Brand Finance: America’s 500 Most Valuable Brands 2018 (Amazon #1, Walmart #8, Home Depot #11, Walgreens #44, Target #48) Full list

 

Amazon Workers Facing Firing Can Appeal to a Jury of Their Co-Workers by Spencer Soper at Bloomberg. “Employees can dismiss some panelists they worry will be unsympathetic. It didn’t help much, she says: At the hearing, the videoconference made it difficult to connect with any of the panelists or engage on a personal level, and she sweated through her shirt. She wasn’t invited to watch her boss’s presentation, and he got the last word. She waited by the phone until the career ambassador called to tell her she’d lost.” Read more (Tiered subs.)

 

Valerie Casey to lead Walmart’s aggressive design push by Mark Wilson at Fast Company. “She’s tasked with leading the company’s next big step into the future: merging Walmart’s thousands of stores, dozens of apps, and website into one seamless experience. And she’s coming in at the highest role a designer has ever taken at Walmart–as an officer.” Read more

 

Amazon’s favorite poaching ground for senior executives is Microsoft at CNBC. “Amazon has hired at least 30 executives from Microsoft in the years between 2015 and 2017.” Read more

 

Why Retailers Are Installing Blue Lights In Bathrooms to Discourage Drug Use by Monica Rodriguez at Fortune. “The theory is that drug users, who often use the privacy of bathroom stalls to shoot up heroin and other drugs, would have difficulty finding their veins. Turkey Hill Minit Markets, a 260-store chain in Pennsylvania, is one of two convenience store chains that have teamed with University of Florida’s Loss Prevention Research Council to field-test the bulbs’ effectiveness.” Read more

 

Darcy Penick named President of Bergdorf Goodman ” She joined Saks in 2006, and then transitioned to Shopbop in 2009 as the Divisional Merchandise Manager. She was promoted to Chief Merchandising Officer within four years and in 2016 was appointed Chief Executive Officer.” Press release

 

Walmart-Led Blockchain Effort Seeks Farm-to-Grocery-Aisle View of Food Supply Chain by Kim S. Nash at Wall Street Journal. “In a blockchain test last year, he says,  his team traced a similar batch of mangoes from a Mexican orchard to a Walmart store in 2.2 seconds, Mr. Yiannas says. That’s much faster than the six days and 18 hours the trace-back took gathering data from paper, barcodes, and other sources, he says.” Read more (Subs.)

 

Upscale underwear maker Tommy John is opening its second brick-and-mortar store by Katherine Peralta at Charlotte Observer. “…in SouthPark mall (Charlotte). Tommy John currently operates only one other store, which opened last October at the King of Prussia mall outside Philadelphia.” Read more (Tiered subs.)

 

**A message from X1 Bike – The amazing Electric Bike that’s amazingly affordable! Up to 35 miles on a single 4-hour charge & a top speed of 20 mph. Folds into the size of a golf bag in 1 second.  No license or tag required to use it. Stow in a trunk, camper, RV, boat, semi-truck cabin, etc. GPS tracking, VIN # & alarm for security. Walk in and out of elevators, trains, buses or taxis. Video | Website | Contact

 

All Toys R Us stores will close on or before Friday at USA Today. Read more

 

…Former Toys R Us CEO considering a revival of the bankrupt retailer at CNBC. “Bloomberg reported Monday afternoon that Jerry Storch has been working with Credit Suisse Group as a financial advisor.” Read more

 

PGA Tour Superstore plans to grow from 33 stores to 40 this year…50 by 2020 by Mike Buteau at Forbes. “We have an insatiable appetite for growth,” Dick Sullivan, PGA Tour Superstore President and CEO, said during a recent interview…”It’s not a question of capital. Arthur Blank has plenty of money. It’s really a question of resources.” Read more

 

Amazon is the #4 Advertiser at Ad Age. Tiered subs.

 

Man posed as IRS agent to cash in $224K in Target gift cards by Mark Reilly at Minneapolis/St.Paul Business Journal. “According to the complaint against Zhang, the scam worked like this: Victims get a call from someone pretending to be a tax collector from the IRS and are told they’re facing arrest if they don’t pay up. In this case, “paying up” means buying thousands of dollars worth of Target Corp. gift cards with cash and turning over the activation codes to the “tax collector.” Read more

 

Hudson’s Bay in talks with Signa for Kaufhof joint venture via Financial Post. Read more (Tiered subs.)

 

P&G’s Incontinence Problem: How to Get Women Into Adult Diapers by Sharon Terlep at Wall Street Journal. “It gave me goosebumps,” Fama Francisco, who runs P&G’s feminine-care division, said of data showing potential growth in category. “Thank god we entered when we did.” Read more (Subs.)

 

Home Depot ups Stacey Tank to VP of Home Services PR Week Subs.

 

Party City will open roughly 50 Toy City pop-up stores in September at CNBC. “The locations will sit alongside its Halloween City shops and run through the holiday season. The company hopes to capitalize on Toys R Us’ demise, which left a void in the toy industry.” Read more

 

NEBRASKA – Costco poultry operation proposed in Lancaster County by Matt Olberding at Lincoln Journal Star. “It’s the first application in Lancaster County for a poultry operation related to the Costco plant, and it’s not being well received. The Lincoln-Lancaster County Planning Department already has received more than 50 emails from people in opposition to the proposal.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Target’s chief diversity officer not afraid to stand out in crowd, push tough conversations

DC Partners With Walmart For 100-Page ‘Giant’ Comic Book Line

Why designers and chains are downplaying their plus-size lines

Elon Musk is reportedly running an exclusive private school out of SpaceX’s headquarters

Coors said to be in talks with marijuana companies about infused beverages

Kroger set to hire nearly 600 employees in downtown Cincy

Read Tipsheet Extra Stories

 

**

Eye on Retail Tipsheet is must-read material for retail execs every weekday morning. Tipsheet stories are carefully curated bright and early every morning to ensure fresh and unique content.

 

Subscribe to Eye on Retail Tipsheet here

 

Contact us: Send story tips, press releases and advertising inquiries to info@eyeonretail.net

 

Website: www.eyeonretail.net