| February 14, 2013 | News for the retail industry |
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- Toys R Us CEO to step down, stay on as chairman
Gerald Storch will resign as chief executive officer of Toys R Us, where he took the reins in 2006 after KKR & Co., Bain Capital and Vornado Realty Trust acquired the company and took it private in a $6.6 billion deal. Storch, a former Target executive, will stay on as chairman of the board, and the company will launch a search for a new CEO. Reuters
(2/13)     
| Industry Watch | | |
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- Plus-sized retailer Fashion To Figure wins equity funding
Multichannel women's plus-sized retailer Fashion To Figure has raised $18.2 million in funding from private-equity firms led by Perella Weinberg Partners. The retailer, which operates 12 retail stores as well as its e-commerce site, was founded in 2002 by Michael and Nicholas Kaplan, great-grandsons of Lane Bryant founder Lena Bryant. CNNMoney/Fortune
(2/13)
- Meijer plans to build 6 supercenters in 2013
Meijer says it will invest more than $160 million this year to build six supercenters and remodel five stores. The retailer is continuing its "process of slow, steady growth," co-CEO and co-Chairman Hank Meijer said. The company plans to open two supercenters each in Michigan, Indiana and Illinois. Progressive Grocer
(2/13)
- Best Buy founder may change purchase plans
Best Buy founder Richard Schulze is reportedly considering scrapping his plan to assemble an investor group to acquire the entire company in favor having the group take a minority stake, which would likely be separate from the 20% interest he now owns. Schulze submitted his first proposal to buy the company in August, valuing it at about $8 billion, and has until the end of this month to assemble the financial backing he needs to finalize a deal. The Wall Street Journal
(2/13)
| Retail Trends | | |
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- Brands are seeing value in "purpose" campaigns
More companies are highlighting their charitable and environmental efforts in a bid to win brand loyalty through so-called purpose marketing, according to this article. Panera, for example, donates unsold baked goods to anti-hunger organizations, and through agency Cramer-Krasselt has launched a $70 million campaign with the tagline "Live consciously. Eat deliciously." "When people who like the company for the food hear about the kind of company it is, it changes how they feel; they like it even more, for more emotional, more potent, more loyalty-driving reasons," said Marshall Ross, chief creative officer at Cramer-Krasselt. The New York Times (tiered subscription model)
(2/13)
| Policy & Government Affairs | | |
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| NRF News | | |
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- Charting the path of retail technology with ARTS standards
From guiding retailers on their path to achieving seamless integration with point-of-sale and cloud systems, business process models, mobile and more over the past 20 years -- you could say the Association for Retail Technology Standards has led the retail industry through the IT learning curve. At Retail’s BIG Show last month, executives representing retailers and solution providers explained why ARTS standards are essential to their business and presented the ARTS roadmap for 2013 and beyond. Read more. Retail's BIG Blog
(2/14)
| Chain Restaurant News | | |
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| The Buzz(CORPORATE ANNOUNCEMENTS)
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| Editor's Note | | |
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Which of these topics from President Obama’s SOTU is the most important to you?
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Long-term federal spending cuts in lieu of "sequestration" |
42.44%
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Tax reform |
31.30%
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Regulatory uncertainties such as health care reform mandates |
19.89%
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Immigration and visa reform |
6.37%
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| Position Title | Company Name | Location |
| Director of Customer Experience | Francesca's | Houston, TX |
| Director Internal Audit | Ulta Beauty | Bolingbrook, IL |
| Director, E-Commerce Marketing | The Yankee Candle Company | South Deerfield , MA |
| Vice President of Retail, Parks & Resorts | Delaware North Companies | Buffalo, NY |
| Director of eCommerce | Belk | Charlotte, NC |
| Sr. Business Systems Analyst - eCommerce | Belk | Charlotte, NC |
| Sr. Systems Analyst - eCommerce | Belk | Charlotte, NC |
| Delivery Manager - Master Data & Merchandising Systems Support | Belk | Charlotte, NC |
| Delivery Manager - CRM | Belk | Charlotte, NC |
| Director of E-Commerce | Kitchen & Company | Wilmington, DE |
| Senior Strategic Planner | TracyLocke | Wilton, CT |
| Director Loyalty Marketing | REI | Kent, WA |
| Director of E-Commerce DC & Logistics | Francesca's | Houston, TX |
| CLIENT SERVICES BUSINESS ANALYST | KWI | Greenvale, NY |
| Assistant Implementation Manager | KWI | Greenvale, NY |
| Trade Compliance Manager | West Marine | Watsonville, CA |
| Cosmetics Selling Manager | Saks Fifth Avenue | Palm Beach Gardens, FL |
| Selling Manager - Women's Shoes | Saks Fifth Avenue | Palm Beach Gardens, FL |
| Planner | STEIN MART | Jacksonville, FL |
| eCommerce Systems and Operations Lead | STEIN MART | Jacksonville, FL |
| Replenishment Manager | REI | Kent, WA |
| WW Director Digital Strategy & Platforms | Johnson & Johnson | Multiple Locations, United States |
| Vice President of Marketing | Sleep Experts | Carrollton, TX |
| Vice President of Stores | Kitchen & Company | Wilmington, DE |
| Senior Counsel | Meijer | Grand Rapids, MI |
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| SmartQuote | | |
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 | Mistakes are part of the dues that one pays for a full life."
--Sophia Loren,
Italian actress
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More than 30% of Americans celebrating Valentine’s Day will shop in department stores this year. Source: 
