with MUSE 100
Ulta Beauty’s MUSE 100 spotlights Black leaders in the beauty industry in 10 different categories, and highlighted individuals will receive $10,000 grants as part of the retailer’s $1 million commitment to the program. The MUSE initiative funding is in addition to a larger commitment by Ulta to invest $25 million in diversity, equity and inclusion programs. From: NRF SmartBrief
September 22 – buybuy Baby Launches Strategic Parenthood Initiative
In its 25th anniversary year, buybuy BABY is expanding resources that help parents navigate and develop their own parenting approach in a move to become a more formidable resource for everything from practical advice to on-demand digital content and educational opportunities. From: HomePage News
September 22 – Macy’s Holiday Hiring Plan Nears Pre-Pandemic Level
Macy’s will recruit 76,000 new employees in advance of the holiday season at stores, warehouses and call centers tied to its namesake brand, as well as Bluemercury and Bloomingdale’s, up from 25,000 last year and close to the 80,000 positions the retailer added ahead of the 2019 holidays. About 48,000 of the new hires are expected to be seasonal and the rest will be permanent full- and part-time employees, the retailer said. From: NRF SmartBrief
September 21 – Transformco: Closing Last Illinois Sears Department Store Isn’t the End
According to parent Transformco, the demise of the last Sears store in Illinois has been greatly exaggerated and doesn’t accurately reflect the banner’s strategic direction. From: HomePage News
September 21 – Kroger’s Seamless Shoppers Have CEO Bullish on Digital Growth
Rodney McMullen says digital efforts are paying off as grocer retains consumers within its ecosystem. From: Progressive Grocer
September 21 – Ahold Delhaize USA Opens New Distribution Center in Connecticut
Manchester facility to serve Stop & Shop stores and e-commerce operations. From: Supermarket News
September 21 – RH Opens an Oak Brook Concept Store, Cosentino Opens a Chicago Showroom
This month, home brands and design studios are debuting innovative spaces and shopping experiences. In our September roundup, BOH has gathered all the expansions and openings to have on your radar. From: Design Daily
September 21 – Study Suggests Americans Conflicted About Holiday Spending
Americans may turn out to be conflicted about how they spend their money this holiday season, a study from Affirm suggests. From: HomePage News
September 20 – Amazon Gets Major Career Day Response
More than 1 million people applied for Amazon jobs during its Career Day 2021, September 15, the retailer stated. From: HomePage News
September 20 – Numerator: COVID-19 Delta Surge Affecting Consumer Shopping Comfort
According to Numerator, a recent survey of more than 1,000 consumers shows a reversal in consumer comfort with re-opening activities as concern over the Delta variant grows, and, as a consequence, they are reconsidering masking. From: HomePage News
September 18 – Meijer to Open 4th Small-Format Store in Michigan
42,000-square-foot Rivertown Market becomes retailer’s 2nd neighborhood market in Detroit. From: Progressive Grocer
September 17 – Sears’ Last Store in Its Home State to Close
The store, located at Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg, IL, is scheduled to close on November 14. From: Chain Store Age
September 17 –Kroger Joins Buy Safe America Coalition
The Kroger Co. has become the latest member of the BuySafe America Coalition, a Washington D.C. based group of retailers, consumer organizations, manufacturers and law enforcement backing efforts to fight organized retail crime and protect consumes and communities from the sale of counterfeit stolen goods. From: Progressive Grocer
September 17 – Retailers Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month
Retail is looking to further celebrate Latino culture in the US as part of Hispanic Heritages Month with examples ranging from Neiman Marcus to Southeastern Grocers. From: HomePage News
September 17 – JCPenney Rolls Out Home Initiative with Novogratz
Designers “The Novogratz” and JCPenney have teamed up to launch the “Back to Everything” collection, an assortment of modern and functional furniture, lighting, wallpaper, bedding, and rugs that bolsters initiatives the retailer has lately debuted throughout the home department. From: HomePage News
September 16 – Giant Eagle Seeking Marketplace Expansion with New Suppliers
Giant Eagle is partnering with the RangeMe online product discovery platform to expand its marketplace, with home and general merchandise among the categories where it wants to generate a greater assortment. From: HomePage News
September 16 – NRF: Retail Sales Gain Despite Supply, Delta Troubles
Retail sales gained in August as consumer demand outweighed the pandemic, supply chain disruptions and other factors affecting spending, according to the Nation Retail Federation. From: HomePage News
