Top Retailers

 NEW YORK — A new adventure from Thomas the Tank Engine and will be available exclusively at Walmart stores nationwide April 9, 2013.

The new DVD, Thomas & Friends: Railway Mischief, features five brand new episodes and a bonus, collectible “Calling All Engines” poster. There are also bonus features including a hide and seek game, a music video and a "Guess Who?" puzzle. 

The DVD will be sold for a suggested retail price of $14.98.

NEW YORK — Target is expanding its retail clinic presence in the Chicago area, according to published reports.

The Chicago Tribune reported Wednesday that the mass merchandise retailer would open three clinics — two in the suburbs and one in the city. Construction is scheduled to start on May 28, and grand openings are planned for Aug. 18. The Target on Division Street, scheduled to open in October, will also have a clinic.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Caremark has announced that it will highlight how medication adherence plays a vital role in helping older Americans on their path to better health at the 2013 Annual American Society on Aging Conference, which is being held in Chicago this week.

ISSAQUAH, Wash. — Costco Wholesale increased sales by 8% to $24.34 billion in the second quarter of 2013, the club retailer said Tuesday.

Sales for the first half of the fiscal year were $47.55 billion, a 9% increase over the first half of fiscal year 2012. The company's U.S. business had same-store sales of 5% for the quarter and 6% for the first half of the year, while profits were $547 million, compared with $394 million last year. Profits for the first half of the year were $963 million, compared with $714 million last year.

HAUPPAUGE, N.Y. — Red Carpet Manicure, a maker of an at-home LED gel manicure system, has announced a new partnership with Target.
 
Available in Target stores and online at Target.com are the LED gel manicure products, including the removal kit and LED professional light. Twenty on-trend shades will be available nationwide, including Star Power and White Hot perfect for spring and summer style, and Ooo La Liscious, which was worn by Rihanna at the 2013 Grammy Awards.
 


AMSTERDAM — Ahold is buying back about $650 million worth of shares, with plans to finalize the deal within 12 months, the Dutch retail company said Monday.

Ahold — which operates the Stop & Shop, Giant-Carlisle and Giant-Landover supermarket banners and the Peapod online grocery service in the United States through its Ahold USA subsidiary — said the purpose of the share-buyback program was to return value to shareholders.

By now you probably have heard about "Walgreens University," the internal education center the company opened last month, complete with technology-enhanced classrooms, a mock drug store and video-conferencing capabilities for employee educational programs.

Competing in the new age of retail, where bricks, clicks and anything in between compete for a larger share of the omnichannel customer, will require new skill sets and a generally better-educated workforce. The winners will create a more personalized shopping experience that leverages the expertise in their stores.

OutcomesMTM, a medication therapy management delivery system, last week recognized its top chain and independent pharmacies for 2012. Walgreens and Kerr Drug were named top large pharmacy chain and top regional pharmacy chain, respectively. 

MTM matters, and people are keeping score. And it's something you can expect to see more of in the age of accountable care and star-based quality ratings.