DSN Retailing Today articles from April 2003

DSN Retailing Today archives from April 2003

Dollar General's Turner makes way for new ceo.( David Perdue Jr.)
April 21, 2003... GOODLETTSVILLE, TENN. -- Dollar General has selected David Perdue Jr., an executive from the supply side of the industry, to succeed former ceo Cal Turner Jr., whose family has run the company since its founding in 1955. Turner, 63,...

Best Buy to sell Musicland following unharmonious marriage.
April 21, 2003... MINNEAPOLIS -- It raised a few eyebrows at the time, but Best Buy insisted its acquisition of Musicland stores made sense. Two-and-a-half years later, it's singing a different tune and looking to unload the division to refocus attention on...

Ahold exits South America to concentrate on U.S. holdings.
April 21, 2003... AMSTERDAM -- Ahold's divestiture of its South American units will not have a direct impact on activities in the United States. The continuing investigation of the company's U.S. Foodservice division, however, has brought its own turmoil to...

'National' Big Lots aims to expand: new media blitz focuses on consumer's love for landing a deal.
April 21, 2003... COLUMBUS, OHIO -- Big Lots' conversion last year to a single-store banner and growth into a near-national chain served as the launching pad for the retailer's first national television advertising campaign, which broke earlier this month. The...

FAO gets approval to begin reorganization.(bankruptcy reorganization plan approved)
April 21, 2003... KING OF PRUSSIA, PA. -- Having stumbled at the start of 2003, FAO Inc.--now a much leaner company--raced through Chapter 11. After only 83 days, the specialty retailer, which is now 113 stores lighter, received the green light from bankruptcy...

For Sears, Lands' End talent is icing on the deal.(Lands' End veteran Mindy Meads is hired)
April 21, 2003... HOFFMAN ESTATES, ILL. -- Upper management at Sears is taking a hard look at softlines now that plans are underway to divest its weakening credit business and turn' its attention exclusively to retail. As it continues to search for a long-term...

Fleming flounders financially: Kmart not the only reason for food distributor's woes.
April 21, 2003... DALLAS -- As one of the largest food distributors in the country, Fleming was considered at the top of its game two years ago. Then Kmart filed for bankruptcy, and the ensuing downsizing spelled trouble. But while it's easy to blame the loss...

As ShopKo sales soften, recruitment picks up.
April 21, 2003... ASHWAUBENON, WIS. -- The management reshuffling at ShopKo continues even as sales remain on a downward trajectory. But new president and ceo Sam Duncan has been putting a positive face on the company while making dramatic changes at corporate...

Does a fast war mean a fast economic recovery? Not so fast.
April 21, 2003... NEW YORK -- The economic indicators are all across the map. On the one hand, this year's late Easter helped produce soft March comps; even Wal-Mart was up a mere 0.7%. Add in mixed news on Consumer Confidence (one report says it's the lowest...

99 Cents plans 15 units in new Houston market.( 99 Cents Only)
April 21, 2003... CITY OF COMMERCE, CALIF. -- Fast-growing 99 Cents Only will enter Texas this summer when it opens its first store in Houston in June. The deep discount chain says a quick rollout will follow with 15 store openings planned by the end of the...

Domestics Week gets a shot of color, fashion.
April 21, 2003... NEW YORK -- Cannon was reloaded and ready, and color and patterns were revamped at Domestics Week in New York, which ran from March 29 through April 2. Color continues to be addressed broadly to give retailers choice, but fashion has...

Party City sales up; ceo steps down. (Market Watch).(Brief Article)
April 21, 2003... NEW YORK -- Party City Corp., a retailer of party supplies, said on Friday that James Shea resigned as chief executive, and Nancy Pedot, a director, will replace him on an interim basis. In addition, the Rockaway, N.J.-based company posted...

Wal-Mart being sued over toy guns. (Market Watch).(Brief Article)
April 21, 2003... ALBANY, N.Y. -- Wal-Mart, which is in hot water in California for violating gun sale laws, is now the subject of a lawsuit in New York for allegedly selling toy guns that lack the required safety markings. Wal-Mart has acknowledged that its...

Federated to open new furniture store. (Market Watch).(Federated Department Stores Inc. plans for a new Bon Marche furniture store in Tacoma, WA)(Brief Article)
April 21, 2003... CINCINNATI -- Federated Department Stores Inc. announced plans for a new Bon Marche furniture store in Tacoma, Wash. "This new store, which will be our largest furniture gallery, will showcase a greatly expanded furniture assortment offering...

