DSN Retailing Today articles from January 2002

DSN Retailing Today archives from January 2002

Ames' road to recovery turns to extreme value.(Dept. store chain emerging into Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection)(Brief Article)
January 21, 2002... ROCKY HILL, CONN. -- Careful inventory management, stronger-than-anticipated sportswear sales and new merchandising initiatives that expanded the scope of special-buy and off-price activities propelled Ames to a strong holiday season,...

Neighborhood Market fine-tunes for the future.(Wal-Mart's Neighborhood Market new prototype store opened in Bentonville, Ark.)
January 21, 2002... ROGERS, ARK. -- The development of Wal-Mart's Neighborhood Market concept took another step in its evolution Jan. 9 when a new prototype was opened here just a few miles from the location where the original unit opened in Bentonville, Ark., a...

Blockbuster pursues CE, as RadioShack deal dies.(Consumer electronics launch in 2002)(Brief Article)
January 21, 2002... DALLAS -- Video rental chain Blockbuster Inc. ended its store-within-a-store test with RadioShack Corp. this month, while simultaneously announcing plans to launch a narrow line of consumer electronics later this year. In an amicable...

Service Merchandise pulls plug on valiant turnaround effort.(218-store chain delays fourth quarter results, will close down)(Brief Article)
January 21, 2002... NASHVILLE, TENN. -- A retail landscape already littered with tombstones added another giant earlier this month when Service Merchandise announced it would close. The slow and painful death of the retailer that had operated in bankruptcy...

Stride Rite steps into Target with exclusive kids line.(Will introduce 2 new children's shoe lines)(Brief Article)
January 21, 2002... LEXINGTON, MASS. -- Stride Rite is partnering with Target Corp. to introduce two new children's shoe lines in the retailer's discount division. The initiative is part of a larger reconstitution of Stride Rite's business, which includes...

Sears to eliminate floor, window biz.(Sears Roebuck eliminates installed floor coverings and custom window treatments)(Brief Article)
January 21, 2002... HOFFMAN ESTATES, ILL. -- Installed floor coverings and custom window treatments are the latest merchandise casualties of Sears Roebuck & Co.'s turnaround plan. Having already decided to ditch cosmetics and some other underperforming...

Good Guys' slump insults in closings.(Consumer electronics retailer to close eight stores)(Brief Article)
January 21, 2002... ALAMEDA, CALIF. -- Consumer electronics retailer The Good Guys will close eight stores during the next two months in the wake of a 9% drop in December sales, citing the ongoing recession and downturn in consumer spending as reasons for the...

CES offers glimpse of tech product future.(Consumer Electronics Show bouyed by sector's sales increases)(Brief Article)
January 21, 2002... LAS VEGAS -- If there's a recession on, you couldn't tell by this year's International Consumer Electronics Show, which garnered record crowds and a renewed sense of excitement in the category--all punctuated by the impressive sales increases...

Reporter's Notebook: from the floor; RadioShack ceo embraces basics, in lieu of recent diversification.(Leonard Roberts, new chairman and ceo)(Brief Article)
January 21, 2002... LAS VEGAS -- Back in 1994, Leonard Roberts, who is now chairman and ceo of RadioShack, questioned the relevance of the company's core parts, batteries and accessories division. Although the company never abandoned the category, focus was...

Tractor Supply to buy 85 Quality stores: Purchase puts chain atop farm goods niche.(Tractor Supply dominate in farm and garden equipment retailing sector)(Brief Article)
January 21, 2002... NASHVILLE, TENN. -- Tractor Supply Co.'s purchase of 85 stores operated by bankrupt Quality Stores turned the tables on its long-time rival, moving the farming goods retailer into the top spot and eliminating national competition. With...

Home Depot alters Expo mix to reach more mass-like demographic.(Larger operations strategy targets new demographics)(Brief Article)
January 21, 2002... ATLANTA -- Even after a decade, Expo Design Center continues to tweak its format, this time adding lower-priced items and new categories such as kitchen appliances and cookware. The changes are part of a larger operations strategy within the...

Toys 'R' Us weathers week season.(Toys "R" Us president and ceo John Eyler )(Brief Article)
January 21, 2002... NEW YORK -- This fall, when the toy industry was gleefully predicting a positive outcome to the coming holiday selling season, most retail analysts would have told you discretionary toy spending was a long shot at best. The economy was...

