December 30 – Jill Soltau Leaves Her Role as J.C. Penney CEO
J.C. Penney’s new owners, mall REITs Simon Property Group and Brookfield Asset Management, on Wednesday, said they have launched a search for a new chief executive officer to replace Jill Soltau, who is leaving Thursday. From: Retail Dive
December 28 – Retail Furloughs Snowball as Kohl’s, Gap Extend Store Closures
With stores staying shut due to the pandemic, retailers are taking various financial measures and their lowest-paid employees are adrift.
From: Retail Dive
December 28 – Macy’s to Shutter 125 Stores in Massive Retooling
The department store is also closing its Cincinnati headquarters, moving macys.com out of San Francisco, and cutting some 2,000 jobs.
From: Retail Dive
December 28 – Ahold Delhaize Buys Majority Stake in FreshDirect
The Dutch grocery company gets additional e-commerce expertise and access to the lucrative New York City market, while FreshDirect gains purchasing heft and the potential to scale faster. From: Grocery Dive
December 22 – Container Store Appoints New CEO
Satish Malhotra, most recently at Sephora, will start on Feb. 1st and current CEO Melissa Reiff will retire on March 1st. The company will continue its strategy of launching new store concepts and leaning into services like the custom closet design. From: Retail Dive
December 14 – Publix Debuts New Store Prototype in Tampa
The store will include 48,000 square feet of fresh and dry grocery, a deli island on the sales floor, and a Publix Aprons Cooking School kiosk in the center store. A spacious second-floor dining area above the entrance is a first for this type of format. From: Progressive Grocer
December 14 – Bed Bath & Beyond to sell off Cost Plus World Market
The deal includes 243 brick-and-mortar stores, the banner’s digital business, two distribution facilities, and a California-based corporate office, according to a Monday press release. From: Retail Dive
December 11 – Costco Net Sales Up Nearly 17% in First Quarter
Demand for groceries and household supplies led Costco Wholesale to a strong fiscal first-quarter 2021 ending November 22nd. Total e-commerce up 86%, with online grocery increasing 300%. From: Supermarket News
December 10 – RH Beats Wall Street in Q3
Restoration Hardware reports 24% Q3 sales boost amid home upscaling trend despite coronavirus-impacted marketplace. From: HomeWorld Business
December 10 – Gourmet Pantry Celebrates 21 Years in Business
Owner Roya Gharavi has written a cookbook “Roya’s Recipes: Healthy International Cuisine,” and hosts a monthly women’s wine night at the Blacksburg, Virginia store. From: Gourmet Insider
December 9 – Lowe’s Builds ‘Total Home’ Strategy to Grow Market Share
Marvin Ellison, Lowe’s president and CEO, outlined the strategy of “expanding our online business, modernizing installation services, improving localization efforts, and elevating our product assortment.” From: HomeWorld Business
December 8 – Wayfair Closing Natick Store
After opening the location in August 2019, Wayfair is closing its brick-and-mortar store in Natick, MA. From: HomeWorld Business
December 8 – After 70 Years, Ikea Catalog Is History
After a 70-year run, Ikea is shutting down its catalog in both its print and online versions as it shifts to a more digital and accessible selling strategy. From: HomeWorld Business
December 8 – 7-Eleven Unveils Mobile Wallet to Enable Contactless Payments
7-Eleven offers a convenient, contactless way to pay during the pandemic. Customers can add funds to their account via cash, debit, and credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, or prepaid 7-Eleven gift cards. From: Retail Dive
December 8 – Kroger Breaks into Top 10 U.S.E-Commerce Companies
The Kroger Co. entered eMarketer’s annual list of “Top 10 U.S. E-Commerce Companies” with $11.28 billion, a 79% increase in 2020.
From: Supermarket News
December 8 – Dick’s Sporting Goods Scores Highest Same-Store Sales
Q3 call also previewed a new outdoor store concept to come called Public Lands, private brands driving considerable growth. From: Store Brands Today
December 7 – J.C. Penney Exits Chapter 11
Jill Soltau, CEO of J.C. Penney says the company will “continue under the J.C. Penney banner remain focused on implementing our plan for renewal to offer compelling merchandise, drive traffic, deliver an engaging experience, fuel growth and build a results-minded culture.” From: HomeWorld Business
December 4 – Amazon Fresh Opens in Chicago Suburbs
The 35,000-square-foot store, opening in Naperville, Illinois on December 10, is designed to appeal to a shopper looking for the “best of everything: the best product mix, the best technology, and the best shopping experience.” From: Progressive Grocer
December 4 – Big Lots Reports Strongest Ever Q3 Sales
Retailer reports an 18.0% year-over-year increase in net sales for third-quarter fiscal 2020. Store re-configuration in Food and Consumables categories added to the success. From: Progressive Grocer
December 3 – Stein Mart to Relaunch as Online Only Store
REV (Retail Ecommerce Ventures) expects to relaunch the off-price family fashion and home goods retailer as an online-only store early next year. From: HomeWorld Business
December 2 – Home Depot To Open Two Distribution Centers In New Jersey
The Home Depot will open two new distribution centers in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, over the next 12 months to support the growing demand for flexible customer delivery options. From: HomeWorld Business
December 2 – At Home Comp Leap Drives Q3 Results
A big comparable-store sales jump drove At Home to profits in the third quarter. Net income was $47.1 million, or 71 cents per diluted share, compared to a net loss of $14.6 million, or 23 cents per diluted share, in the 2019 period, the company stated. Adjusted net income was $49.6 million, or 74 cents per share, versus a net loss of $300,000, or an effective zero cents per diluted share, in the prior-year period. At Home topped a MarketBeat-published analyst consensus adjusted earnings per share estimate of 63 cents for the quarter. Net sales gained 47.5% to $470…
From: HomeWorld Business
December 1 – The Running List of 2020 Retail Bankruptcies
Furniture Factory Outlet and Guitar Center both filed for bankruptcy in November, citing the impact of the pandemic. From: Retail Dive
December 1 – Kohl’s Teams With Sephora To Elevate Beauty Experience
Kohl’s has formed a long-term strategic partnership with Sephora to create a new era of elevated beauty at Kohl’s, marrying its customer reach and omnichannel convenience with Sephora’s prestige service, product selection, and beauty experience. From: HomeWorld Business
December 1 – Stonewall Kitchen Opens Boston Location
Specialty foods and home goods producer, Stonewall Kitchen, recently opened a new company store and PB & J Café location in Boston, MA.
From: Gourmet Insider
December 1 – 3 Boston-Area Save A Lot of Stores Joining Wakefern’s Price Rite Banner
Madison Foods, which owns the locations, also plans to open a new Price Rite supermarket in January. From: Grocery Dive
December 1 – Madison Foods Joins Wakefern Food’s Cooperative
Family-owned Madison Foods, a Boston-area grocer, is the latest to join the Keasbey, N.J.-based company’s roster, with plans to convert three of its Save A Lot stores to Wakefern’s Price Rite Marketplace banner.
From: Store Brands Today