Zellers completes the switch to EDLP. (Market Watch).(electronic pricing)(Brief Article)
April 21, 2003... TORONTO -- Zellers has completed a two-year effort to shift its pricing structure to EDLP. Although it continues to use special buys and closeouts in promotions, Bruce Dinan, senior vp of merchandising, told DSN Retailing Today the everyday...

Wal-Mart. (Financials).(reports poor same-store sales)(Brief Article)
April 21, 2003... Wal-Mart recently reported the worst same-store sales in two years. Bad weather, the war and a late Easter were cited as some of the factors in the poor performance. Sales at stores that have been open at least a year rose 0.7%, which did not...

Target. (Financials).(sales for the five weeks ended April 5)(Brief Article)
April 21, 2003... Target reported that sales for the five weeks ended April 5 increased 4.6% to $3.9 billion from last year's $3.7 billion. Same-store sales fell 2.3%.

Value City Department Stores. (Financials).(4th-quarter earnings)(Brief Article)
April 21, 2003... Value City Department Stores reported Monday that 4Q sales increased 7.2% to $678.8 million, while same-store sales fell 4.8%. Net profit for the quarter totaled $5.3 million, or 16 cents per share.

Modell's typifies a small company with a big-league attitude. (Editorial).(Modell's Sporting Goods)(Company Profile)
April 21, 2003... The benefit of attending a conference, as often stated, is to garner at least one actionable idea. The recent Marketing Conference, sponsored by the International Mass Retail Association (IMRA) in San Diego, offered attendees dozens of...

Global retailing's defining moments are getting lost in the mix. (Viewpoint).(Editorial)
April 21, 2003... I'm one of those people that makes it through the entire winter without getting sick--and then, wham! spring brings its yo-yo weather and I come down with a whopper of a cold. In addition to the sniffling, sneezing and hacking, my most recent...

Retailers could take a hit with $10/hour living wage. (Quest Column).(proposed employment regulations)
April 21, 2003... I was snoozing through a dry-as-dust Congressional hearing the other day when one of the witnesses said something that woke me up. Kathleen Utgoff, commissioner of the Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics, was testifying before...

Marketing to Hispanics is complex, but essential. (Guest Column).
April 21, 2003... It's official: Hispanics are the largest minority in the United States--13% of the population. This represents a marketplace the size of a European country. Targeting the $450+ billion buying power of this fast-growing market can expand your...

Top club moves up in Rx ranks. (Special Report Pharmacy Retailing: Costco).
April 21, 2003... Analysts have closely tracked the huge impact Costco has had on the grocery industry in recent years but have paid scant attention to the chain's pharmacy operations. As the chain continues its relentless growth, it has quietly moved into the...

Market leader to draft new 'script'. (Special Report Pharmacy Retailing: Walgreens).
April 21, 2003... Few can dispute the fact that Walgreens is now the standard bearer in mass pharmacy. It posted $17 billion in prescription sales last year and has recaptured the title of the nation's. No. 1 pharmacy retailer. But now Walgreens is...

Food Lion. (Retailer News).(providing differential pay for called-up military reserve and National Guard members)(Brief Article)
April 21, 2003... In reaction to the war in Iraq, Food Lion is providing differential pay for the first 90 days of reserve or National Guard duty in addition to benefits it normally extends full-time employees called to active military duty. For its efforts,...

Eagle Food Centers. (Retailer News).(filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection )(Brief Article)
April 21, 2003... Eagle Food Centers, which owns and operates 61 supermarkets in Illinois and Iowa, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and obtained $40 million debtor-in-possession financing from Congress Financial Corp. Eagle ceo Robert Kelly said...

Royal Ahold NV. (Vendor News).(accounting irregularities )
April 21, 2003... Deloitte & Touche said that the suspension of Royal Ahold NV's 2002 accounts audit is pending the outcome of the retailer's own internal investigation into accounting irregularities and not related to inquiries by external investigators.

Safeway. (Executive News).(CEO Steven Burd's bonus cut)(Brief Article)
April 21, 2003... Steven Burd, chairman and ceo of Safeway, received about a quarter of the bonus in 2002 than he did a year earlier. While his salary of $1 million remained unchanged from year to year, his bonus, p aid in cash and stock, dropped to $258,000...

