| February 24, 2012 | News for the retail industry |  |  | |
- Sears to sell, spin off stores to raise cash
Sears Holdings plans to spin off about 1,250 small franchised stores across the country and sell 11 mall-based Sears stores to General Growth properties, in a push to raise about $770 million in cash. Sears same-store sales have fallen in each of the past six years, and on Thursday the company reported a 2011 net loss of $3 billion. The Wall Street Journal (2/24), Chicago Tribune (2/23)       | Learn Customer Engagement Best Practices from Aberdeen!
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 | Industry Watch |  |  | | - Kohl's to tweak layouts, spend more on online retail
Kohl's will slow down new store openings in favor of investing in its online retail efforts, and test new store layouts and merchandise categories as part of a push to boost sales and reignite excitement about the brand's value-priced offerings, said CEO Kevin Mansell. Women's Wear Daily (subscription required) (2/23) - 7-Eleven to take bigger bite of the Big Apple
Convenience-store chain 7-Eleven has opened about a dozen stores in New York City since signing 15 leases last year, and the company expects to open at least 14 new Manhattan locations in 2012. "Between the number of folks living in Manhattan, coupled with the worker population, there's significant demand and opportunity," said Vice President Dan Porter. Crain's New York Business (2/22)  |  |  | | How to turn money you already spend into points you can use:
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  - Most profitable stores have common qualities
The six U.S. retailers with the most profitable stores have a couple key qualities in common, including strong branding positions that drive traffic, according to research by 24/7 Wall St. Apple tops the list, with sales of $5,647 per square foot, nearly twice that of second-place Tiffany. Fox Business/24/7 Wall St. (2/23) - Luxury brands and pricing in the age of the daily deal
Luxury goods companies such as Tiffany, Hermes and Louis Vuitton largely avoid coupons and discounting to protect the value of their brands, and that's not changing much in the era of flash-sale sites and daily deals, experts say. "Any kind of price change is a big change in the perception of these brands," says business professor Heico Wesselius. Fox Business (2/23) - Can Uggs and other women's brands appeal to men?
American men secretly like the way the fuzzy stuff inside Uggs boots feels on their feet, but they loathe to admit wearing them, says Angel Martinez, CEO of Deckers Outdoor, which owns the brand. The company and others, including Lululemon Athletica and Coach, are working to find ways to refashion their popular women's products to appeal to men. Bloomberg (2/23)  | RadioShack has a global presence and a variety of innovative products and services. With reasonable investment levels and hundreds of potential markets, a RadioShack franchise represents an exciting opportunity for you to associate with a powerful retail brand. Click here to learn more. |
 | Retail Technology | | | | | Policy & Government Affairs | |  | | |  |  | American Public University offers quality, online education to help develop employees and leadership. With more than 100 career-relevant, certificate and degree programs, the tools for talent development, retention and maximization of corporate tuition benefits are at your fingertips. To learn more, visit us at StudyAtAPU.com/Solutions. |
 | NRF News | | | | - Creating your This is Retail video just got a little easier
To help contestants keep their eye on the $25,000 grand prize for its This is Retail video contest, NRF has added new functionalities to the contest website to keep contest entrants organized and informed. Participants can visit the contest site to sign up for e-mail updates, read a list of "winning" video tips to get their creative juices flowing, and easily tell a friend about the campaign. It's time to get your cameras rolling -- NRF starts accepting videos on Monday, March 5! Learn more. - Roundtable discussion focuses on upcoming health care reform law
The deadline for businesses and retailers to adhere to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) requirements is quickly approaching, and there are many rules retailers must follow to avoid mandate penalties. In preparation for these changes, NRF hosted a roundtable discussion with the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association and American Osteopathic Association yesterday to ensure that these rules are written –- and are implemented efficiently -- to allow for affordable health care options to businesses and individuals. Read more.
| Chain Restaurant News | | | | - Panera plans to expand pay-what-you-can cafes
Panera's vision for pay-what-you-can cafes has paid off at its first three locations, and the chain plans to add more Panera Cares Cafe locations, says Executive Chairman Ron Shaich. "To put it simply, these are nonprofit community cafes of shared responsibility. They will only survive and self-sustain if people in those communities do their part." Detroit Free Press (2/22) | |  | | Position Title | Company Name | Location | | Email Marketing Manager | Golfsmith | Austin, TX | | Buyer, Petites | Stein Mart | Jacksonville, FL | | Vice President of Human Resources | Teavana | Atlanta, GA | | Director of Operations | Spencer Gifts | Egg Harbor Township, NJ | | Merchandise Planner | Burlington Coat Factory | Burlington, NJ | | Buyer (Missy & Special Size Separates) | Navy Exchange Service Command | Virginia Beach, VA | | Direct Marketing Manager | RadioShack | Fort Worth, TX | | Selling Manager, Women's Shoes - NYC Store | Saks Fifth Avenue - NYC Store | New York, NY | | IS Director of Operations | PetSmart | Phoenix, AZ | | Merchandise Planner | The Bon Ton Stores | Milwaukee, WI | | Senior Product Manager | dunnhumby | Cincinnati, OH | | Corporate Recruiter - Merchandising and Retail | Meijer | Grand Rapids, MI | | Store Director - In Training | Meijer | Grand Rapids, MI | | Corporate Counsel | Meijer | Grand Rapids, MI | | AVP - Marketing | West Marine | Watsonville, CA | | Senior Manager, Manhattan WMS Applications | PEAPOD | Lake Zurich, IL | | Vice President of eCommerce | The Vitamin Shoppe | North Bergen , NJ | | Buyer - Men's Personal Furnishings | Burlington Coat Factory | Burlington, NJ | | Director of Procurement Services | Burlington Coat Factory | Burlington, NJ | | VP eCommerce | Burlington Coat Factory | Burlington, NJ | | Contract Recruiter - Merchandising | Burlington Coat Factory | Burlington, NJ | | Visual Merchandiser Manager | Castle Megastore Group | Tempe, AZ | | DVP Spirit Halloween Marketing, Licensing & Creative Services | Spirit Halloween | Egg Harbor Township, NJ | | VP Customer Strategy | Burlington Coat Factory | Burlington, NJ | | National Advertising Sales Manager | Intent Media | New York City , NY | | | Click here to view more job listings. | | |
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Manufacturing is important, but U.S. retailers support four times the jobs and will be the second-biggest job creators during the next decade, writes NRF CEO Matthew Shay. 
Retail executives relaxed their private label focus in 2011, with only 19% expanding their generic or store brand assortment, compared to 35% in 2010. Source: 
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