“Dressing Up Like a Bee and Standing in Front of Home Depot & Lowe’s to Protest Pesticides” by Rebecca Harrington at Star-Tribune.  “Rupp…was one of about 30 adults and children handing out cookies and handmade valentines Wednesday to protest Home Depot’s sale of neonicotinoids, a group of pesticides…Home Depot spokesman Stephen Holmes said in a statement that the company makes alternative pesticides available to customers and is studying the connection between these pesticides and the plight of bees.”  Read more

 

“Walmart logistics exec talks leadership, lessons from Sam” by Kim Souza at The City Wire.  “Chris Sultemeier was the featured speaker for Cross Church’s weekly Summit Luncheon. He was called in to speak when following an unexpected death in the family of Walmart U.S. Chief Operating Officer Gisel Ruiz, who was the scheduled speaker.  Sultemeier outlined a few leadership rules during his speech, but was quick to point out that he in no way has yet perfected them all.  “It’s a journey for me,” he said.”  Read more

 

“Cabela’s Same-Store Sales Down 10.1% in Q4 (Down 3.5% Excluding Firearms & Ammo); Shares fall 8%”  “The two biggest short-term factors affecting results in the quarter were a much sharper than expected decline in ammunition sales as compared to last year’s surge and a softer than expected holiday season as evidenced elsewhere. On the other hand, comparable store sales excluding firearms and ammunition were down 3.5% with positive comparable store sales in hunting apparel, men’s casual apparel, footwear and non-shooting related hunting equipment in the quarter.”  Read the release

 

“Costco expands its organics selection, temporarily at least (in Minneapolis)” by John Ewoldt at Star-Tribune.  “With an organics promotion going on now through March 2, all the signs are easier to find because they’ve been replaced with an all green sign. It’s part of Costco’s push to save on organics with a coupon booklet available at the service desk…Maybe this will propel Sam’s Club to start offering more organics too. So far, the Arkansas-based wholesaler has been slow to add organic items.” Read more

 

“Retailer Jos. A. Bank to buy Eddie Bauer for $825 million” at Reuters via CNBC.  “Men’s clothing retailer Jos. A. Bank Clothiers said it would acquire the Eddie Bauer clothing brand from private equity firm Golden Gate Capital for an enterprise value of $825 million.”  Read more

 

“American invasion slams Canadian retailers” by Cecile Gutscher & Greg Quinn at Bloomberg via Star-Tribune.  “With an economy already two years away from full capacity, according to the Bank of Canada, the retail rivalry helped push inflation to 0.9 percent on average last year, the slowest since 2009 when Canada’s economy was emerging from a recession. Bargains for shoppers mean more pain for retailers, according to Peter Sklar, analyst at BMO Capital Markets in Toronto.”  Read more

 

“Target Canada an “Expensive Zellers”? “ by Kari Pedersen at Reflector.  “So why exactly does Target Canada not measure up in comparison to our southern neighbours? Namely, poor prices.  First-year computer science student, Andie Longhee, feels the company could improve their stores by not being an “expensive Zellers.”  Read more

 

“Study:  Family Dollar shoppers paid 2.7% less on purchases than Walmart shoppers in January” by Hayley Peterson at Business Insider.  “Wal-Mart has conceded the ‘price leader’ crown to Family Dollar,” analyst Charles Grom wrote in a research note.  That’s a reversal from May 2013, when “Wal-Mart was the clear pricing leader” with savings of nearly a nickel per dollar spent at the other discount retailers, he wrote.  “In the four subsequent price checks since that time, [Wal-Mart] has continued to lose ground,” Grom wrote.”  Read more

 

“Trending on the Web:  Walmart employee shoveling snow into a cart, real or fake? (Funny either way)” at WTAM 1100 – Cleveland.  See the 1 minute video

 

“Trader Joe’s Invades Denver / Boulder, Three Stores Open Today” by Alicia Wallace at Denver Post.  “Boulder and Colorado no longer will be landlocked from Trader Joe’s.  Come Friday, the nautical-themed specialty grocer known for its unique items and rabid following will have a store in Boulder — at the Twenty Ninth Street mall — and two locations in Denver.”  See the sneak peek video/pictures, Read more

 

“Target Debuts New Nascar Paint Scheme and Firesuit” at A Bullseye View.  “Check out the three newly designed firesuits that Kyle Larson and the No. 42 Target team will wear for the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. For his inaugural race, the rookie racer will also sit behind the wheel of a refreshed Target Chevrolet SS, complete with two new paint schemes.”  See the Video & Pics / Read more

 

“This Vending Machine Sells Organic Kale and Lemon Tofu” by Tyler Wells Lynch at Business Insider.  “So how does the food stay fresh? Items are prepared, delivered, and rotated on a daily basis, with leftover goods being donated to local food pantries. Given all those delivery costs and high-quality ingredients, you’d expect items to be pretty expensive, but the menu’s actually quite reasonable.”  See the video / Read more

 

Follow @ retaileyeretail