Licensing. (What's Hot).(food products)(Brief Article)
April 21, 2003... Crunchy cartoon characters and other licensing extensions are expanding into food. The move to licensing is being adopted as vendors continue to look for ways to stand out on shelves. Perennial favorite Looney Tunes is finding its way to...

Service in seafood: truth or fish tale? (Food & Consumables).
April 21, 2003... Personal service is increasingly making its way to the cutting board in seafood departments as the pressures from labor costs, government regulation and competition are forcing mass market seafood retailers to develop more disciplined,...

Hudson's Bay Company. (Retailer News).(adding nine new Home Outfitters stores across Canada)(Brief Article)
April 21, 2003... Hudson's Bay Company is adding nine new Home Outfitters stores across Canada. The new store rollout will include the new markets of Halifax, Nova Scotia; Windsor, Ontario; and Quebec City and Kelowna, British Columbia. The company also will...

HomeWorks. (Retailer News).(shopping center planned)(Brief Article)
April 21, 2003... A shopping center planned around home-oriented retailers called Home-Works--a redesign of the former Jeffersonville II Outlet Center on Routes 41 and 71 in Jeffersonville, Ohio-has begun accepting tenant applications. Home Works includes...

Pier 1 Imports. (Retailer News).(stock repurchase program)(Brief Article)
April 21, 2003... Pier 1 Imports will repurchase up to $150 million of its stock over the next two to three years depending on prevailing market conditions. The board also has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.06 on the company's common stock.

Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. (Vendor News).(Martha Stewart takes bonus cut, salaries and bonuses of other top executives grow)(Brief Article)
April 21, 2003... Martha Stewart took a 41% cut in her bonus in 2002 to $680,600, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing. Her salary remained constant at $900,000. But, in that statement, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia also said that the...

Temp control. (What's Hot).(new bedding products)(Brief Article)
April 21, 2003... Keeping the temperature right through the night has prompted some ingenious innovations in bedding. At the latest domestics week, Springs Industries unveiled EvenTemp, a line of pillows, comforters and mattress pads that use Outlast...

Mass clicks with Web for storage solutions. (Storage Update).
April 21, 2003... Target and other discounters are developing more elaborate home storage assortments, using e-commerce to supplement what's in stores. Target now provides a range of new, more stylish storage solutions for consumers who don't want to rely on...

Storage is on 'site' at mid-tier. (Home Goods & Housewares).(Brief Article)
April 21, 2003... Space often runs short on showroom floors, limiting the depth of product that can be mechandised to consumers. The Internet, on the other hand, allows retailers to create virtually infinite space in which to expand product lines. Until...

Grassroots needed in organics. (Hardlines).(organic gardening)(Brief Article)
April 21, 2003... One reason why organic gardening solutions haven't taken off before now is that their usage requires a different type of thinking about lawn control. With chemicals, insects or weeds may be killed instantly, but organic solutions may take...

Best Buy. (Retailer News).(partnership agreements)(Brief Article)
April 21, 2003... Best Buy signed a slew of new partnership agreements in recent weeks, including ones with Earthlink and AOL, to promote the Internet service providers dial-up and high-speed products in all Best Buy stores. Additionally, the company announced...

Ultimate Electronics. (Retailer News).(receives award)(Brief Article)
April 21, 2003... Ultimate Electronics has been awarded the grand prize by the National Association of Store Fixture Manufacturers for a specialty store larger than 25,000 square feet at the Retail Design Awards last month. The winning design was a...

Kinko. (Retailer News).(installs digital photofinishing equipment)(Brief Article)
April 21, 2003... Kinko's is installing Sony PictureStation digital print kiosks in 800 locations to help with "pent-up demand for retail-based digital photofinishing services," according to Kinko's evp of operations, Sue Parks. The retailer has aggressively...

Philips Electronics. (Vendor News).(eliminating 1,600 jobs in its semiconductor unit )(Brief Article)
April 21, 2003... Philips Electronics announced it was eliminating 1,600 jobs in its semiconductor unit and plans to close a factory in the United States in response to continued weak demand for computer chips. Closing the San Antonio facility comes just...

