Top Retailers

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Two new wooden toys that won a contest sponsored by Midwestern mass merchandiser Meijer will be featured exclusively on the retailer's website, the company said Thursday.

Meijer announced the winners of the Meijer Next Great Toymaker contest: Franklin, N.C.-based Circa Toys' Wagon of Blocks and Goshen, Ind.-based Peters' Group's Stick & Stack Cozy Cabin. The Wagon of Blocks, which sells for $69.99, is designed for children ages 1 to 3 years, while the Cozy Cabin, at $44.99, is for children ages 4 to 8 years.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart maintained an optimistic outlook for the holiday season despite a 1.5% third-quarter comp increase that reflected a modest deceleration in sales momentum seen earlier this year.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. and SAN ANTONIO — CVS Caremark’s MinuteClinic and UT Medicine San Antonio, the academic medical practice of the School of Medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, have entered into a clinical affiliation to enhance access to healthcare services in the region.

When planning commission officials in Northwest Arkansas gave Walmart the go ahead for a 40,000-sq.-ft. store in Bentonville, Ark., back in 1998, it was the retail industry’s biggest story that year.


Change was in the air again this year at Sam’s Club as the warehouse club division welcomed yet another CEO and head merchant combination. In early 2012, Rosalind Brewer became president and CEO, and Charles Redfield was named EVP merchandising. The change could have had suppliers saying, “here we go again,” due to Sam’s history of senior leadership turnover. Instead, the transition was apparently painless for the 67% of survey respondents who sell products to Sam’s.

AMSTERDAM, the Netherlands — Royal Ahold has appointed a new COO for its U.S. subsidiary, the company said Thursday.

Ahold, based in the Netherlands, announced that it had appointed James McCann as COO of Ahold USA, effective Jan. 1, 2013, replacing Carl Schlicker, who has announced his retirement. McCann, a 43-year-old native of the United Kingdom and currently Ahold's chief commercial and development officer who will continue as a member of the company's corporate board, began working for Ahold in 2011.

MATTHEWS, N.C. — Family Dollar on Thursday announced it is expanding its holiday selection to include hundreds of toys and gifts retailing for $10 or less. 

"We know our customers look to Family Dollar to help them celebrate the holidays," stated Michael Bloom, Family Dollar president and COO. "This year, we are proud to offer an expanded selection of items to make this holiday season even more memorable and budget-friendly."

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — As part of its continuing efforts to help communities affected by Hurricane Sandy, CVS/pharmacy has announced that it is waiving prescription co-payments, deductibles and other financial liability related to prescription medications for patients who cannot pay at selected stores in the hardest hit neighborhoods in New York City and surrounding communities.