DSN Retailing Today articles from June 2006

DSN Retailing Today archives from June 2006

Supervalu's juggling act.(acquisitions)(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... In the wake of the largest acquisition in supermarket history, Supervalu suddenly finds itself juggling an extremely large and highly diverse portfolio of store brands, from opening-price-point value stores to luxury gourmet markets. In the...

Supervalu in good shape to capitalize on merger.(SUPERVALU Inc. acquired Albertson's Inc.)
June 26, 2006... EDEN PRAIRIE, MINN. -- Supervalu closed its acquisition of Albertsons on June 2 to become the third-largest grocery retailer in the nation with more than 2,500 stores. The deal was sealed when shareholders from both chains voted in favor...

Despite rumors, Wal-Mart ceo not retiring.(Chief Executive Officer)
June 26, 2006... BENTONVILLE, ARK. -- Wal-Mart won't , be getting a new ceo anytime soon. That was the apparent message from Wal-Mart chairman Rob Walton and president and ceo Lee Scott earlier this month during an all-day meeting with shareholders and...

Gap adjusts merchandising in hopes of reclaiming cachet.
June 26, 2006... SAN FRANCISCO -- Gap management is counting down the days until July 20 when new fall product and a new merchandising strategy officially hit all 1,233 Gap brand stores. The company, which has been struggling to post positive sales numbers as...

H&M to outfit Madonna on latest tour.(Market Watch)(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN -- Madonna is partnering with H&M for the off-stage clothing for her latest "Confessions" tour, which began May 21 and goes through the end of September. H&M will outfit the singer and her dance team with selections of their...

Charming Shoppes opening 50 Caciques.(Market Watch)(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... BENSALEM, PA. -- Charming Shoppes, parent company to Lane Bryant, Catherine's and Fashion Bug, will open 50 Cacique stores across the country this year. Cacique is the company's plus-size lingerie store, which it had been testing with...

Approached for acquisition, Zales says no.(Signet Group PLC)(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... IRVING, TEXAS -- Zale Corp. confirmed that it had been approached by Signet Group regarding a potential business combination. However, Zales said it ended the discussions. "After careful consideration, Zales' board of directors has terminated...

Stewart tapped to lead Bombay Co.(Market Watch)(David Stewart appointed as Chief Executive Officer)(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... FORT WORTH, TEXAS -- The Bombay Co. named David Stewart ceo, effective immediately. Stewart joins Bombay after having been president of Blockbuster Canada since 2000. He also will serve as a member of the board of directors. The Bombay Co....

Correction.(Correction notice)
June 26, 2006... A photo that ran on page 3 of the June 12 issue of Retailing Today had a misidentified caption. The woman in the photo is Susan Chambers, Wal-Mart's evp, People division.

Motorola showcases new Q in temporary Chicago store.(new smart phone)(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... CHICAGO -- Temporary pop-up stores are usually seen in Manhattan, where space is at a premium and the press flocks, but Motorola stuck a little closer to home when it picked Chicago's Michigan Avenue for its first location to showcase its...

Best Buy first-quarter earnings best analysts' expectations.
June 26, 2006... MINNEAPOLIS -- Best Buy reported first-quarter earnings that soundly beat analyst expectations, but caution remains for the CE sector leader given larger economic pressure and a services model that looks to be costly as it expands. Best...

Garden state welcomes 7th Wegmans.(Market Update)
June 26, 2006... CHERRY HILL, N.J. -- Wegmans has lately been positioning itself strongly in key suburban markets not by making a bid for major market share, but rather by putting stores in a few critical locations where consumers have easy access and the...

New kiosk technology to help retailers broaden reach.
June 26, 2006... LAS VEGAS -- Kiosks have been popping up along the retail landscape for years, but with its technology now increasing at full speed, allowing consumers to do everything from previewing CDs to making electronic donations in church lobbies,...

Happy Harry's buy new tact for Walgreens.
June 26, 2006... DEERFIELD, ILL. -- In a striking departure from its ground-up growth strategy of developing its own new stores from scratch, Walgreen Co. struck an agreement to purchase Delaware regional drug store powerhouse Happy Harry's for an undisclosed...