In-store CPU sales. (What's Hot).(personal computer sales)(Brief Article)
April 21, 2003... "Reports of the demise of brick-and-mortar retailing in the personal computing category were greatly exaggerated," said Stephen Baker, director of the NPD Group. "Retail sales outlets were able to leverage the ability to offer a wide...

Camera makers bring size down, quality up. (Photo Update).(digital cameras)
April 21, 2003... Consumers are flocking to digital cameras for more reasons than the thrill of new technology. In the relatively young life of digital imaging, style has evolved into a big draw, and at the convergence of form and function, one mantra has...

Circuit City adjusts to changes. (CE & Entertainment).
April 21, 2003... When Circuit City announced two months ago that it was eliminating its commissioned pay structure there were a lot of unanswered questions, not the least of which was just how the company had prepared to make the transition and whether or...

DVD Promo.(ten most heavily promoted video titles)(Brief Article)
April 21, 2003... DVD PROMO THE TEN MOST HEAVILY PROMOTED (*) SELL-THROUGH VIDEO TITLES AT MASS (+) FOR THE PERIOD OF 3/1 THROUGH 3/31/2003 TITLE/STUDIO NO. OF ADS. THE RING 27 Universal 8...

Sun Gro Horticulture. (Vendor News).(potting soil agreement with Albertson's)(Brief Article)
April 21, 2003... Sun Gro Horticulture has signed a deal to become the exclusive supplier next year for Albertson's private label potting soil.

The Scotts Company. (Vendor News).(rotary spreader distribution expanded)(Brief Article)
April 21, 2003... A rotary spreader from The Scotts Company called EdgeGuard, which features an adjustable shield to safeguard plants, driveways and sidewalks, has expanded distribution this year to The Home Depot, Lowe's and other hardware retailers.

Floragem. (Vendor News).(specialty herb and vegetable plant line )(Brief Article)
April 21, 2003... A specialty herb and vegetable plant line from Floragem called Viva Herbs and Veggies debuted at The Home Depot this spring. The plants sold in decorative pots are divided up into six broad categories that include culinary herbs, tea herbs,...

National Gardening Association. (Industry News).(lawn and garden supply sales)(Brief Article)
April 21, 2003... An annual survey by the National Gardening Association revealed that consumers spent $39.6 billion last year on lawn and garden supplies, a 5% increase over 2001. Eight out of 10 households, or 85 million, participated in gardening last year,...

Chill & grill. (What's Hot).(portable grill and cooler from Char-Broil )(Brief Article)
April 21, 2003... A portable grill and cooler from Char-Broil has become a hot seller this spring in lawn and garden departments. The Thermos Grill2Go Fire & Ice unit, which retails for $199, fits in a trunk and is marketed for picnics or tailgate parties. ...

'Natural care' solutions begin to blossom. (Lawn Care Update).(organic farming)
April 21, 2003... Products featuring ingredients that might be found in the spice cabinet rather than a chemical lab are attracting the interest of consumers seeking earth-friendly alternatives to traditional fertilizers, pesticides and weed killers. ...

Cracking the lobster code. (Food & Consumables).(Brief Article)
April 21, 2003... Vendors are helping retailers sell seafood more effectively by developing solutions to the challenges in the marketplace. If the recent Boston Seafood Show demonstrated anything, it was that seafood vendors are working to better support...

Big Lots niches food with international flair.
April 7, 2003... COLUMBUS, OHIO -- Good taste in the form of tastier goods is being developed in a wider range of retail outlets than ever before, including Big Lots, which is flavoring its assortment with an array of international foods. As the retailer adds...

Sears looks to bail out of decades-old credit business.(Sears, Roebuck & Co.)
April 7, 2003... CHICAGO -- Sears, Roebuck & Co. surprised investors last week when it announced plans to sell its massive $31 billion credit card portfolio. Sears ceo Alan Lacy said assets from the sale would provide a windfall for investors and help the...

When Wal-Mart opens good will mouth, it backs it up with generous offerings.
April 7, 2003... BRANDON, FLA. -- For more than a year Paula Burns endured construction activity at the Wal-Mart store she manages as all four walls were expanded to transform the unit into a 227,000-square-foot supercenter. When the disruptive process...

