2 police officers injured, suspect dead at Walmart shooting in Arkansas at USA Today. “According to Forrest City police officials, a call was made to authorities from someone inside the Walmart Supercenter, about 50 miles west of Memphis, Tennessee. The caller reported an individual inside the store was making threats, acting suspicious and, as the police chief described it, “talking out of his head.” Officers arrived around 10:30 and confronted the man.” Read more

 

International Housewares Association cancels part of its Chicago show because of coronavirus travel limitations by Abdel Jimenez at Chicago Tribune. “The Inspired Home Show will not include an International Sourcing Expo, which was to include dishes, flatware and other household products made by 500 Chinese companies, said Leana Salamah, the International Housewares Association’s vice president of marketing.” Tiered subs.

 

Macy’s plan to build billion-dollar private label brands faces tough odds by Phil Wahba at Fortune. “The textbook case of private-label success is Target’s extensive brand overhaul…But here’s the rub: private label only works if consumers want what the brand sells. Indeed, trying to rejuvenate older brands is not easy. Just ask Kohl’s and J.C. Penney.” Read more

 

Walmart’s Mexico unit posts 2.7% rise in January same-store sales at Reuters. Read more

 

REI Building the Most Outdoorsy HQ Ever by Konrad Putzier at Wall Street Journal. “Once it opens in the summer, workers will be able to walk from one room to the next through outdoor staircases and bridges. They can hold group meetings on rooftop terraces, or around a fire pit in a courtyard full of native plants. Skylights and oversize sliding doors will bring in sunshine and air. “You can’t really be in the building anywhere without having a visual connection to the outdoors,” said Mindy Levine-Archer, a partner at architecture firm NBBJ, which designed the project.” WSJ subs.

 

Kroger Names Keith Dailey Group Vice President of Corporate Affairs Press release

 

Stakes Run High for Mall Owner Trying to Save Forever 21 by Esther Fung at Wall Street Journal. “Analysts are split about whether Simon Property Group Inc.’s bid to rescue a distressed fast-fashion retailer will succeed…Simon Property, Brookfield Property Partners LP and Authentic Brands Group LLC made an $81 million bid for Forever 21 Inc. last week. The retailer now says it will go ahead after no rival bids emerged.” WSJ subs.

 

Under Armour shares tank on sales miss, sees $50 million to $60 million hit from coronavirus at CNBC. Read more

 

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Democratic senators press Amazon over injury rates by Emily Birnbaum at The Hill. “The senators also called called for a “comprehensive ergonomic evaluation of all warehouse tasks.” The company said it has already employed many ergonomic experts to observe and update how workers are advised to move on the job. The senators asked for a written response by Feb. 21.” Read more

 

…Amazon’s PR chief gets combative on Twitter over media criticism by Nick Statt at The Verge. “Carney’s op-ed for the NYT framed a 2018 phone call from Sanders as a voice of support from the senator for Amazon raising its minimum wage to $15 an hour. It did, however, leave out that Amazon did so after pressure from Sanders himself, among other vocal critics and labor activists.” Read more

 

Nearly 70% of U.S. smart speaker owners use an Amazon Echo device by Sarah Perez at TechCrunch. Read more

 

Kroger is main sponsor of pole position car at the 2020 Daytona 500 at Cincinnati Enquirer. “It was a great start, definitely thrilled about it,” Stenhouse Jr. said. “It’s been an offseason that’s had a lot of news. New people, new team, new manufacturer and new partners. Obviously, The Kroger Company has been a big part of what we do at JTG Daugherty Racing.” Tiered subs.

 

El Paso Walmart mass-shooting hero says he suffered minor heart attack and is asking for financial support on a GoFundMe page by Aaron Montes at El Paso Times. “As of Monday afternoon, he had raised $3,817 of a $50,000 goal.” Read more

 

Home Depot Roars Back on Radio at Radio Ink. “(Home Depot) rose more than 20 places to land at number two on the Media Monitors chart of the nation’s leading radio advertisers. Home Depot had been quiet by its own standards for some time, but last week ran 47,697 spots.” Read more

 

Brandless, the pioneering Amazon alternative, shuts down at Fast Company. “The company, which sold simply branded household, personal care, baby, and pet products on the cheap, is no longer taking orders and has laid off 70 people. The last 10 employees still working at the company will process the remaining few customer orders…” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra

H-E-B gives $100 bills to all employees after being named top grocer

Save A Lot Stores Closing in Florida

Jennifer Lopez promotes Walmart frozen meals

SiriusXM Acquires Minority Stake in SoundCloud for $75 Million

Tyson Foods to trim corporate payroll with about 500 job cuts

Read Tipsheet Extra Stories

 

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