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The Top Dozen Stories of 2003

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The year was certainly eventful for those working in retailing and related industries. Here are RetailWire’s picks for the top dozen stories of 2003. What do you think were the…

The Seniors’ Market

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Adeg Aktiv Markt is not your average supermarket. It is Europe’s first market designed specifically for consumers 50 years of age and older. What changes do you expect to see…

Mad Cow Update

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Meat from the dairy cow found last week with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), also known as Mad Cow Disease, has been distributed to eight states in the western U.S. and…

Parmalat Founder Arrested

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Calisto Tanzi, the founder of Parmalat who was arrested in Italy yesterday on charges he illegally manipulated the share price of his company’s stock and lied to regulators, must be…

Turning a Business Around, Nordstrom-Style

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Three years ago when Blake, Peter and Erik Nordstrom took over management of the department store chain named after their family, there weren’t many outside the company who thought they…

Pizza Hut’s Prez Has Big Plans

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Peter Hearl, president of Pizza Hut, wants Americans to know he doesn’t have a speech impediment. He’s from Australia. A story in the Dallas Morning News, said Mr. Hearl, Aussie…

Duane Reade Sold, Being Taken Private

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It was announced yesterday that Duane Reade’s board of directors voted in favor of selling the business to the private equity firm, Oak Hill Capital Partners, for approximately $415 million…

USDA Announces Discovery of Mad Cow Disease

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced yesterday that the first case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) also known as mad cow disease was discovered in an adult Holstein cow…

Thai Invasion of Auto Parts Aftermarket

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A report in the Bangkok Post said the Thailand’s Board of Investment is working with manufacturers of automotive parts in that country to break into the U.S. market by taking…

Save On Books, Skip The Latte

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Book Market stores do not have a coffee bar or the other departments found in the likes of Barnes & Noble. They do have a point of difference, however, as…

What Have You Got On Your Lawn

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They’re big. They’re bright. They’re on just about every lawn in New Jersey (and many other states) this Christmas season. They’re inflatable Christmas decorations. Are inflatables a one-season wonder or…

Silver Lining News

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In a growing number of cases, consumers are choosing to skip the holiday shopping experience that includes searching for a parking space (and later the car), waiting on long lines,…

Selfish Shopping Boosts Sales

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A report in the Christian Science Monitor says nearly one out of four holiday shoppers last year bought a gift for someone very near and dear — themselves. How has…

Chains Take a Walk Over Talks

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The United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) believed they were taking the necessary steps to settle the 10-week lockout/strike that has kept 70,000 grocery store workers out of the…

Red Christmas is a Nightmare

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British retailers are saying this year will go down as the worst in recent years, barring some unforeseen shopping miracle, according to a report in The Observer. Will retailing rebound…

Orange Christmas is a Bad Dream

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The federal government has increased the national alert status to orange (high risk) after receiving intelligence suggesting al Qaeda is planning multiple terrorist attacks in the U.S. over the Christmas…

Targeting Preferred Customers

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Retailers have long known that it costs less money to keep an old customer than to bring in a new one. Despite this, many retail-marketing programs deal more with attracting…