September 16 – FMI Sizes Up Pandemic’s Financial Impact on Food Retailers
Consumer demand for groceries swelled by 50% last year, lifting food retailer same-store sales nearly 16% industrywide, according to new research in the FMI, the Food Industry Associations’ “The Food Retailing Industry Speaks 2021” report. From: Supermarket News
September 16 – Macy’s Ready for Fall with Apparel and Home Fashion
In the run up to the holiday season, Macy’s is launching an array of fall initiatives, including a new home brand, a “Trademark You” promotional campaign and Macy’s “Presents the Edits”, a digital destination showcasing trending apparel and home look curated by experts from the retailer’s fashion office. From: HomePage News
September 15 – Sam’s TikTok Program Supports Student Athletes
Sam’s Club plans to leverage the NCAA agreement to help college athletes make some money from their name, image and likeness in a program that uses social media to reach designated audiences. From: HomePage News
September 15 – Mastercard: Holidays Should See Spending Gains
The holidays are looking jolly for retailers, according to Mastercard SpendingPulse, which expects that sales in the US will grow about 7.8% compared to the 2020 holidays. From: HomePage News
September 15 – Bed Bath & Beyond Debuts “Home, Happier” Experts
Bed, Bath & Beyond is getting ready to introduce its expert “Home, Happier” Team to customers of its flagship store in NYC and nationwide to consumers via social media in conjunction with a week-long Open House promotional event. From: HomePage News
September 14 – Credit Cards Enhance Williams-Sonoma Rewards Program
Williams-Sonoma is launching The Key Rewards Credit Card Program with Capital One, which will reward cardmembers on purchases made at the company’s portfolio of banners and everywhere the cards issued are accepted. From: HomePage News
September 14 – NRF Names Cornell Visionary Award Winner
The National Retail Federation has announced that Target board chairman and CEO Brian Cornell will receive The Visionary award, which it grants each year to an outstanding retail industry leader. From: HomePage News
September 14 – Hy-Vee Dazzles Iowans With New Prototype
The 93,000 square-foot location is the first entirely reimagined store in its 8-state territory. From: Progressive Grocer
September 14 – Deloitte: Expect Strong Holiday Sales Even with Delta Stirring the Pot
Deloitte forecasts that holiday retail sales will increase between 7% and 9%’ coming in at $128 billion to $1.30 trillion through the November to January timeframe, reflecting continued growth form last year. From: HomePage News
September 14 – Tuesday Morning Posts 2021 Comp Gains, Names New Execs
Marc Katz named principal and COO, Jennifer Robinson named EVP and CFO. Bill Baumann named EVP and Chief Information Officer. From: HomePage News
September 13 – Shopify Sets Yotpo Partnership To Boost Customer Marketing
Yotpo and Shopify have announced a partnership ultimately designed to help e-tailers grow their businesses through innovative marketing and tools. From: HomePage News
September 13 – Sur La Table, One Kings Lane, Z Gallerie Join for Sweepstakes
In a joint effort by portfolio partners, Sur La Table, One Kings Lane, and Z Gallerie have teamed up for a Fall Makeover Sweepstakes. From: HomePage News
September 13 – 1847 Goedecker Realigns Management
The company announced that its Board of Directors appointed Albert Fouerti to CEO. Fouerti was the CEO of Appliances Connection and most recently served as president of Goedeker. From: HomePage News
September 10 – Geoff Named Publix SVP Retail
With Goff’s promotion, effective January 1, 2022, Publix named Regional Director Matt Crawley Miami Division VP. From: HomePage News
September 10 – JCPenney Rolls Out Autumnal Home Assortments
With fall on the way, JCPenney is rolling out new products and collections to suit the season with a heavy emphasis on its private and proprietary labels. From: HomePage News
September 9 – Walmart Launches Green Bond Initiative
To advance its sustainability goals, Walmart has successfully priced the company’s first green bond. From: HomePage News
September 9 – Amazon Expands Michigan Distribution Capabilities
Amazon announced that it would launch its first mid-Michigan fulfillment center and three additional operations facilities that will support customers in the metro Detroit and Grand Rapids regions. From: Homepage News
September 9 – Changing Home Fuels Restoration Hardware in Q2
Despite a marketplace still feeling the effects of the pandemic, Restoration Hardware continued to recover in the second quarter. From: HomePage News
September 8 – Yellow Banana Acquires 32 Save A Lot Stores
