Personnel Updates
• Amazon.com Inc. announced it has hired Alex Perez-Tenessa as VP Kindle Content.
• Barnes & Noble Inc. announced it has named Demos Parneros as its new CEO.
• Crate & Barrel announced its CEO, Doug Diemoz, has left the company. Neela Montgomery will become CEO effective Aug. 1.
• HSN announced Mindy Grossman will step down as CEO effective May 24.
• Staples Inc. named Brett Wahlin as its Chief Information Security Officer.
• Target Corporation announced Casey Carl, its Chief Innovation and Strategy Officer, is leaving the company on May 5.
• Walmart Stores Inc. announced it has opened its 100th U.S. training academy. The retailer plans to have a total of 200 academies opened across all 50 states by the end of this summer.
Mergers and Acquisitions
• PetSmart Inc. has announced that it acquired online retailer Chewy Inc. The transaction marks the largest e-commerce acquisition ever.
• Spin Master Corp. has acquired Marbles: The Brain Store.
• Walmart Stores Inc. announced plan to acquire Bonobos Inc.
Industry Insight
• Best Buy Co. Inc. announced a partnership with Vivint Smart Home, called Best Buy Smart Home powered by Vivint, whereby experts from Vivint will be placed in Best Buy stores to give shoppers advice about smart home devices and installation. The program will start rolling out this summer.
• One Kings Lane is set to open its first store, a summer pop-up. The 3,500 sq. ft. space will be located in the upscale resort town of Southampton, NY. It will be open Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend.
• Walmart Stores Inc. has begun offering a discount on merchandise that customers buy online and have shipped to a Walmart store for pick-up. The new Pickup Discount program will initially be available only on about 10,000 items, but will be expanded to more than one million of the chain’s most popular items by the end of June.
Real Estate
• American Girl Inc. announced it will open a new, 40,000 sq. ft. store at 75 Rockefeller Plaza in Manhattan, NY. The new location, scheduled to open in fall 2017, will replace the brand’s existing flagship at 609 Fifth Avenue.
• Five Below Inc. has made its West Coast debut with the opening of nine stores in California.
• Office Depot Inc. plans to remodel about 75 stores this year.
Technology News
• Toys“R”Us Inc. has announced plans to overhaul its website in order to lure shoppers back in-store. The new site will allow for more zealous navigation with larger graphics and streamlined menus, while also limiting the number of clicks when making a purchase.