Office industry outlook reveals considerable growth prospects.(Industry overview)
June 26, 2006... NEW YORK -- A new segment of retail emerged 20 years ago when Staples and Office Depot opened their first stores and were followed a few years later by OfficeMax. The three companies are the lone survivors in an industry that...

Online poll results.(sustanability at retail )(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... RETAILERS PREPARE TO GO GREEN (Based on responses collected 6/6 tthrough 6/16) Q: IS SUSTAINABILITY AT RETAIL A LASTING INITIATIVE, OR IS IT MERELY mE CAUSE DU JOUR? 39% Cause du jour Despite isolated examples of sincerity,...

Changes don't help Pier 1 off sales slide.(FINANCIALS)(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... FORT WORTH, TEXAS -- Pier 1 announced a net loss from continuing operations of $22.8 million for the first quarter. The loss comes after the company launched its brand repositioning program and revamped its in-store merchandising. Total sales...

Jean Coutu's U.S. RX comps up 2.7%.(FINANCIALS)(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... LONGUEUIL, QUEBEC -- The Jean Coutu Group reported May same-store sales for its U.S. network were up 2.7%, driven by strong performance in the consumables and health categories. Pharmacy same-store sales increased 3.6% while front-end...

Top gainers for 2 weeks ended 6/14/06.(FINANCIALS)
June 26, 2006... TOP GAINERS For 2 weeks ended 6/14/06 Dillard's 8.32% Walgreens 6.20 CVS 5.40 JCPenney 5.14 Books-A-Million 5.09

Top losers for 2 weeks ended 6/14/06.(FINANCIALS)
June 26, 2006... TOP LOSERS For 2 weeks ended 6/14/06 Bon-Ton (17.68%) Tractor Supply Co. (14.91) A&P (14.77) RadioShack (13.69) Pacific Sunwear (13.54)

Major indices.(FINANCIALS)(Table)(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... MAJOR INDICES Close Close Net % 5/31/06 6/14/06 Change Change S&P 500 (GSPC) 1259.38 1230.04 (29.34) (2.33%) Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) 11091.15 10816.91...

Select Comfort 'bedding' on new ad campaign.
June 26, 2006... MINNEAPOLIS -- Select Comfort is coming out with new bed constructions, new accessories and even a new advertising campaign as it tries to coax a new crop of consumers off of their inner-spring mattresses and into its showrooms. The new...

American Greetings puts cards on table with new initiative.
June 26, 2006... CLEVELAND -- American Greetings is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year by revamping the look of its cards and the way they're merchandised in stores. The initiative, called "Winning at Cards," is now in more than 350 stores across all...

Myshape.com: the right fit, the right style for everybody.
June 26, 2006... PASADENA. CALIF. -- Imagine a store where each customer can find and buy clothes that seem to be made and styled just for him or her, and the frustration associated with shopping for that outfit is minimal. This is the concept behind...

If Mr. Sam were alive today ...(Sam Walton)(Editorial)
June 26, 2006... About half way through the dance number that punctuated this year's Wal-Mart shareholder meeting, someone, somewhere, must have stopped to ask himself how a man like Sam Walton would have reacted to such a spectacle. How, they might...

Opportunity knocks for retailers and caregivers.(EDITORIAL)(Editorial)
June 26, 2006... Everyone chases women--certainly every retailer does. Every senior executive learned in Retailing 101 that females are responsible for the overwhelming majority of purchases--not only for herself but also for her children and spouse. And...

Minimum wage mythology.(GUEST COLUMN)
June 26, 2006... Here in Washington, critics of American retailing often characterize this industry as one that owes its success to taking advantage of a work force consigned to low-paying, dead-end, minimum-wage jobs. And when they launch one of their...

The market for home media servers is expected to reach nearly 50 million units in the United States by the end of 2010, according to a new report from Parks Associates.(INDUSTRY NEWS)(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... The market for home media servers is expected to reach nearly 50 million units in the United States by the end of 2010, according to a new report from Parks Associates. The report heralds the media server as an emerging product category that...

