Top Retailers

NEW YORK — To better connect with today's beauty consumers, mass market retailers should consider implementing a multisensory playground or a "BeautySphere," engaging them with a calendar of in-store pop-up activities and implementing a "roving endcap" as a cost-effective way to execute new ideas and highlight new products. Those were just some of the ideas that emerged Thursday evening during the Fashion Institute of Technology Class of 2011 Capstone presentations and graduation reception in New York.

NEW YORK — Target plans to spend more than it had forecast this year on its entry into the Canadian market as it nails down more of the best retail locations sooner than expected.

The retailer said it will be able to “clarify” within weeks the number and locations of the first 100 to 150 stores it will open in Canada.

“We expect to close on higher value lease transactions sooner than expected,” Target CFO Doug Scovanner told analysts on a conference call Wednesday.

OBERLIN, Ohio — Walmart and Target are the top go-to shopping destinations for college students, according to a new study.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — It’s often said that yesterday’s science fiction is tomorrow’s reality, and while automakers have yet to unveil flying cars similar to the ones in “Blade Runner,” the integration of WellDoc’s services with Ford Motor’s SYNC technology serves as a prime example.

(THE NEWS: Ford developing health care in the dashboard. For the full story, click here.)

FLUSHING, N.Y. — The New York Mets announced the launch of the "Honorary Captain" program presented by Duane Reade, which gives fans the opportunity to be an honorary team captain and bring out the Mets lineup card before one of the Subway Series games, which will be held July 1 to 3 at Citi Field.

Winners of the "Honorary Captain" program presented by Duane Reade also will receive four VIP tickets to one of the Subway Series games and a Mets jersey. The program also is sponsored by Precise, from the maker of Tylenol.

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway's board of directors announced a 21% increase in its quarterly dividend.

The retailer's cash dividend rose to 14.5 cents per share and will be payable on July 14 to stockholders of record on June 23.

Safeway operates 1,692 stores in the United States and western Canada.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT’S IMPORTANT — To say that the impact of high prices at the pump this year is not as bad as it was in 2008 may be a testament to just how bad it was in 2008. As long as the price-per-gallon hovers above or below that magical $4, it’s still plenty bad, and there still are plenty of people who are changing shopping behaviors because of it.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — The Louisiana State Senate has given the green light to legislation that would expand pharmacy's ability to administer immunizations, and now the House of Representatives is slated to vote on the legislation in the coming days. The passage of SB 60 is important because expanding the pharmacist's ability to administer vaccinations is a relatively low-cost way to expand access and ultimately improve outcomes.