Martha Stewart sells shares of MSLO. (Market Watch).(ValueAct Capital Partners buys stake in Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc.)(Brief Article)
January 21, 2002... NEW YORK -- Martha Stewart sold 3 million shares of stock in Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc. earlier this month to ValueAct Capital Partners, an investment firm. The deal, which was reportedly worth $45 million, represents approximately...

AutoZone names new cfo. (Market Watch).(New senior vp and cfo, Michael Archbold)(Brief Article)
January 21, 2002... MEMPHIS -- Michael Archbold will join AutoZone as senior vp and cfo in February. Archbold comes to AutoZone after six years with Barnes & Noble, where he was most recently vp and cfo.

OfficeMax makes management changes. (Market Watch).(New cfo and a senior vp of advertising and sales promotion, Michael Killeen)(Brief Article)
January 21, 2002... CLEVELAND -- OfficeMax has a new cfo and a senior vp of advertising and sales promotion. The company named Michael Killeen, who recently joined the company as senior executive vp of financial and corporate strategy, to the additional position...

Home Depot's international exec quits. (Market Watch).(Anders Moberg)(Brief Article)
January 21, 2002... ATLANTA -- Anders Moberg resigned as president of The Home Depot's international operations, a position he held for roughly two years. He oversaw the company's operations in Canada, Mexico and South America. Home Depot recently pulled out of...

Marshall Field's starts New Year by cutting 200 at store level. (Market Watch).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 21, 2002... CHICAGO -- Target Corp.'s financial picture may have got off to a rosy start for the New Year with the news of Target Stores' 8% rise in December comps, but staffing issues at its department store division made for a lingering hangover. After...

Musicland creates role of Business Information Systems Officer. (Market Watch).(Rich Christensen)(Brief Article)
January 21, 2002... MINNEAPOLIS -- The Musicland Group, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Best Buy Co., is ramping up its IS efforts. Earlier this month it named Rich Christensen to the newly created position of Business Information Systems Officer. In this new role,...

Hot Topic planning 3-for-2 stock split. (Market Watch).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 21, 2002... CITY OF INDUSTRY, CALIF. -- The board of directors at teen apparel retailer Hot Topic Inc. set a 3-for-2 split of common stock earlier this month. The split is effective Feb. 6 for shareholders of record as of Jan. 23. Following the split,...

Pep Boys puts expansion on hold while it ratchets up on-site service: New marketing campaign to stress one-stop-shopping.(Statistical Data Included)
January 21, 2002... PHILADELPHIA -- AutoZone may be grabbing the spotlight lately with its numbers, but Pep Boys is shaping up to be the biggest auto parts turnaround story of the new millennium. Restructuring pains mostly behind it, the 80-year-old company is...

Petco throws Wall Street a bone, tempts investors with public offering.(Petco Animal Supplies went private)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 21, 2002... SAN DIEGO -- Barely 15 months after Petco Animal Supplies went private in a leveraged buyout, the company filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Dec. 21 to return to the Nasdaq Market listing. The nation's second-largest pet...

BestBuy.com offers game-geared CPU. (e-Watch).(Alienware personal computers)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 21, 2002... MINNEAPOLIS - BestBuy.com began its post-holiday by being the first online retailer to offer Alienware personal computers, considered the 'ultimate' gaming machines to satisfy the memory intensive needs of today's gaming platforms. Through...

Hottest holiday e-tailers offered value. (e-Watch).(Nielsen/NetRatings)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 21, 2002... new york--The Nielsen/NetRatings Holiday eCommerce Index revealed the fastest-growing e-tailers for the 2001 holiday season were led by value-oriented sites. Columbia House topped the list, with more than 25 million shopping trips in November...

Hotwheels.com teams with Walmart.com. (e-Watch).(Brief Article)
January 21, 2002... EL SEGUNDO, CALIF. -- Mattel Inc.'s Boys/Entertainment New Media Group has signed an agreement with Walmart.com to expand its Hot Wheels brand's online presence. Mattel will utilize Wal-Mart's site by adding a link directly to the Hotwheels...

AOL launches new yellow pages directory. (e-Watch).(AOL Yellow Pages)(Brief Article)
January 21, 2002... DULLES, VA. -- Earlier this month, America Online Inc. announced the launch of its AOL Yellow Pages as part of a multiyear, multimillion-dollar technology, marketing and services alliance entered into by Switchboard and AOL in December 2000....

Post-holiday inventoiy blues: What's a mass retailer to do?(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 21, 2002... NATIONWIDE DSNRT REPORT -- As retailers busy themselves with forecasting for spring, many would undoubtedly like to bury the memory of last holiday, the most grueling in just over a decade. Unfortunately, it's the retailers that are getting...

