Costco embraces Greek extra-virgin olive oil amid Italian crop’s woes by Angel Gonzalez at Seattle Times. “Chief Financial Officer Richard Galanti said the availability of the extra-virgin olive oil Costco usually purchases is down to one-tenth of the normal level. “We wanted to get a single source of good quality; for this year we went to Greece,” he said.” Read more

 

Canada failure dents Target executives’ compensation by Kavita Kumar at Star-Tribune. “Jeff Jones, the retailer’s chief marketing officer, also received a bump of $25,000 to his base salary for his “leadership in rebuilding the brand following the data breach,” the proxy said.” Read more

 

Walmart on Campus Opens at VCU Tomorrow at WTVR CBS 6. “A quarter-century ago, the 900 block of West Grace Street in Richmond’s Fan District was known as the “battle zone ” by cops and as a party zone by just about anyone else under 40. When news of the planned establishment broke, social media was buzzing.” See the video / Read more

 

10 Years in the Making: Memphis Bass Pro Set to Open Tomorrow (Features 103 Room Hotel with Rates Starting at $259/Night) by Jerry Askin at WFSB 3. “Crews are still busy at work for their opening on Wednesday night, but Monday, they offered a sneak peak inside. Restaurants, shopping, a bowling alley and the longest standing elevator in the world are ready for the grand opening.” See the sneak peek video

 

Amazon adds another marketplace: Amazon Business by Sarah Halzack at Washington Post. “Businesses will be able to register for Amazon Business for free and will receive free two-day shipping on orders costing more than $49.” Read more

 

Kroger buys most of dunnhumbyUSA by Alexander Coolidge at Cincinnati.com. “About 500 former dunnhumbyUSA workers – including more than 450 locally – will become employees of the independently operated Kroger unit and the retailer will occupy its newly constructed headquarters at Fifth and Race streets in Downtown (Cincinnati).”  Read more

 

Apple Pay Coming to Best Buy Stores as Retailer Breaks Ranks From Walmart-Led Rival by Jason Del Rey at Recode. “The partnership is a big one for Apple, because it’s the first with a member of MCX, a consortium of retailers and food chains that is building a payment app called CurrentC that is expected to be competitive with Apple Pay. A Best Buy spokeswoman said, “We remain invested in MCX,” but would not commit to accepting CurrentC when it launches to the public.” Read more

 

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Amazon’s Jeff Bezos: Now richer than 3 of the 4 Wal-Mart heirs by Ben Geier at Fortune. “The only Walton who is on par with Bezos is Christy Walton, the richest woman in America.” Read more

 

Family ties prevalent within management, board of Wal-Mart Stores by Kim Souza at The City Wire. “CEO McMillon has close ties to three family members who also work at Wal-Mart or for a supplier to the retailer…McMillon’s sister, Lori Haynie, is an executive officer at Mahco Inc. Last year Wal-Mart paid Mahco and its subsidiaries about $19.3 million in connection with sporting goods purchases…His brother-in-law Greg Bray is a senior director in the finance department…Nichole Bray, sister-in-law to McMillon, is a senior manager in the company’s Information Systems Division” Read more

 

Wal-Mart & J.C. Penney sued by victims of 2013 Bangladesh factory collapse by Maria Halkias at Dallas News. Read more

 

$160K bottle of wine for sale at Sam’s Club in Freehold, NJ by Peter Genovese at NJ.com. “If you buy it, you won’t be able to just drop it in your shopping cart. As part of the purchase, a member of Penfolds’ winemaking team will fly to anywhere in the world to conduct a white-glove-opening ceremony. And Sam’s Club will throw in a lifetime membership.” Read more

 

Amazon India Launches Sunday Delivery Service in 100 Cities at NDTV. Read more

 

Container Store Blames Weather Again by Maria Halkias at Dallas News. “(CEO Kip Tindell) apologized for citing the weather for the second winter in a row…Same-store sales declined 0.8 percent but would have been positive if 13 stores hurt by weather were taken out of the mix, chief financial officer Jodi Taylor said.” Read more

 

Home Depot Off The Hook In Defective Decking Suit by Joe Van Acker at Law 360. “The jury rejected claims by Burt Feuerstein and Janet Shalwitz that the Trex decking they purchased from Home Depot was defective and that Trex failed to warn that using a ladder on the deck was “unreasonably dangerous.” Read more (Subscription)

 

Man Punctures Fire Hose As Firefighters Attempt to Put out CVS Fire in Baltimore by Oliver Darcy. See the video

 

Mattel Dumps ‘SeaWorld Trainer Barbie’ After Animal Rights Backlash by Ben Popken at CNBC. “It is very fitting that Mattel would dump Sea World Trainer Barbie,” said PETA spokeswoman Stephanie Shaw. “She’s now able to maintain her animal-friendly image.” Read more

 

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Eye-on-Retail Tipsheet is created early every weekday morning and read by retail merchants and executives worldwide. We love data, earnings reports, executive presentations and stories off the beaten path that get at what’s happening in the world of retail. Contact us at info@eyeonretail.net.