Canon.(VENDOR NEWS)(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... Canon has officially denied reports that the company is planning to exit the film camera business. After those rumors circulated on the Internet, a spokesperson for Canon told Retailing Today that the company "will remain in the film camera...

Circuit City Stores.(appointment of Steven Pappas as senior vice president)(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... Circuit City Stores has named former RadioShack executive Steven Pappas as senior vp and president of small stores. Pappas spent 21 years with RadioShack, most recently as vp/gm of kiosk operations. He will oversee operations of its...

Digitizing our autos.(WHAT'S HOT)
June 26, 2006... The digital revolution has taken to the road with more than a fourth of consumers owning mp3 player equipment for their vehicles, according to new research from the Consumer Electronics Association. The study also shows that digital audio...

How to organize your place in cyberspace.(ce & entertainment: DATA STORAGE UPDATE)
June 26, 2006... Consumer behavior in the blank media category is changing as storage needs and the options that fill them are increasing thanks to the surging popularity of digital files. As an example, consider this highly unscientific demonstration of a...

CE the latest craze in vending machines.(ce & entertainment: DATA STORAGE UPDATE)(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... Vending machines are becoming more technologically savvy, with Sony Electronics the next company to introduce CE vending machines that will dispense a variety of products in some unexpected locations. Under the banner of "Sony Access,"...

Personalized add-ons.(ACCESSORIES)(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... Blank media has long been considered part of the accessories category, but as storage options grow concurrent with consumers' needs, these "accessories" have spawned an entire accessories selection in its own right. Labels, colorful...

Watcha playing?(ce & entertainment: DATA STORAGE UPDATE)
June 26, 2006... % of media used on portable devices Music 45% Movies 30% TV Programs 24% Games 17% Source: The Consumer Electronics Association

Disney Store has launched an exclusive line of merchandise based on "Cars" the animated Disney-Pixar feature which hit theaters June 9.(RETAILER NEWS)(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... Disney Store has launched an exclusive line of merchandise based on "Cars" the animated Disney-Pixar feature which hit theaters June 9. The merchandise will include character-inspired toys, apparel and accessories, with new items arriving...

Small World Toys announced that it has inked a deal with children's book author Karen Katz to launch a line of toys next year.(VENDOR NEWS)(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... Small World Toys announced that it has inked a deal with children's book author Karen Katz to launch a line of toys next year. The licensed line will be a part of the company's IQ Baby line of products and will be for children up to 18 months...

Bandai America and the Cartoon Network are set to launch the "Ben 10" toy line this month.(VENDOR NEWS)(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... Bandai America and the Cartoon Network are set to launch the "Ben 10" toy line this month. "Ben 10" is an original animated action-adventure series from Cartoon Network Studios that launched Jan. 14. It ranks first in its time period on basic...

Levels above gameboy.(WHAT'S HOT)(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... Nintendo's latest gaming product, the DS Lite (pictured), was sure to make an impact in toy retailing when it arrived on shelves June 11 for $129.99. The much-anticipated Lite is an improved version of the original DS Nintendo, with some...

Building sets may reprise role as hot sellers.(hardlines: TOY UPDATE)(Industry overview)
June 26, 2006... This holiday season, the toy industry is sticking to what it does best: educational and learning games and building sets. These two categories, which had the strongest growth of all toy categories in 2005 at 5% and 16%, respectively, are...

Fun and DVD games.(ACCESSORIES)(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... Board games are no longer just that. Now, they are the latest accessories to DVD games, as well. For example, SGB/b EQUAL introduced a new licensed DVD board game this year based on NASCAR. Featuring a short and long track on a double-sided...

Mattel and Cartoon Network set up licensing playdate.(hardlines: TOY UPDATE)(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... Cartoon Network Enterprises, Cartoon Network s consumer products division, r announced earlier this month an exclusive, long-term, multiproperty licensing agreement with Mattel. The master toy license agreement covers original Cartoon Network...