Super Show still offers one-stop-shopping despite inconsistent attendance.
January 21, 2002... TAMPA, FLA. -- High-profile exhibitors have dropped in and out of the Super Show over the years, but this annual event, sponsored by the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association, remains the industry's top one-stop-shopping venue. It's the...

Finance Watch: Insider Trades.(Statistical Data Included)
January 21, 2002... NATIONWIDE DSN REPORT -- The following are major insider trades as reported to the SEC. STOCKS BOUGHT Best Buy: James Tweeten, officer, bought 2,000 shares on Nov. 23 at $68.23, now owns 15,000 shares. Dollar Tree: John Megrue,...

Can Best Buy follow Wal-Mart's path to $100 billion? (Editorial).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 21, 2002... It sounded hauntingly familiar and somewhat bold last week when Best Buy chairman Dick Schulze predicted, during its annual analysts gathering at the Consumer Electronics Show 12 days ago, that the retailer would be a $100 billion dollar...

Blockbuster's busted deal will pay dividends in the end. (Viewpoint).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 21, 2002... When the spate of news reports came flashing over the wire early this month with the familiar retail symbols RSH and BBI, it was clear the word was out that RadioShack and Blockbuster were parting ways. It seems the "marriage made in heaven"...

Media violence law a concern at retail. (Capitol Concerns).(Brief Article)
January 21, 2002... With a real shooting war constantly in the headlines, it's understandable we may lose track of what's happening in the "culture war" that demanded our attention during much of the 1990s. Here's a dispatch on this conflict from the front...

A primer for coping with stress. (Guest Column).(Brief Article)
January 21, 2002... Group Senior VP Roper ASW Americans are getting on with their lives despite the looming double threats of terrorism and recession. In a recent RoperASW poll, we found that for a majority of Americans, stress levels have not gone up. In...

Meeting the needs of the hardcore crafter. (Power Retailer. A.C. Moore).(A.C. Moore Arts & Crafts)(Company Profile)
January 21, 2002... The myth that smaller chains must, in time, fall prey to larger competitors couldn't be less true in the case of arts and crafts retailer A.C. Moore Arts & Crafts. Even with the demise of regionals in other retail segments, this crafts...

Retailer News -- Sport Chalet. (Sporting goods What's Hot What's New What's Happening).(now has 26 stores)(Brief Article)
January 21, 2002... Retailer News -- Sport Chalet increased its store count to 26 by opening two new stores late last year. One of the stores, located south of Las Vegas in the town of Henderson, marks the first time the company has expanded outside of Southern...

Hibbett Sporting Goods. (Sporting goods What's Hot What's New What's Happening).(Brief Article)
January 21, 2002... Investment firm Saunder, Karp & Megrue plans to reduce its ownership position in Hibbett Sporting Goods from 37% of Hibbett's outstanding shares to 23%, according to a registration statement relating to the sale of 1 million shares filed with...

Cabela. (Sporting goods What's Hot What's New What's Happening).
January 21, 2002... Seven-store outdoor sporting goods specialist Cabela's plans to use an Internet-based service from Planalytics Inc. that the company says can measure the specific effects of future weather on consumer demand by product, location and time....

Bally Total Fitness. (Sporting goods What's Hot What's New What's Happening).
January 21, 2002... Americans are still working out, judging from the performance of Bally Total Fitness. The company operated 385 clubs at the end of last October and reported a 7% increase in net revenue from comparable clubs and a 1% increase in new...

Vendor news - Wilson Sporting Goods. (Sporting goods What's Hot What's New What's Happening).(will make the official ball of the Davis Cup tennis tournament)(Brief Article)
January 21, 2002... Vendor news -- Wilson Sporting Goods has a three-year deal to be the official ball of the Davis Cup tennis tournament. Beginning this month, Wilson can use the Davis Cup trademark on balls and bags, and it will market the Davis Cup Double...

What's Hot: Swapping Sticks. (Sporting goods What's Hot What's New What's Happening).(Brief Article)
January 21, 2002... Although the Internet seems an unlikely place to buy a high-touch product, such as golf clubs, GolfClubExchange.com is proving otherwise. This 6-year-old Atlanta-based company is an Internet success story It ended last year with sales of...

Golf industry opens season with confidence in its game. (Sporting goods What's Hot What's New What's Happening).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 21, 2002... The golf industry is expecting improved sales this year, following a lull in 2001 where retailers and manufacturers reported overall flat sales and a decline in the number of rounds played. This optimism is based on the belief that golfers...

