Personnel Updates
• Best Buy Co. Inc. (52) announced Corie Barry will become its new CEO on June 11, when Hubert Joly, the company’s current Chairman and CEO, transitions to Executive Chairman of the Board.
• PetSmart Inc. (110) has appointed Stacia Andersen as its Exec VP of Merchandising and Customer Experience.
• Walmart Stores Inc. (214) announced Katie Finnegan, co-founder of Store N°8, is leaving the company.
Mergers and Acquisitions
• Amazon.com Inc. has acquired Canvas Technology, a warehouse robotics start-up based in Boulder, CO.
Industry Insight
• Dollar General Corp. announced that customers are now able to complete Western Union money transfers at all of its Dollar General stores.
• Godiva Chocolatier Inc. is extending its push into the café business to the United States. The luxury chocolate brand recently opened its first U.S. café in Manhattan. The 1,200 sq. ft. store is the first of many locations that Godiva plans to open in the Americas in the coming months. By yearend, 10 more cafés are slated to open in the Northeast.
• Walmart Stores Inc. is partnering with KidBox, an online subscription-based service for children’s apparel.
Real Estate
• Amazon.com Inc. recently opened a new Amazon Go cashier-less store in San Francisco, its 11th overall.
• Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. will open 15 new stores during the 2019 fiscal year while also closing approximately 40 units.
• BJ’s Wholesale Club Inc. recently opened a new location in Clearwater, FL.
• Five Below Inc. announced plans to open 145 to 150 stores in fiscal 2019.
• Fred’s Inc. is closing nearly 30% of its stores as part of its plan to turn around its ailing business. The company plans to close 159 stores by the end of May.
• LifeWay Christian Stores announced it is closing all 170 stores as part of a broader digital shift in its business. The company expects all stores to close by the end of the year.
• Office Depot Inc. announced it is closing 50 stores this year, under both its namesake and OfficeMax banners. Most of the closing stores will shut down permanently on May 18.
• Ollie’s Bargain Outlet revealed plans to open 42 to 44 new stores this year, including its first locations in Oklahoma and Massachusetts.
• Walmart Stores Inc. announced plans to remodel 500 stores and open just 20 new locations in more than two dozen states.
• Wayfair LLC announced it will open its first full-service physical retail store later this year. Scheduled to open in early fall, the store will be located in the Natick Mall in Natick, MA. In addition, Wayfair will open four pop-up shops this summer.
Technology News
• Walmart Stores Inc. has announced a new partnership with Google to launch voice-assisted grocery shopping. Walmart shoppers will be able to place orders for pickup or home delivery through Google Assistant.