Save A Lot has completed the sale of 32 company-owned stores across the greater Cleveland, Chicago and Milwaukee areas to Yellow Banana, LLC, as part of the discount grocer’s ongoing initiative to convert corporate-owned stores to local ownership. From: HomePage News
September 8 – Survey: Holiday Shoppers Leaning Toward Online Purchases
With habits changed by the pandemic, 94.2% of consumers responding to a DealAid survey plan to shop online during the 2021 holiday season with 57% planning to shop in-store. From: HomePage News
September 8 – Publix Expansion to Reach Kentucky
Publix Super Markets has continued its geographic expansion, the company has announced, signing a lease for the company’s first store in Kentucky. From: HomePage News
September 7 – Trader Joe’s Holds 2 Grand Openings
Trader Joe’s will open a new store in Morrisville, N.C. on September 10. The Trader Joe’s Wine Shop in Colorado Springs, Colo., located adjacent to a Trader Joe’s grocery store with a separate address, will also open this week. From: Progressive Grocer
September 7 – Target Confronting Holiday Supply Chain Challenges
In a blog post, Target pointed out that it is navigating unprecedented supply chain challenges, but the retailer insisted that it is thinking outside of the box, based on what it has learned in the Covid19 pandemic, to ensure it is ready for the holiday season. From: HomePage News
September 7 – IKEA Adding Buy Back and Resell Service
In working to become a circular business by 2030, IKEA has launched a Buy Back & Resell service as a test at its Conshohocken, PA, store through September 19, with plans in place to expand the initiative. From: HomePage News
September 7 – Dollar Store Ranks First in New Store Openings in 2021
Dollar Tree plans to open 393 Dollar Tree stores and 198 locations under the Family Dollar brand this year, while Dollar General stated it plans to add 1,035 locations. From: Convenience Store News
September 3 – Retailers Hiring After Disappointing August Jobs Report
Amid a COVID-19 Delta variant spike and disruptions due to weather, the August jobs report, as published by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, came in under expectations, but retailers are jumping into the employment pool, recently announcing a number of hiring initiatives. From: HomePage News
September 3 – Q2 Demonstrates Growth Still Driving Five Below
For the second quarter, Five Below posted significant sales and earnings gains versus the period in 2020 and 2019 but, although net income exceeded expectations, revenues came in just short of a Wall Street estimate. From: HomePage News
September 2 – Paulonis Named Sally Beauty CEO
Sally Beauty Holdings has appointed Denise Paulonis president and CEO, effective October 1. From: HomePage News
September 2 – Amazon Moves to Boost Careers
Amazon has announced plans to hold its biggest-ever training and recruiting event, Career Day, on September 15. From: HomePage News
September 2 – Whole Foods Opens 10th Location in Connecticut
Store features 950+ local products. From: Progressive Grocer
September 2 – Kirkland’s Looks Forward to Holidays After Mixed Q2
In the second quarter, Kirkland’s recorded an adjusted earnings loss, which beat a Wall Street estimate, and lower sales, which fell short of Street expectations. From: HomePage News
September 2 – Newegg Lifts Sales in 2021 First Half
E-commerce specialist Newegg Commerce posted big sales gains over the first half of 2021 as it improved the product offering and expanded geographic outreach, the company announced. From: HomePage News
September 2 – A Private-Label Balancing Act for Home & Housewares
Home and housewares retailing has had a steady but sometimes bumpy romance with private labels. From: HomePage News
September 1 – Walgreens Is Looking More Like Walmart With Latest Hires
WBA CEO Rosalind Brewer enlists former Walmart and Sam’s Club colleagues to lead merchandising and finance. From: Progressive Grocer
September 1 – Walmart Hiring to Boost Distribution
As it grows its e-commerce business and prepares for the holidays, Walmart plans to hire 20,000 new associates across more than 250 Walmart and Sam’s Club distribution centers, fulfillment centers and transportation offices, according to the company. From: HomePage News
September 1 – Sprouts Farmers Market CFO to Step Down
Role to be filled by Chip Molloy, as Denise Paulonis departs to join Sally Beauty as president and CEO. From: Supermarket News
September 1 – Southeastern Grocers Debuts New Format
Stand-alone liquor store to feature beer cave, charcuterie destination and more. From: Progressive Grocer
September 1 – Target Remodels Its Private-Label, National Brand Balance
Target is balancing private-label and national-brand goods in its own unique way at a time when rivals such as Bed Bath & Beyond are determining how to use both classes of merchandise in balance to boost their appeal to consumers. From: HomePageNews