Kroger reacts to supercenter threat.(company to launch Food4Less concept in Chicago)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... CINCINNATI -- Kroger has launched a major corporate shakeup that will improve its competitive position in a market shaken by supercenter growth and, if all goes according to plan, reinvigorate its results. Additionally, Kroger is rolling...

Toy story '01 tells of hot toy that never was.(overview of industry)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... NATIONWIDE DSNRT REPORT -- Noticeably absent from this year's holiday sales picture for the second year in a row was a "must have" toy--the kind that inspires a Furby-like selling frenzy that brings consumers to their knees. Whatever missed...

New year brings new outlook of economic optimism.(retail industry forecasts and expansion)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 7, 2002... NATIONWIDE DSNRT REPORT -- Although 2001 turned out to be a difficult year for most of the nation's retailers, the worst may soon be over thanks to a widely held view that economic growth will resume this year. Exactly when, or how...

CES '02 focuses on convergence.
January 7, 2002... LAS VEGAS -- Convergence is the overriding theme at the International Consumer Electronics Show this week in Las Vegas. Unlike past years where new technology introductions captured the spotlight, 2002 is shaping up to be more about the...

Housewares show changes with times.(International Housewares Show)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... CHICAGO -- As this year's International Housewares Show prepares for its 105th version in almost as many years, two issues have taken center stage even before exhibitors set up shop. The first is the matter of scheduling, which will change in...

H&M asks shoppers to disrobe for charity.(offers discounts to consumers who donate clothing to charity)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... BROOKLYN, N.Y. -- While most retailers are interested in getting a piece of what's in customers' pockets, H&M asked shoppers at a new store in Brooklyn for the shirt off their backs. It was all in the name of charity, of course. To help...

Consoles score big over holidays: Staggered supply keeps sales steady.(Microsoft Corp.'s X-Box and Nintendo of America's GameCube consoles are big sellers)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 7, 2002... NATIONWIDE DSNRT REPORT -- Microsoft Corp.'s X-Box and Nintendo of America's GameCube consoles sold through as fast as they hit stores during the holidays. However, retailers said weekly shipments helped curtail inventory disasters like the...

Sears makes saving energy a star attraction.(named Energy Star "Partner of the Year" by Department of Energy)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... CHICAGO -- With energy conservation not far from most consumers' minds, it's no surprise manufacturers and retailers are marketing energy-efficient home appliances at an accelerated pace. Even less surprising is the fact that Sears, the...

The good guys goes digital: CE chain's new format focuses on cutting-edge product.(consumer electronics)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... LOS ANGELES -- The Good Guys last month unveiled a new store design that emphasizes the chain's focus on high-end digital products. The chain's redesigned flagship store on La Cienega Boulevard in Los Angeles has a wide-open look with...

Trak liquidates, cites Forest City failure.(Trak Auto)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... TROY, MICH. -- Trak Auto, the discount auto parts chain that once operated 300 stores in the Mid-Atlantic, Midwest and along the West Coast, has had its presence whittled down to 83 stores in its original market of metropolitan Washington,...

RadioShack to pare back select categories.(restructuring)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... FT. WORTH, TEXAS -- RadioShack announced restructuring plans late last month that will allow the consumer electronics chain to further refocus on its core business, control costs and move into a new corporate headquarters. The chain will...

Lobbyists seek to eradicate govt. regulation.(retail industry regulation)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... WASHINGTON, D.C. -- While the timing of this year's anticipated economic turnaround is top of mind for retailers, dozens of legislative issues also stand to influence everything from merchandising and operations to finance and human...

Ex-Wal-Mart executive comes out of retirement to join Fleming. (Market Watch).(J.R. Campbell)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... DALLAS -- Former Wal-Mart executive J.R. Campbell and Fleming chairman and ceo Mark Hansen are working together again. Campbell was recently name executive vp of merchandising and supply at Fleming and will report directly to Hansen. The two...

AutoZone dumps truck parts division. (Market Watch).(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... MEMPHIS, TENN. -- AutoZone completed the sale of its TruckPro heavy-duty truck parts division to an investment group led by Paratus Capital Management. The 3,000-store auto parts chain announced the truck parts group was for sale last July...

Office Depot names new cio. (Market Watch).(Patrician Morrison named executive vice president and chief information officer)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... DELRAY BEACH, FLA. -- Patricia Morrison was named executive vp and cio at Office Depot, reporting directly to ceo Bruce Nelson. Morrison replaces William Seltzer, who retired last August. She previously served as cio at Quaker Oats and...

