DATATRAC: Discount and Specialty Stores – July 2016

DATATRAC

Personnel Updates

• Barnes & Noble promoted COO Jaime Carey to President of Development and Restaurant Group. Michael Ladd was also named VP of Stores.

• Canadian Tire has named Stephen Wetmore as President and CEO. Mr. Wetmore had served as CEO from 2009 to 2014.

• Target announced effective 8/22/2016 Don Liu will assume the role of Executive VP, Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel. Mr. Liu replaces Tim Baer who will be retiring in July 2017. Target has also announced the hiring of Sam Parnell as VP of Innovation Engineering.

• Walmart Canada promoted COO Lee Tappenden to CEO. Former CEO Dirk Van den Berghe has been appointed as Regional Chairman (Asia) and CEO (China).

• Wayfair Inc. announced that Michael O’Hanlon will transition into a new role as VP Government Relations and Industry Relations.

Industry Insight

• Staples started same-day delivery service in three major areas with a cost of $14.99. The company will add five more areas shortly. The new service is called “Staples Rush”. At this time the service is in parts of Boston, Dallas and Manhattan and the areas to come are Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle.

• Walmart is expanding its Walmart Pay program to Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi. The Walmart Pay program will be available at 485 stores across the four states.

• Walmart will be eliminating approximately 1,500 back office position at 500 locations in the western region of the US. The employees will be offered positions that are in direct contact with customers. The goal is to bring workers from the back office and onto the sales floor.

Real Estate

• Barnes & Noble will be opening four new concept stores with the first making its debut in October, 2016. The new stores will feature restaurants with an expanded menu and also will offer beer and wine. The first new store will be located in Eastchester, NY and will be followed by Edina, MN, Folsom, CA and Loudon, VA.