Chris Madden's magazine distributed by JCPenney is giving way to a new publication with Good Housekeeping.(RETAILER NEWS)(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... Chris Madden's magazine distributed by JCPenney is giving way to a new publication with Good Housekeeping. In the new project, Madden will partner with Good Housekeeping for its upper-end, design- and remodeling-oriented publication Your Good...

Pier 1.(Financial report)(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... Pier 1's new catalog wasn't enough to turn its sales trends around. Despite its May 15 drop of approximately 12 million catalogs, comp-store sales shrunk by 6.6% in the month on top of a 7.7% decline for the period last year. Total May sales...

IKEA.(RETAILER NEWS)(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... Customers lined up three days before the opening of the first IKEA store in the Detroit area. The retailer offered the first 100 adults in line a free Poang chair and the first 100 children received a free Famnig heart-shaped cushion. The...

Kids' stuff.(WHAT'S HOT)(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... Recently in bed and bath, more practical products have emerged in line with parental needs, as opposed to the flood of upscale items introduced a few years ago designed to encourage purchasing by grandparents, aunts and uncles. Now products...

Virtual departments allow for broader selections.(home & housewares: HOME SPA UPDATE)(Sears.com)
June 26, 2006... Growing the home health and wellness business has been a challenge for many retailers because of sales spikes and space requirements. But some retailers, including Sears, are looking to the Internet as an important venue in developing a more...

Weighing achievement.(ACCESSORIES)(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... What's the bottom line when it comes to gauging the success of most diet programs? It's the scale of course. And as consumers expand their regimens to include factors beyond weight, scales are stepping up to provide much-needed information....

IKEA exhibit teaches style and survival in big city living.(home & housewares: HOME SPA UPDATE)(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... Fabulousness is on the IKEA agenda, and to demonstrate how fab it can be the retailer offered an exhibit in New York dubbed Everyday Fabulous from May 19 to May 23. Located on West 35th Street, the exhibit challenged visitors' creativity as...

U.K.-based international consumer products group PZ Cussons has sold its North American division to Beautology, a newly formed holding company headed by former PZ Cussons Americas president Stuart Straus.(VENDOR NEWS)(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... U.K.-based international consumer products group PZ Cussons has sold its North American division to Beautology, a newly formed holding company headed by former PZ Cussons Americas president Stuart Straus. Financial terms of the deal were not...

The Lornamead Group has acquired from Unilever the Finesse and Aqua Net brands worldwide with the exception of Aqua Net in Mexico.(VENDOR NEWS)(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... The Lornamead Group has acquired from Unilever the Finesse and Aqua Net brands worldwide with the exception of Aqua Net in Mexico. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. The brands generated $85 million in combined revenue in 2005....

Procter & Gamble.(Resignation of James Kilts as vice chairman )(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... Procter & Gamble announced in May that James Kilts, vice chairman of the board of Gillette, will step down as head of the business to devote his attention to the Gillette integration until he retires Oct. 1. Kilts, who became chairman and ceo...

Great lashes.(WHAT'S HOT)(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... In celebration of Great Lash Mascara's 35th anniversary, Maybelline New York hit the streets of Manhattan on May 10 handing out thousands of free samples of the legendary mascara packaged in the pink and green tube. The event attracted...

Fountain of youth--now in a cream or lotion.(health & beauty care: SKIN CARE UPDATE)(Market overview)
June 26, 2006... America's quest for youth shows little signs of slowing, and those who find invasive facial procedures too drastic or costly continue to turn to the mass channel for innovative yet cost-effective alternatives to such procedures and pricey...

Natural products.(ACCESSORIES)(Brief article)(Market overview)
June 26, 2006... Product introductions in the skin care segment are fueled not only by scientific innovations and cosmeceutical ingredients, but also consumers' increasing desire for natural products. According to a Mintel International Group report,...

Private equity firms invest in Jane & Co. to boost brand.(health & beauty care: SKIN CARE UPDATE)(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... Jane & Co., the maker of value cosmetics for eyes, lips and face, has teamed up with private equity partners Stone Canyon Venture Partners and The Walnut Group in an effort to take the brand to the next level. Stone Canyon Venture...

