retail

Retail Profile: The Grey Goose Cookery

Retailer: The Grey Goose Cookery Location: Mystic, Conn. Owner: Suzanne Lane Square footage: 4,000 sq. ft. The Grey Goose Cookery bills itself as a “one-stop kitchen store,” and with 4,000 square feet filled with products ranging from cutlery to gourmet foods, it fits that bill for the locals and tourists alike in Mystic, Conn. Located in the heart of Mystic’s prime…

Retailers Not Chipping In On Credit Cards

Even though banks mandated the use of chip-enhanced credit and debit cards last October, many small specialty retailers have yet to adopt the technology. Though the major credit card companies are calling the changeover a success, retailers are not convinced, citing the extra time it seems to take for each transaction along with the cost of implementing the technology as…

John Lewis to Tie Up with Myer in Australia

The Sydney Morning News reports that British department stores operator will bring its “successful homewares category” to a partnership with Australia retailer Myer. The News reports that “by the end of the year the first of this new ‘department store within a department store’ concept will open in Sydney's Northern Beaches Warringah Mall retail centre followed by rapid-fire…

Trends: Turning Food Shoppers into Housewares Buyers

Thanks to the rebound of home cooking, retailers have more chances than ever to turn food shoppers into housewares buyers, according to a panel of retailers and category experts at the 2016 International Home + Housewares Show. Think healthy cooking, starting with the gadgets used to slice and dice a home-cooked meal. For those who might have missed the Show, the seminar,…

Kitchenware Veteran

One of five global honorees in the 2016 IHA Global Innovation Awards (gia) — Kitchen Shop in Malaysia — is out to help people live more healthily while also taking care of the environment. Next year, Katrin BJ, the Malaysian holding company for 25 homeware and kitchen retail specialty shops in Malaysia, including Kitchen Shop, House of Presentation (HOS), La Gourmet Shop,…

Local Lords

In Chicago this year, UK-based retailer Lords was chosen one of the top five retail stores in the world in the IHA Global Innovation Awards (gia) hosted by the International Housewares Association. Upon meeting the founding sisters of Lords — Rachna Dewan and Rita Dewan — there is an immediate sense of warmth, support and comradery. The pair, who are (respectively) Director…

Tesco Shows Volume Growth

The New York Times reported on April 14 that British retailer Tesco has reported positive sales results. “’More customers are buying more things more often at Tesco, said [Dave Lewis, Tesco’s chief executive], highlighting a fourth-quarter British volume growth of 3.3 percent and a 2.8 percent rise in customer transactions.” For more information, please click here.…

Sainsbury Wins Battle for Argos Owner, Home Retail

The Wall Street Journal reported April 1 that “Home Retail Group PLC … said it will recommend J Sainsbury PLC’s £1.4 billion ($2.01 billion) takeover of the company, ending a four-month-long battle to buy the Argos owner. “Sainsbury’s said Home Retail directors unanimously recommend its offer, which will be made through a court-sanctioned scheme of arrangement and is…

Retail Wishlist

(A quick look at what independent retailers want from their vendor partners) Janie Williams runs The Biggest Little Kitchen Store with her two sons, a full time staffer and a couple of part timers. She stocks more than 5,000 skus in her bustling, 2,600 sq. ft. store, and in addition to day-to-day customers, she also orders product for bi-monthly store demonstration…