| October 11, 2010 | News for the retail industry |  |  | | - IKEA's empire continues to expand around the world
Critics of IKEA said the Swedish furniture giant would never last in the U.K. and elsewhere as they scrutinized everything from the retailer's store layouts to its products that come in flat-pack boxes and require self-assembly. IKEA, however, has proved to be popular as well as successful as it continues to expand across the globe. IKEA's universe includes Europe, the U.S., Asia and, most recently, South America. Telegraph (London) (10/9)       - Activist investor acquires large stake in J.C. Penney
Activist investor and hedge-fund manager William Ackman has acquired a large stake in department store chain J.C. Penney, through his Pershing Square Capital Management. Pershing is also a major investor in General Growth Properties, the shopping-center company that owns 131 malls that include Penney stores. The Wall Street Journal (10/9)  | How can you control your largest source of shrink… if it can't even be seen? Learn how top retailers such as Vitamin Shoppe find, track, and stop employee theft. Our free White Paper explains key loss prevention facts and trends that you need to know, and how exception reporting—properly executed—can dramatically increase your profits and deliver big ROI! Get your copy now! | - What's hot for the holidays?
The hot trends for this year's holiday season are expected to be heavy on the tech, including e-readers, iPads and a slew of other gadgets and accompanying accessories. This hot toy lineup is focused on the affordable and ranges from familiar names such as Nerf and Lego to newly created monikers such as Squinkies and Zoobles. The Miami Herald/The Associated Press (free registration) (10/10) - On the verge of a virtual payment world
The sale of Facebook credits at Target stores and the fast-growing online world of virtual gaming point to the fact that virtual currency is on its way to becoming a universally accepted method of payment, writes professional marketing speaker and author Bryan Eisenberg. As an example, Eisenberg points to former Shop.org Executive Director Scott Silverman's startup, which allows retailers to provide Facebook credits as part of marketing promotions. ClickZ (10/8)  | Reshaping Enterprise Workforce Management Software
Download this white paper to discover how Kronos has defined an entirely new generation of workforce management tools for today's tech-savvy "business consumer". Learn more about three breakthrough technologies: Instant Engagement, Guided Decisions, and Mobile Management — and how they will change the way you manage the workforce. |
 | Hot Topics |  | | | Top five news stories selected by NRF SmartBrief readers in the past week. - Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.
| NRF News | | | | - Retail container traffic to be up 11% in October
Import cargo volume at the nation's major retail container ports is expected to be up 11% in October over the same month last year and should continue to see strong year-over-year growth even as seasonal levels wind down through the remainder of 2010. According to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released by NRF and Hackett Associates, October is forecast at 1.32 million containers, and the year is on track to be up 16% at 14.7 million containers but still below the peak seen in 2007. Read more. - Speaking deadline for NRF's Loss Prevention conference extended
The call for speakers for the 2011 NRF Loss Prevention Conference & EXPO has been extended. NRF is looking for motivating and intriguing retail speakers willing to share their loss prevention challenges and success stories. Suggested topics include fighting online fraud, enhancing global security, combating organized retail crime, and business continuity programs. The proposal submission deadline is Oct. 25. Learn more.
| Chain Restaurant News | | | | - Starbucks CEO: "Everything matters" in company culture
Howard Schultz has created a company known as much for its culture as its coffee. The Starbucks CEO learned early on that running a business meant people were depending on him, a fact that became one of the driving forces behind Starbucks' corporate culture. Today, the company's most successful employees are entrepreneurial-minded big thinkers who understand and respect the culture, he says in this Q-and-A. The New York Times (free registration) (10/9) - FOCUS Brands to acquire Auntie Anne's pretzel chain
FOCUS Brands, a unit of private equity firm Roark Capital, plans to add Auntie Anne's to its lineup of food franchises. The Atlanta-based company, whose brands include Carvel, Cinnabon and Schlotzsky's, expects to acquire the 1,100-store pretzel chain for an undisclosed amount this fall; the deal will give FOCUS a presence in 47 states and 42 countries. American City Business Journals/Atlanta (10/8) - Potbelly seeks franchising couples with community roots
Potbelly Sandwich Works seeks married couples or life partners with long histories in their communities to become franchisees, qualities the company says are even more important than restaurant experience. The strategy is in contrast to some competing chains, including Ohio-based sandwich chain Penn Station, which looks first for franchisees with a restaurant background. Chicago Tribune (10/7) | Career Track | | | |  | |  | | | | | | |  |  Inventory Control Analyst | Castle Megastore Group | Tempe, AZ | | Key Account Manager- Internet | Chanel Inc | New York, NY | | Retail Solution/Application Consultant | MicroStrategy | Chicago, IL | | Branch Head, Field Operations | Headquarters Marine Corps/Marine Corps Exchanges | Quantico, VA | | Merchandising Branch Head | Headquarters Marine Corps/Marine Corps Exchanges | Quantico, VA | | Senior Planner | PetSmart | Phoenix, AZ | | Manager of Associate Relations | Chico's FAS, Inc. | Fort Myers, FL | | Director Non Perishable Food Sales | Meijer | Chicago, IL | | Buyer/Merchant (Foods Merchandising) | Meijer | Grand Rapids, MI | | Branch Head Logistics & Communication | Headquarters Marine Corps/Marine Corps Exchanges | Quantico, VA | | Director of Stores | Confidential | Los Angeles, CA | | General Merchandising Manager (GMM) | A'GACI, LLC. | Los Angeles, CA | | Lead Business Systems Analyst - CRM | Chico's FAS, Inc. | Fort Myers, FL | | Associate Buyer (Merchant) | Zale Corporation | Irving (DFW), TX | | IT Development Manager | The Timberland Company | Stratham, NH | | Retail Merchandise Manager | Hallmark Cards | Kansas City, MO | | Controller | Pacific Gateway Concessions | South San Francisco, CA | | Senior Retail Marketing Manager | Cabela's | Sidney, NE | | Category Manager | CVS Caremark | Woonsocket, RI | | Inventory Accountant - Intermediate | Follett Higher Education Group | Oak Brook, IL | | Head of eCommerce Operations | Crate and Barrel | Northbrook, IL | | Manager, Strategic Retail Pricing | CVS Caremark | Woonsocket, RI | | VP of Business Systems & Process Implementation / Administration | Dick's Sporting Goods | Pittsburgh, PA | | Website Analyst | Follett Higher Education Group | Oak Brook, IL | | eCommerce Web Buyer | Belk | Charlotte, NC | | | |  | |  | |
| SmartQuote | | | |  | Christopher Columbus, as everyone knows, is honored by posterity because he was the last to discover America."
--James Joyce,
Irish writer,
quoted for Columbus Day in the U.S., Oct. 11, 2010  |
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