"Walmart Back-on-Top in Fortune Global 500 (CVS #35, Costco #60)"  See the Top 500 list   "First TargetExpress store to Open July 23rd" at Minneapolis/St. Paul Bus. Journal.  "Minnesota Public Radio reports that the mini-store— 20,000 square feet, or about one-sixth a typical Target — will open in the newly built Marshall apartment building. That means the store will be open in plenty of time to greet University of Minnesota students before classes start Sept. 2." Read more   "Happening Today:  Wal-Mart holding its first “Open Call” for suppliers" by Kim Souza at The City Wire.  "She said there [...]

  "Costco CEO flew to Google’s California campus to meet Google CEO Larry Page before agreeing to participate in the Google Shopping Express program" by Jason Del Ray at re/code.  "Costco CFO Richard Galanti also met with execs at Google on a separate trip...ongoing suspicion that Google could eventually build an Amazon-like marketplace in which the search giant sells products directly to shoppers and cuts out brick and mortar retailers altogether...“Google may be in a position to go to Procter & Gamble and say, ‘Why would you give [marketing] dollars to Target when you can just give them to us...” Anderson said." Read more [...]

  "Top 100 Retailers:  Amazon Crashes the Party" by David P. Schulz at NRF. "The current retailing revolution isn’t about overthrowing the old elite; it’s about the speed with which the old dogs are learning new tricks. One such example: Amazon.com has joined the uppermost ranks of STORES magazine’s Top 100 Retailers." Read more   NRF: Top 100 Retailers: See the List   "Philly firm building 'One of the largest sporting goods retailers in the U.S.' " by Joseph N. DiStefano at Philly Inquirer. "Vestis Retail Group LLC says it has agreed to buy Sport Chalet, a Southern California chain of [...]

  "Target Opening Pop-Up Store in Minneapolis for MLB All-Star Game" by Nick Halter at Minn./St. Paul Bus. Journal.  "A map submitted to the city by the Twins and MLB shows a 4,800-square-foot store on the parking lot at First Avenue and Sixth Street, which is behind Gluek's Restaurant and Bar." Read more   " “Amazon Was a Prison,” Says Former Worker" by Jason Del Rey at Re/code.  "CNBC also said it spoke to more than 100 independent businesses who sell their wares through Amazon’s online market. Two dozen of them, according to CNBC, claimed that Amazon attempted to ink separate deals [...]

  Costco's Jim Sinegal on Amazon: "They probably did get the idea (for Amazon Prime) from us" at CNBC.  "I think what will stop them is if, No. 1, the pressure of becoming profitable becomes so great that they've got to change their game plan," he said. "I think that eventually they have to figure out how to become a little more profitable in their business."  See the interview / Read more   "Dollar General CEO departure likely throws wrench into Icahn's plans" by Phil Wahba at Fortune.  "There is no way he or she [Dollar General's future CEO] is [...]

  "Kroger rolls out three new store brands" by Steve Watkins at Cincinnati Bus. Courier.  "Customers are seeing the brands – Psst, Check This Out and Heritage Farm – on hundreds of Kroger’s private-label products.  “These brands all are designed to reflect the good quality and excellent value customers expect from Kroger,” McMullen told the audience. He told me after the meeting that the new brands cover the lower price point of Kroger’s private-label brands." Read more   "Target Announces LEED Certification for all 124 Canada Store Locations" at Nassau News Live.  "Previously, Target announced certification of the first 68 stores and with [...]

  "Home Depot and BJ's Wholesale look to help honeybee population" by Carey Gillam at Reuters via Globe & Mail.  "Home Depot is requiring its suppliers to start such labeling by the fourth quarter of this year, said Ron Jarvis, the company’s vice president of merchandising/sustainability. Home Depot is also running tests in several states to see if suppliers can eliminate neonics in their plant production without hurting plant health...BJ’s Wholesale Club said it was asking all of its vendors to provide plants free of neonics by the end of 2014 or to label such products as requiring “caution around [...]

  "Whole Foods paying $800,000 for overcharging in California" by Shan Li at LA Times.  "Problems included failing to deduct the weight of containers when ringing up fresh food, putting smaller amounts into packages than the weight stated on the label, and selling items by the piece instead of by the pound, as required by law, the statement said."  Read more   "Latest Minnesota push strengthens Walmart where it's weakest" by Nick Halter at Minneapolis/St.Paul Bus. Journal.  "The 420,000-square-foot Mankato distribution center, when it opens in spring 2015, will employ 300 and supply groceries to Wal-Mart stores in the upper [...]