Ahold.(Financial report)(Financial report)(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS -- Ahold posted consolidated net sales of $17.8 billion for first-quarter 2006, a gain of 2.1%, excluding currency impact. In the United States, net sales for Stop & Shop/Giant-Landover, excluding the impact of the...

Cost-U-Less.(IN THE MIX)(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... SAN DIEGO -- Cost-U-Less is expanding to the Cayman Islands. The company has announced that Cayman Cost-U-Less, a subsidiary it majority owns and controls, entered into a long-term lease for the construction and operation of a store under the...

Spartan.(Spartan Stores Inc.)(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. -- Spartan Stores for the fiscal 2006 fourth quarter posted an earnings from continuing operations increase of 8.3%, reaching $5.7 million, or 27 cents per diluted share versus $5.3 million, or 25 cents per diluted share,...

Discount stores shape target's food strategy: fine-tuning edibles defines position in market.(Cover story)
June 26, 2006... After several decades of growth in the food business, Target seems to be refining its approach to edibles. Finally, the retailer may be shaping a comprehensive strategy that settles on defined approaches to private label, grocery assortment...

Meijer's gourmet web: retailer expands specialty food with new Internet initiative.(IN THE NEWS)(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. -- Meijer has added an online specialty food service to help it meet the varying demands of a marketplace that may tax even the space resources of its 200,O00-square-foot supercenters. The new Meijer initiative allows...

Liquid nutrition.(WHAT'S SHOT)(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... The fact that people want to drink their nutrients is well established. And that trend is showing up in new segments of the beverage market. In carbonated soft drinks, 7Up and other manufacturers are providing better-for-you ingredients....

Natural meat.(WHAT'S SHOT)(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... Concerns about mad cow disease, hormones and antibiotics all have boosted the natural meat segment in food retailing. Natural meat retailers are also becoming more sophisticated in their approach to the market. Wise Organic Pastures, for...

Alternative choices shake up soft drinks: premium options and wellness considerations fuel new refreshment products.(BEVERAGES)
June 26, 2006... Competition in alternative beverages is becoming more intense as traditional producers, including Coca-Cola, Pepsi and Cadbury-Schwepps, move beyond collecting product portfolios to developing innovative products that build on the latest...

Where's the case-ready beef? Bulk packages, prepared meats replace in-store butchers at mass retailers.(FRESH/FROZEN)
June 26, 2006... The meat business has been in transition for two decades as food retailers moved away from in-store butcher shops--the manufacturing plant in every store model--to more efficient and more manageable operations that now are being...

NASCAR heroes.(National Association of Stock Car Racing)(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... Hugely popular NASCAR has become a phenomenon with retailers such as Wal-Mart, developing entire displays devoted to the racing circuit. Now, the motorsport is driving onto the cover of Cheerios. The brand is putting Bobby Labonte, driver...

Dark chocolate.(WHAT'S HOT)(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... The National Confectioner's Association and All Candy Expo recently noted two trends driving the market: dark chocolate and everyday luxury. Where the two come together is in products like Dark Chocolate M&M's, which Masterfoods featured at...

Condiments are evolving--and that's no bull: developing consumer tastes have spawned a sales jump in exotic sauces.(GROCERY)
June 26, 2006... Today's condiment market has grown increasingly complex as consumers have developed more exotic tastes--and that trend is becoming especially relevant in the grilling category. In food, drug and mass outlets, excluding Wal-Mart, ACNielsen...

Look to the cookie for whole-grain goodness: the desire for nutritious foods has led snackmakers to revamp products.(SNACKS)
June 26, 2006... Given all the talk about nutrition and obesity, what's a cookie to do? Well, if people become more conscious about what they eat, cookies must be on a health regimen. Cookie makers are cutting calories and going whole grain to entice...

Wal-Mart makes a bold new forward-looking statement.(New Leadership. New Marketing. New Image.)
June 26, 2006... The dramatic transformation under way at Wal-Mart this year is affecting virtually every aspect of the company's business, even if many of the changes are not readily visible to customers and don't fit neatly into analysts' financial...

