Costco doesn’t support Seattle’s proposed scheduling law by Janet I. Tu at Seattle Times. “Representatives from a number of companies, including Home Depot, JC Penney and Petco, have already spoken against the proposal at a public hearing last month.” Read more

 

Wal-Mart buyers for cakes and pies discuss Patti LaBelle phenomenon by Robbie Neiswanger at Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette. “Wal-Mart Stores Inc.’s bakery partnership with singer Patti LaBelle began with a Google search…”I had the expectation that if I called anyone they would answer,” (Kinna) Thomas said. “But the fact three days in I was on the phone with Ms. LaBelle herself … I did not expect that.” Read more

 

New Target employee becomes a hit with his comical online journal documenting every odd detail about his first week on the job by Miranda Bryant at Daily Mail. “He originally started it to entertain friends but it gained such traction online that his Tumblr posts about Target have attracted hundreds of thousands of readers…” Read more

 

Amazon poaches eBay A.I. chief by Monica Nickelsburg at GeekWire. “(Hassan) Sawaf is now Director of Artificial Intelligence at Amazon-owned A9 Labs.” Read more

 

Kroger-branded line of cage-free eggs quietly hit shelves nationwide this week by Alexander Coolidge at Cincinnati Enquirer. “The price of the new product will vary by region, but a dozen was priced at $2.49 at Kroger in Delhi Township – a dollar more than a dozen of Kroger’s store branded standard eggs.” Read more

 

It’s midnight at 7-Eleven, and the ATM rush for disability checks is on by Joe Robertson at Kansas City Star. “It’s midnight. First day of the new month. Fifteen people — with more coming — line up inside the front windows of a Kansas City 7-Eleven, waiting their turn at the ATM in the corner…“Nothing really good happens at 12 a.m. or 1 a.m.,” said Jeff Lee, the program director at the nearby Hope Faith Ministries.” Read more

 

Longtime Macy’s spokesman exits by Andy Brownfield at Cincinnati Business Courier. “Jim Sluzewski, Macy’s Inc. senior vice president of corporate communications and external affairs, retired effective Sept. 2.” Read more

 

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Hanjin Shipping’s Parent Steps In to Help Unload Stranded Cargo via Fortune. “Hanjin Shipping’s parent firm plans to raise 100 billion won ($90.46 million) to fund the unloading of billions of dollars worth of cargo…” Read more

 

Under Armour CEO to sell nearly 2 million shares of company stock currently valued at more than $80 million by Holden Wilen at Baltimore Business Journal. Read more

 

Study: A quarter of supermarket chicken bought in Britain is filled with a potentially fatal superbug by Sam Walker at The Sun. “The evolved food poisoning bacteria, which is responsible for the deaths of over 5,500 people a year in England alone, was found in samples taken from Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Morrisons, Waitrose, the Co-op and Aldi.” Read more

 

Why Online Fashion Retailers Are Worth Their Dizzying Valuations by Stephen Wilmot at Wall Street Journal. “Online-retail valuations aren’t mad, but their dependence on shifting mature-margin expectations makes them highly susceptible to minor forecast tweaks. The resulting volatility is then exaggerated by momentum traders.” Read more (subscription)

 

Walmart CFO Brett Biggs to Give Presentation on Sep. 8th “His presentation on capitalism and the free market is in conjunction with the Paul R. Carter College of Business Administration, which will be dedicating the Waldron Center for Entrepreneurship and Family Business Friday, Sept. 9.” Read more

 

E-retailers begin lining up behind a simplified online tax bill by Allison Enright at Internet Retailer. “E-retailers supporting the bill include: Overstock.com Inc., Colony Brands Inc., Crutchfield Corp., Mason Companies Inc., Blue Nile Inc., Potpourri Group Inc…” Read more

 

Pilot Flying J’s $100 Million Bathrooms Star in Its New Ad Campaign by Robert Klara at Adweek. “Instead of just touting amenities like Wi-Fi, and food and beverage choices, the company gave a starring role to its restrooms. In the brand’s new 30-second TV spot (which you can see below) and in one of its four new print ads, the commode is the best seat in the house.” Read more

 

‘Dukes of Hazzard’ Novelty Store Causes a Political Fender Bender by Michael M. Phillips at Wall Street Journal. “…the new store has brought in $950,000 selling items such as Confederate flag beer koozies, Cooter’s Garage guitar picks and models of Bo and Luke Duke’s orange 1969 Dodge Charger, the General Lee…the Sperryville store will shut down in October because Rappahannock County “snobs” won’t let his customers park behind the store…” Read more (subscription)

 

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