Ryan’s Border Tax on the Ropes as Trump Ponders Overhaul Plan at Bloomberg. “Clearly, the retailers getting out so fast and so aggressively early was” an advantage in lining up congressional opposition to Ryan’s plan, said Gordon Gray, director of fiscal policy for the American Action Forum.” Read more

 

Pier 1 names Sears and Kmart exec to CEO role by Korri Kezar at Dallas Business Journal. “Alasdair James will take its top position effective May 1. He will be also be added to the company’s board of directors at that time.” Read more | Press release

 

Save-A-Lot Announces Kenneth McGrath as CEO “McGrath spent 13 years with Lidl in executive roles including Chief Executive Officer of Lidl Ireland from 2009 to 2013 and Chief Executive Officer of Lidl USA from 2013 to 2015.” Press release

 

Major shakeup at J Crew as longtime design chief to exit the struggling retailer by Krystina Gustafson at CNBC. “Somsack Sikhounmuong, who is leading women’s design, has been promoted to chief design officer. Jenna Lyons had been with the company for 26 years.” Read more

 

Walgreens And Blue Cross-Owned PBM Launch New Company by Bruce Japsen at Forbes. Read more

 

Amazon launches Amazon Cash, a way to shop its site without a bank card by Sarah Perez at TechCrunch. “…allows consumers to add cash to their Amazon.com balance by showing a barcode at a participating retailer…adding any amount between $15 and $500 in a single transaction…available at brick-and-mortar retailers across the U.S., including CVS Pharmacy, Speedway, Sheetz, Kum & Go, D&W Fresh Market, Family Fare Supermarkets, and VG’s Grocery.” Read more

 

Chick-fil-A is cooler than Vice among teens, according to a new Google report titled ‘It’s Lit’ by Tess Townsend at Recode. “The consumer trends and marketing insights team Think with Google put out a report last week on brand perceptions among U.S. teens. The company regularly puts out these types of marketing materials as a way to stoke more ad buying.” Read more | Full report

 

H-E-B buys 26 acres in booming Bexar County corridor by Joshua Fechter at San Antonio Express. Read more

 

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Starbucks and Domino’s Possible Panera Suitors by Ed Hammond at Bloomberg. Read more

 

Silicon Valley VC on Amazon: ‘I can’t recruit anybody out of there’ by Monica Nickelsburg at GeekWire. “It is a hardworking culture; it is a demanding culture. In the end, Jeff [Bezos] has built an extraordinary mission and an extraordinary company. It’s built on very hard work and that’s OK.” Read more

 

Lowe’s Canada introduces virtual reality skills clinic and holoroom experience Press release

 

Dollar Stores’ Struggles Eluded by One That Accepts Loonies by Sandrine Rastello at Bloomberg. “Unlike U.S. rivals that saw opportunities in using food to attract customers, Dollarama was unscathed by a recent run of food deflation.” Read more

 

IRI Announces Most Successful Consumer Packaged Goods Brands of 2016 Press release top 10

 

Amazon aims to create ‘urban treehouse’ with its new Seattle office project by Nat Levy at GeekWire. “Staircases in the building would be visible from the outside and represent a ladder one might climb to enter a treehouse.” Read more

 

“FINANCIAL GOD” – Cherry Coke launches in China, with cans featuring likeness of Warren Buffett by Jeff Daniels at CNBC. “Warren Buffett is the financial god in China,” said Linda Steele (neé Lin Chongning), a founder of the Nebraska Chinese Association in Omaha, told the paper. “He is being praised in China as the one who can never be beaten in the stock market.” Read more

 

Want to get rid of or repair outdoor gear? Repair Lair – may be your place by John Ewoldt at Star Tribune. “Sometimes, a person will ask ‘Why is this $120 rain jacket so expensive?’ and I’ll point out that it’s a Patagonia that was $400 new,” she said.” Read more

 

From Monopoly to Exploding Kittens, Board Games Are Making a Comeback by Christine Birkner at Adweek. “In the last year, board game sales in the U.S. grew by 28 percent, per NPD Group, and global sales increased to $9.6 billion in 2016 from $9.3 billion in 2013, according to Euromonitor International.” Read more

 

Toddler defends her choice of doll to confused Target cashier by Chris Perez at NY Post. “To little Sophia Benner, there was nothing different about her new black baby doll — but the cashier apparently suggested that she pick out another. “She doesn’t look like you. We have lots of other dolls that look more like you,” the woman told her mother.” Read more

 

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If Sears Goes Bankrupt, Is Its Craftsman Deal Doomed?

Read Tipsheet Extra Stories

 

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