Former Aaron Bros. president has tough row to hoe at Frank's.(Bruce Dale tasked with the job of turning around Frank's Nursery & Crafts)
April 7, 2003... TROY, MICH.--The task of turning around Frank's Nursery & Crafts is in the hands of Bruce Dale, a craft retailing veteran who guided the revival of art supply and framing chain Aaron Brothers, a division of Michaels Stores. Dale was...

Kmart loss 'disappointing,' but not unexpected.(company reports loss, negative comparable-store sales)
April 7, 2003... TROY, MICH.--While Kmart's monstrous loss of $3.22 billion for fiscal 2002 came as expected, recent financial results show slight signs of progress as the retailer positions itself to exit bankruptcy later this month. Even though the...

Target plans opening near NYC: Greatland would be most accessible for Manhattanites.
April 7, 2003... JERSEY CITY, N.J.--Manhattanites with Target envy will soon have one more option for getting their fill of cheap chic. Coming next summer, the Minneapolis-based discounter is scheduled to open a Greatland store just beyond the island's...

Online poll.(Illustration)
April 7, 2003... nline Poll "What factor is most responsible for the depressed retail economy?" Reader Responses Consumer Trepidation 91 33.7% Industry Consolidation 20 7.4% Fear of War and Terrorism 129 47.8% Tough...

Gander Mtn. fires at--and hits--retailtainment bull's-eye.(Gander Mountain)
April 7, 2003... GENEVA, ILL. -- Gander Mountain's newest store is an outdoorsman's paradise where excitement is generated by a broad assortment of products and clever merchandising rather than expensive fixtures and labor-intensive displays. "The...

Crafters find 2 billion reasons for new respect of scrapbooking.
April 7, 2003... NATIONWIDE DSN REPORT -- Scrapbooking, the biggest trend in crafting in the past decade, has evolved into a hot niche that's grabbing the attention of myriad retailers. The hobby that got its spike in popularity in Utah in the mid '90s with...

Bob's 'gets real' with Carhartt: regional retailer adds to big-brand strategy.
April 7, 2003... MERIDEN, CONN. -- While the merchandising of high-visibility national brands is most often associated with companies like Kohl's, a handful of regional retailers, including privately held Bob's Stores, have long been champions of the big...

Judge denies Kmart motion. (Market Watch).(to extend by 270 days the time it has to market and sell leases for stores scheduled to close)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... CHICAGO - A bankruptcy court judge rejected a recent motion by Kmart to extend by 270 days the time it has to market and sell a number leases for stores scheduled to close later this year. Kmart had argued that the leases were in 44 states...

Sears continues to cut jobs. (Market Watch).(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... HOFFMAN ESTATES , ILL. - This spring, Sears plans to cut an undetermined number of jobs at its Hoffman Estates, Ill.-based headquarters, according to published reports. Since 2001, Sears ceo Alan Lacy has cut 5,900 salaried positions.

Wal-Mart execs named to Seiyu board. (Market Watch).(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... CHICAGO - Five senior Wal-Mart executives were named to the board of Japanese retailer Seiyu as Wal-Mart continues to deepen its involvement following last year's initial investment. Named to the Seiyu board were WalMart International ceo...

E-commerce pioneer to run Gap sites. (Market Watch).(Gap Inc. hires Edward Lenk to run its online division)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... SAN FRANCISCO - Gap Inc. announced it has entrusted its online division to entrepreneur Edward Lenk, who founded eToys Inc. Lenk's responsibilities include overseeing online sales for Gap, Old Navy and Banana Republic, as well as the...

Fleming Cos. (Financials).(is seeking financing)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... Fleming Cos. announced recently that it is in discussions with alternative financing sources and its vendors regarding the company's near-term liquidity constraints, and is seeking additional near-term financing.

FAO Inc. (Financials).(received court approval to pay $836,000 in commitment fees to get $77 million in exit financing agreements)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... Toy retailer FAO Inc. recently received court approval to pay $836,000 in commitment fees to get $77 million in exit financing agreements, which the company needs to fund its reorganization plan and its emergence from Chapter 11 bankruptcy,...

TW Inc. (Financials).(plan to commence going-out-of-business sales at The Wiz stores approved by bankruptcy court)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... A bankruptcy court recently approved the plan of TW Inc. to commence going-out-of-business sales at the final 17 stores of The Wiz.