Restoring the productivity loop: financial outlook.(WAL-MART AT MID-YEAR: FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENT)
June 26, 2006... Wal-Mart's ability to expand its distribution network, build new stores and pile on sales volume is the stuff of legend. During the past five years, its sales increased 73% to $312 billion, up from $180 billion, while profits increased 80% to...

Change energizes business: company with a cause.(Wal-Mart At Mid-Year: Forward-Looking Statement)
June 26, 2006... There is a transformation under way at Wal-Mart, and it's not just smoke and mirrors as the company has initiatives in place that seek to deliver substantial change to virtually every aspect of its business. Store operations is out to improve...

Diversity: 1.3 million employees look to reflect customer base.(Workplace diversity)
June 26, 2006... With the ethnic landscape of the United States changing every year, diversity in the workplace is a major issue with most large retailers--and that's especially the case with Wal-Mart and its 1.3 million employees. At its annual meeting...

Health care: big box's high-profile issue.
June 26, 2006... Health care is among one of the most pressing concerns on the national landscape, but no one company has had the spotlight trained on it like Wal-Mart--accused of everything from shifting the burden of health care to taxpayers via federal...

Giving: promoting corporate citizenship.(Wal-Mart Stores promotes charities)
June 26, 2006... Wal-Mart opponents flood popular media with charges that the world's largest retailer cannot do anything good for a community. Advocacy groups such as WakeUp Wal-Mart say that the minimum wage Wal-Mart pays its workers equates to less than...

Jobs: will initiatives put retailer out in front?
June 26, 2006... Wal-Mart, the target of concerted campaigns by trade unions and health-care activists, is addressing employment costs in a manner intended to persuade customers, associates and investors that it is doing all it can to create a positive and...

Community: store designs reflect markets.
June 26, 2006... When Wal-Mart opens its first store within the city limits of Chicago later this summer a unique feature of the building will be an observation tower where students from local schools can view grass and plants growing on the roof. A store...

Drug industry veteran George Jeffers passes away at 78.(Obituary)
June 26, 2006... SACRAMENTO, CALIF. -- George Jeffers, one of the retail drug industry's most highly regarded and entrepreneurial regional operators, died June 11 in Fair Oaks, Calif. His death was attributed to lung cancer. Jeffers, who was 78, was ceo...

Safeway sitting pretty in Northern California.(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... EDEN PRAIRIE, MINN. -- At least one analyst thinks Albertsons LLC's loss is Safeway's gain. In a widely quoted research note, Bear Sterns analyst Robert Summers noted that an Albertsons LLC decision to shutter 100 of the units it recently...

Shopping outlook.(Back to School)(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... Last year, the back-to-school season was excessively hot, especially in the Northeast where the month ranked the fifth hottest in 111 years of records, and the same period in the Southeast ranked eighth hottest in history. That had kids going...

Forecast by retail market.(Statistical table)(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... FORECAST BY RETAIL MARKET AVERAGE LASTYEAR THIS YEAR City (30 YEARS) (ACTUAL) (FORECAST) Boston TEMP 72[degrees] 70[degrees] 74[degrees] ...

Wal-Mart cuts losses, exits South Korea.(Shin-segae Co., Wal-Mart Stores Inc.)
June 12, 2006... BENTONVILLE, ARK. -- There have been a few bumps on Wal-Mart's path to global expansion but until last month the company was unwavering in its commitment to markets where it had struggled. That situation changed with last month's decision to...

Lee Scott to shareholders: these are 'exciting times'.(Wal-Mart Stores Inc.)
June 12, 2006... FAYETTEVILLE, ARK. -- Key elements of an ongoing transformation under way at Wal-Mart were described by president and ceo Lee Scott as, "Wal-Mart Out in Front," during the company's annual shareholders meeting held June 2. The phrase,...

Renovations continue in 'Grand' fashion.(Sears Holdings Corp.)(Kmart Holding Corp.)
June 12, 2006... HOFFMAN ESTATES, ILL. -- Sears Holdings is rolling right along with its plan to convert former Kmart locations under the Sears Grand banner, grand opening 12 new Sears Grand stores on May 20. Each unit, a former Kmart store, features new...