Jo-Ann taps Dandy to head marketing. (Market Watch).(William Dandy named senior vice president of marketing)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... HUDSON, OHIO -- Jo-Ann Stores named retail veteran William "Bill" Dandy as senior vp of marketing. Since 1997, Dandy served as senior vp of sales and operations at the $1 billion Famous Footwear division of Brown Shoe Company He was vp of...

OfficeMax adds senior executive. (Market Watch).(Michael Killeen)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... CLEVELAND -- OfficeMax hired long-time Arthur Andersen partner Michael Killeen to fill the newly created position of senior executive vp of financial and corporate strategies. Killeen spent 32 years with the accounting firm and in his new...

Target inks exclusive apparel deal. (Market Watch).(with Ecko Unlimited)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... MINNEAPOLIS -- Target's latest exclusive merchandising agreement involves a young men's and boys' apparel line created by Marc Ecko, founder of the fashion brand Ecko Unlimited. Target will offer a line called Physical Science the company...

Home Depot founder buys football team. (Market Watch).(Arthur Blank, Atlanta Falcons)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... FLOWERY BRANCH, GA. -- Retired Home Depot co-founder Arthur Blank has offered $545 million to purchase the Atlanta Falcons football team. According to Falcons spokesman Aaron Salkin, Blank and team owner Taylor Smith came to a "gentleman's...

Correction.
January 7, 2002... A photo that appeared on page 4 of the Dec. 4 issue of DSN Retailing Today identified Target senior vp of merchandising Bob Guelich as receiving a check for $20 million from Scott Walters, executive director of the School, Home & Office...

IMRA brings back business forum following successful '01 launch.
January 7, 2002... ARLINGTON, VA. -- With the return of last year's successful Business Development Forum, strategy will be the primary focus for retailer and supplier industry executives attending this year's annual convention of the International Mass Retail...

Foundation to fete 1-yr. anniversary as facilitator of career development. (IMRA Foundation).(International Mass Retailing Association)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... Just into its first year, the International Mass Retail Association Foundation has honed its focus and evolved into a charitable organization committed to grooming new talent for member retailers. To mark the foundation's one-year anniversary...

E-commerce keeps expanding. (e-Watch).(according to RHI Management Resources)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 7, 2002... MENLO PARK, CALIF., BOSTON AND WASHINGTON -- While sales figures for the holiday shopping season are still being tallied, one certainty is the number of companies offering products and services online has increased. According to a recent...

Holiday shoppers click on value. (e-Watch).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 7, 2002... BOSTON - While leading Web sites experienced substantial holiday shopping traffic, this year showed a clear "down-shopping" trend among online consumers, indicating "value" was paramount this past holiday Compete Inc., an advisory services...

Season sees spike in online complaints. (e-Watch).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 7, 2002... CINCINNATI -- Consumers found plenty to complain about this past holiday season, according to PlanetFeedback. E-commerce companies saw their complaints jump a whopping 60%, particularly about billing and payment, customer service, delivery,...

Amazon relaunches Egghead.com. (e-Watch).(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... SEATTLE -- Amazon.com launched its new Egghead.com site in mid-December. The new site features a wide array of consumer electronic products and includes the familiar Amazon "store tabs" for electronics, computers, software, camera and photo,...

Netgrocer makes executive promotions. (e-Watch).(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... NORTH BRUNSWICK, N.J. -- Online retailer Netgrocer announced the promotions of Lisa Kent to ceo and Wayne Marshall to coo. Kent also was named to the company's board of directors. Kent, who continues to serve as president, will transition...

Relation between clicks and bricks is silver lining to ho-hum holiday sales.(online efforts of retailers)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 7, 2002... NATIONWIDE DSNRT REPORT -- Continued growth of online sales may have been one of this past holiday season's bright spots, but subtle e-commerce developments of another sort were actually more significant. During November and December, it...

Dress Barn tailors 2002 growth plan to include entry into California market.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... SUFFERN, N.Y. -- Dress Barn didn't have an easy fiscal 2001--few apparel specialists did--but the company is forging ahead with plans to enter Southern California on the way to its ultimate goal, $1 billion in sales. The company...

Insider trades. (Finance Watch).(retail industry stocks and sales)(Statistical Data Included)
January 7, 2002... NATIONWIDE DSN REPORT -- The following are major insider trades as reported to the SEC. STOCKS BOUGHT Barnesandnoble.com: Marie Toulantis, president, bought 18,000 shares on Nov. 2 to Nov. 5 at $1.07 to $1.15, now owns 18,000 shares....

