Forget Factories, Small US Towns Want Buc-ee’s Gas Stations at Bloomberg. “To hear some locals tell it, the arrival of a supermarket-size gas station with pumps for 120 cars is the biggest thing to hit West Memphis, Arkansas, since Elvis Presley had his broadcast debut at the local radio station in 1953…Sixty miles north of Atlanta, the line of cars leading into Buc-ee’s from Interstate 75’s two exit ramps sometimes stretches a mile long. And a future store near Gulfport, Mississippi, is projected to draw 5 million people a year, about the same visitor count as Yellowstone National Park…” Bloomberg

 

Some Walmart Managers Get a Raise, Lifting Their Max Pay Above $600,000 at WSJ. “…regional managers responsible for clusters of a dozen Walmart stores—a role known as a market manager—will be able to earn between $420,000 and $620,000 if they get their full bonuses this year. That total is up from a range of roughly $320,000 to $570,000 last year. Stock grants for market managers will increase to $100,000 a year, up from $75,000, while potential annual bonuses will rise to 100% of base pay, up from 90%, a Walmart spokeswoman said.” WSJ subs.

 

Costco shoppers brawl over coveted Pokémon cards at NY Post. “A California Costco turned into a fight club when a ravenous crowd of adults brawled over Pokémon cards as they cleared the store’s shelves within seconds, risking limb for an easy payout…One suspected reseller…wrapped himself around a younger man who was carrying two boxes in a battle for the box set. The younger man viciously elbowed his attacker in the face while a female shopper yelled at him.” Read more

 

Fanatics is opening first trading card store, in London, to give the sports collectibles a boost in Europe at CNBC. “According to Fanatics, there are less than five Topps-partner hobby shops in the United Kingdom, and less than 30 in all of Europe. Leiner said that also unlike in the U.S., there are less cards in big box retailers and often cards are found in the magazine aisle in smaller stores or grocery stores, if at all. “It’s tough to find these products,” he said.” Read more

 

Amazon closing all 7 Quebec warehouses, laying off more than 1,700 workers at CTV News. “Bobbie-Jo Vaughan, who worked for Amazon for three years…(said) she she was completely shocked by the news…When she got to work Wednesday, she saw news crews outside the DXT6 warehouse, which wasn’t unusual with the unionization efforts that were underway…But Vaughan says as soon as she saw her coworkers’ faces, she knew something was wrong.” Read more

 

REI CEO Retiring “Mary Beth Laughton, a former REI Board Director…will join REI as president on February 3, 2025…Laughton has held leadership roles at Nike, Athleta, and Sephora.” Press release

 

**A message from Sensi: Sensi named a “Best Smart Thermostat of 2024” by CNET noting its simple and intuitive display, which allows you to make changes easily. Website | Contact: info@eyeonretail.net

 

Brand Finance: 500 Most Valuable Global Brands (Amazon #4, Walmart #5, Home Depot #17, Costco #26) Full list

 

Dollar General cuts 60 employees at HQ at the Tennessean. “While Dollar General said the layoffs affected a “small percentage” of corporate employees, impacted jobs included three vice president positions, senior managers, mid-level engineers and analysts and several assistants…Several had worked at the company for a decade or longer.” Read more

 

Buc-ee’s sues Texas gas station over alleged logo infringement at My San Antonio. “…a newer chain has hit the market in the greater Dallas area, Super Fuels, which has a logo of a dog-like figure wearing a red cape with a blue circle behind it.” Read more

 

Newsweek/BrandSpark: Most Trusted Brands in the U.S. for 2025  (Walmart – Groc. Customer Service, Home Depot – Home Improvement, Bass Pro – Hunting/Fishing) Full list

 

The Fresh Market announces Brian Johnson as new President and CEO “Johnson has served as Chief Operating Officer at The Fresh Market since 2020…Previously, Johnson served as Division Vice President at Brookshire Grocery Company in Texas.” Press release

 

Amazon, Costco, and UPS Rank Highest in Caliber’s U.S. Trust & Like Poll “Top 10: Amazon, Costco UPS, FedEx, Lowe’s, The Home Depot, Kroger, CVS Health, Target and Walmart.” Press release

 

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