Walmart’s Amazon Prime competitor will launch in July at Recode. “Walmart plans to launch a new subscription service later this month called Walmart+ that will cost $98 a year. It will include perks like same-day delivery of groceries and general merchandise, discounts on fuel at Walmart gas stations, and early access to product deals, multiple sources told Recode.” Read more

 

Brooks Brothers files for bankruptcy as it seeks a buyer and closes dozens of stores at CNBC. “The retailer, which generated more than $991 million in sales last year, has more than 200 stores in North America and 500 worldwide.  It has already decided to close roughly 51 stores, a decision it attributes to the pandemic.” Read more

 

Walgreens will open doctors’ offices at its U.S. stores at AP. “Walgreens will squeeze primary care clinics into as many as 700 of its U.S. stores over the next few years…will partner with VillageMD…will redesign stores that get the clinics, narrow their shelves and pull products like tobacco to make room.” Read more

 

Lane Bryant, Ann Taylor owner to file for bankruptcy: Report at Fox Business. “Ascena Retail Group…is preparing to file for bankruptcy and close at least 1,200 of its 2,800 stores as soon as this week, according to Bloomberg.” Read more

 

Kroger names new chief merchant and marketing officer “Joe Grieshaber will be succeeded by…Stuart W. Aitken, currently senior vice president of alternative business and CEO of 84.51˚, Kroger’s data analytics subsidiary. Yael Cosset, senior vice president and chief information officer, will assume responsibility for alternative business and 84.51˚.” Press release

 

Former Pottery Barn exec to take over as Crate & Barrel CEO at Chicago Tribune. “(Janet) Hayes replaces Neela Montgomery, who led Crate & Barrel for nearly three years and is the third CEO to exit the company in six years.” Read more

 

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Shoppers in Australia’s second-biggest city stripped supermarket shelves Wednesday as millions in Melbourne prepared for a return to virus lockdown at Yahoo. Read more

 

Nobody really knows what the back-to-school shopping season is going to look like this year at CNBC. “Apparel spending, however, is set to drop 17%, while spending on tech items such as computers jumps 28%. Spending on traditional back-to-school items like notebooks and backpacks is expected to be down 18% year-over-year, the (Deloitte) survey said.” Read more

 

Post Office Delivery Trucks Keep Catching on Fire at Vice. “In 125 cases, the trucks were so thoroughly destroyed that the investigators were unable to identify a probable fire cause. Of the remaining 282 fires where investigators could identify a likely cause, the only pattern was that there was no pattern.” Read more

 

Mortgage applications to purchase a home rose 5% for the week and were a remarkable 33% higher than a year ago at CNBC. Read more

 

Weis Markets, Smart & Final and Piggly Wiggly Midwest will be the first grocers to adopt the Mercatus Digital Advertising solution at Progressive Grocer. Read more

 

How Seattle’s new payroll tax on Amazon and other big businesses will work at GeekWire. “Employers with annual payroll expenses of more than $1 billion per year will be taxed: 1.4% of annual salaries between $150,000-$399,999 and 2.4% of annual salaries exceeding $400,000.” Read more

 

Food & Wine: The 10 Best Supermarkets in America: 2020 (H-E-B #1, Wegmans #2, Hy-Vee #3…) Top 10 list

 

A group of best-selling authors is teaming up with Amazon in a lawsuit that aims to bring down an alleged counterfeit e-book publishing site described as “the biggest pirate book site the world has ever seen.” at GeekWire. Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra

Rouses Markets to deliver with drones

Harvard professor develops a $50 nasal spray to thwart the spread of Covid

Retailers push for uniform approach to safety

Apple expands independent repair shop program to Europe, Canada

Retail vet joins alcohol e-commerce platform

Read Tipsheet Extra Stories

 

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