Countdown to holiday 2002: 10 steps to a better year. (Editorial).(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... Sayonara 2001! There isn't a retail executive in the country that isn't celebrating the end of the holiday season and the beginning of a new year. And despite all the doom and gloom expressed by retail analysts, there is a hope that 2002...

Apple's new store is sweet, as long as economy doesn't get too sour. (Viewpoint).(Apple Computer retail stores)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... When Apple ceo Steve Jobs puts his mind to something, it's a good bet investors will see results. Since Jobs rejoined the company in late 1996, the Apple label has adorned some of the industry's most innovative computer products. But as Apple...

One things certain, the consumer is the key. (Guest Column).(consumer confidence and the American economy)(Brief Article)(Column)
January 7, 2002... Since Sept. 11, a new catchphrase has come into vogue: "Uncertainty is the only certainty" Destined to replace "Change is the only constant"--an article-of-faith invoked ad nauseam by pundits during the 1990s--the latest expression du jour...

Resolve to invest wisely this year. (Guest column).(Column)
January 7, 2002... As we face the advent of a brand new year, we seem to be witnessing an evolutionary phenomenon in retailing that reads like a textbook passage of Darwin's survival of the fittest. As an increasing number of retailers are forced to acknowledge...

CVS Corp. (Retailer News).(Beauty At The Door Program, new hair care products)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... CVS Corp. will continue to roll out its Beauty At The Door Program this year into 800 additional units. The program, which moves the beauty department from one end of the store to the other, was first launched in 400 stores in September. The...

Albertson. (Retailer News).(upgraded beauty care departments)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... Albertson's has upgraded the beauty care department in its 15 new supermarket/drug combo format stores in Reno, Nev., and Tucson, Ariz. The expanded departments resemble those of a typical Albertson's drugstore. They include roughly 5,000...

Alberto-Culver. (Vendor News).(acquisition of Armstrong-McCall)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... Hair giant Alberto-Culver announced its Beauty Systems group will acquire Armstrong-McCall, a full-service beauty products distributor and franchiser based in Austin, Texas. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Armstrong-McCall has...

Pretty in pink. (What's hot).(new cosmetics for the spring)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... The outlook for cosmetics in 2002 is coming up rosy. Beauty experts from across the board predict the dark-eyeliner look that's gained popularity in the new millennium will fade to obscurity, to be replaced with traditional pastels, such as...

Upscale bath products gain ground on good ol' soap. (h&bc What's Hot What's New What's Happening).(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... Bath scrubs, shower gels and after-bath body lotions took off in 2001, precipitating the crash in bar soap sales that began roughly two years ago. Based on figures from ACNielsen, bar soap, when compared with liquid soap and specialty soap,...

Wal-Mart and Sam's Club. (Retailer News).(credit cards now interchangable)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... Holders of credit cards from Wal-Mart and Sam's Club can now use their cards interchangeably According to Wal-Mart, 9-out-of-10 Sam's Club members shop at Wal-Mart stores, so the program offers added convenience. Sam's Club members recently...

Ticketmaster. (Retailer News).(partnership with Fred Meyer expanded)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... Ticketmaster recently expanded its partnership with Fred Meyer, announcing the addition of 15 new ticket outlets to open this year in Fred Meyer stores in Oregon and Washington. Since 1999, Fred Meyer has operated nine Ticketmaster retail...

Supervalu. (Retailer News).(acquisition of nine Save-A-Lot stores from Super Discount Markets)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... Grocery retailer and wholesaler Supervalu recently purchased nine Save-A-Lot stores in the Southeast from former licensee Super Discount Markets. As part of the deal, Super Discount Markets will exit 19 Cub Foods franchised locations it has...

Coca-Cola. (Vendor News).(fifth most respected company in the world)(Brief Article)(Polling Data)
January 7, 2002... More than 900 ceos surveyed by PricewaterhouseCoopers and Financial Times named Coca-Cola as the fifth most respected company in the world. Coca-Cola was the only food vendor to make the top 10 list, which also included Wal-Mart at No. 8 and...

Energy in a can. (What's hot).(energy drinks)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 7, 2002... Any drink named Venom, Whoop Ass or Adrenaline Rush is bound to pack a punch. Carbonated beverages with an extra hit of caffeine or other eye-opening additives, such as guarana and ginseng, are the latest craze among the twenty-something...