Petco hits homerun with strong sales and newly acquired rights to ballpark name.
April 7, 2003... SAN DIEGO - Petco Animal Supplies helped reinforce the notion that some industries are recession-proof with strong fourth quarter and 2002 sales. The nation's second-largest pet supplies retailer also joined an exclusive club in March when it...

Time to face the music: NARM identifies industry's biggest problems, best solutions.
April 7, 2003... ORLANDO -- Citing French intellectuals may not be the most timely method for opening a trade show these days, but at the National Association of Recording Merchandisers' (NARM) 45th annual convention last month, NAIRM president Pamela...

Wal-Mart continues to redefine retailing. (Editorial).(Editorial)
April 7, 2003... Throughout its history, the strategy; culture and message of Wal-Mart's executives have always been characterized by simple, but clever quotes that not only evolve to characterize the company but to some extent redefine the retailing...

At Target, faith and risk guide buying. (Viewpoint).
April 7, 2003... The Target story is a curious one. By any and all of Wall Street's definitions, Target is a discount retailer. But ask the middle-aged housewives who shop its stores, or the trendy young executives who walk the halls of headquarters, or...

IMRA-OSHA alliance: a winner for retail. (Guest Column).(International Mass Retail Association, Inc signs pact with Occupational Health and Safety Administration )
April 7, 2003... IMRA's 2003 Loss Prevention, Auditing and Safety Conference, held last month in Orlando, ran true to form. Replete with IMRA's special blend of world-class education and networking, the event was an unqualified success. That's hardly news:...

Internet merchandising makes real-time a reality. (Guest Column).(Column)
April 7, 2003... Most mass merchandisers use third-party retail merchandising. They want a team of specialists handling displays, inventories, posters, returns, replenishments and more for many high-value items. There's comfort knowing it's done quickly and...

Faded Glory. (Items).(Wal-Mart and Frito-Lay are joining forces for a Salsa Spirit Collection )(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... BENTONVILLE, ARK.-Wal-Mart and Frito-Lay are joining forces for a Salsa Spirit Collection of women's wear under the Faded Glory umbrella. The line will be updated through May, timed with Cinco de Mayo, and sure to appeal to ethnic consumers....

Kellwood. (Items).(in licensing agreement with Liz Claiborne)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... NEW YORK-Liz Claiborne has struck a deal with Kellwood's Halmode division for women's .dresses and suits, including special occasion, bridal and mother-of-the bride dresses and coordinated jackets within the Liz Claiborne, Liz Claiborne Woman...

Sara Lee. (Items).(introducing new line of underwear and loungewear for young women)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... CHICAGO--A new line from Sara Lee, Hanes Authentic, features underwear and loungewear for young women that picks up trends from active apparel Items look like they might belong to the guys, but they're cut for girls. The line includes a boy...

Jockey. (Items).(introducing Jockey Denim Collection)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... KENOSHA, WISC. -- Jockey is bringing the popular look of jeanswear into cotton briefs and T-shirts in its new Jockey Denim Collection. The line includes four silhouettes-a low-rise brief at $6.50, a trunk at $8 and both muscle and crew-neck...

Is Target's wardrobe in Wal-Mart's sights? The Mossimo-ization of mass catches on. (Cover Story).
April 7, 2003... Today, Target stands as the only mass retailer featuring high-fashion apparel, but tomorrow may tell a different tale. Now that Kmart is mired in restructuring mode, Wal-Mart has decided to use its vast resources to buy into class. The...

Spiegel the latest to enter Chapter 11: customer credit to blame. (In the News).(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... Spiegel Inc. is the latest apparel retailer to enter Chapter 11 status, due mainly to customers' bad credit. Many failed to make payments on their Spiegel card debts, a trend in the foundering economy that has analysts zeroing in on this...

WalMart just celebrated SpongeBob SquarePants month in March. (Items).(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... BENTONVILLE, ARK. -- WalMart just celebrated SpongeBob SquarePants month in March in honor of this top-performing boys and girls property. Retailtainment included a treasure map that tied in with pirate themes in the show, cross-merchandising...

Target is having so much success with its Mossimo brand that it's created a sub-brand: MOSSissue. (Items).(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... MINNEAPOLIS -- Target is having so much success with its Mossimo brand that it's created a sub-brand: MOSSissue. The extreme-sports-influenced line can be found in its boys wear department, where a woven buttondown retails for $9.99 versus...