Posted on September 23, 2016 by Retail News Editor

PetSmart launches new pet collection of fall apparel, Halloween costumes, toys, treats and accessories

PHOENIX, 2016-Sep-23 — /EPR Retail News/ — With fall making its official debut today (Sept. 22, 2016), PetSmart is celebrating the crisper weather and onset of spooky fun with a new collection of fall apparel, Halloween costumes, toys, treats and accessories.

A fresh collection of trendy new slogan tees, with statements like the The Snuggle is Real and #NeedaSnack are especially ideal for cute pups on the prowl at the dog park. Seasonal flavors like pumpkin and cinnamon are standouts in this year’s fall treat collection which includes pumpkin spice rawhide chews and pumpkin flavored stuffed bones. A pumpkin dog bed from Martha Stewart Pets® adds a festive touch for fall home décor, while providing pups a special cove-like place to cuddle up on a cool fall evening.

Spooky Fun

From villains to heroes, PetSmart inspires fun for all pets this Halloween. Manny the Frenchie, the Chicago-based Instagram pet celebrity with over a million followers, is already gearing up for Halloween night with his favorite costumes, treats and toys from PetSmart.

“Manny loves Halloween – his favorite costumes this year are the BB-8 Star Wars costume and Batman,” said Amber Chavez, Manny’s pet parent. “Manny and his siblings love joining us while we pass out candy to the neighbor kids. This year we’ll be able to include treating the dogs in the neighborhood thanks to all the cute Halloween snacks PetSmart has this year!”

Brand new this year, and available exclusively at PetSmart, is the Beggin’ Strips® Halloween Grab and Go Variety Pack. The bag, which consists of 14 fun-size pouches of savory treats, is perfect for passing out to the pups trick-or-treating with their families.

Other festive treats include the new Witches Pumpkin Brew dog biscuits from Bocce’s Bakery, baked with pumpkin and ginger, as well as on-trend macaroon cookies and cannolli dog treats. The Thrills & Chills™ Hipster Pumpkin Dog Treat is as cute as it is delicious.

Don’t forget to outfit your other furry friends with Halloween attire! Cats can look frightfully cute in easy-to-affix witch hats, and small animals can be dressed up in costumes like a bumble bee or spider. Fish tanks will look extra spirited with spooky ornaments like the haunted house and grave stone aquarium ornaments.

Monster Mayhem Hits PetSmart

Monsters are making a big appearance at PetSmart this year, with an entire collection dedicated to these colorful adorable monsters. The Thrills and Chills™ Monster Mayhem collection features toys, beds, costumes and accessories. Pets can play with a monster flattie toy, sport a monster pet costume that features an adjustable hat and slip-on furry “legs,” or curl up in an endearing three-eyed ghoul monster bed.

Amplify Their Look with Pet Expressions

Ideal for pets that would prefer not to don a costume on Halloween Night, PetSmart Pet Expressions provides temporary, non-toxic, pet-safe chalking, stenciling and feathering services, available in PetSmart Grooming Salons*, giving dogs a delightful dose of Halloween style. Choose from Halloween and seasonal stencils such as a pumpkin, ghost, turkey or glow-in-the-dark feathers.

Raising Spirits In-Store with Your Pet

Spirited furry friends and families are invited to trick-or-treat, take photos and more at PetSmart stores Oct. 22 through Oct. 23, 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. local time**. In addition to the pet-friendly activities and giveaways, kids can trick-or-treat and decorate a trick-or-treat pail.

Wicked Cute Sweepstakes

Between Oct. 1 and Oct. 24, submit a photo of your pet in costume! Fans will decide the winner. Visit PetSmart’s Facebook page for more details and the Official Rules.

These fall and Halloween pet products and services are among a wide, comprehensive collection available now at PetSmart and petsmart.com.

*All services are subject to availability. Not available in SC, Boulder, CO & select cities in CA. Colors may vary by salon. Available to puppies 12 weeks and older.
**At participating stores. Check with your local PetSmart for details and availability.

About PetSmart

PetSmart, Inc. is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. At PetSmart, we love pets, and we believe pets make us better people. Every day with every connection, PetSmart’s passionate associates help bring pet parents closer to their pets so they can live more fulfilled lives. This vision impacts everything we do for our customers, the way we support our associates and how we give back to our communities. We employ approximately 53,000 associates, operate 1,466 pet stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico and 203 in-store PetSmart® PetsHotel® dog and cat boarding facilities. PetSmart provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and pet products and offers dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding, PetSmart Doggie Day Camp day care services and pet adoption services in-store. Our portfolio of digital resources for pet parents – including PetSmart.com, PetFoodDirect.com, Pet360.com and petMD.com – offers the most comprehensive online pet supplies and pet care information in the U.S. Through our in-store pet adoption partnership with independent nonprofit organizations, PetSmart Charities® and PetSmart Charities™ of Canada, PetSmart helps to save the lives of more than 500,000 homeless pets each year.

Follow PetSmart on Twitter: @PetSmart
Find PetSmart on Facebook: www.facebook.com/PetSmart
See PetSmart on YouTube: www.YouTube.com/PetSmart

Contacts:
Golin for PetSmart Inc.
Danielle Bickelmann
dbickelmann@golin.com
469-680-2503

PetSmart Media Line:
623-587-2177

Source: PetSmart Inc.

Posted on September 20, 2016 by Retail News Editor

Macy’s and DreamWorks invites customers to #gethappy with Trolls-inspired products this fall

: Macy’s and DreamWorks invites customers to #gethappy with Trolls-inspired products this fall

NEW YORK, 2016-Sep-20 — /EPR Retail News/ — This fall, Macy’s stores nationwide will be the center of happiness, as the retailer invites customers to #gethappy through a multifaceted entertainment collaboration with DreamWorks Animation, celebrating the upcoming animated feature film Trolls. Before debuting in U.S. theaters on Friday, Nov. 4, Trolls will take over Macy’s with a host of exclusive and Trolls-inspired products across all categories, promotional efforts, as well as inclusion within Macy’s signature national fashion and iconic holiday events, among other exciting activations that will create magical experiences for customers.

“We can’t wait to kick-off Macy’s hair-raising collaboration with DreamWorks Animation for the launch of the animated feature film Trolls,” said Tim Baxter, Macy’s chief merchandising officer. “This collaboration truly exemplifies our ability to create unique experiences for Macy’s shoppers as we incorporate Trolls exclusive product across apparel, accessories, cosmetics and home, and punctuate the product with in-store celebrations, visual merchandising, advertising and signature entertainment events. This fall, Macy’s stores will be the hub of Trollsfun and happiness.”

“The world of DreamWorks Animation’s Trolls is a unique and vibrant celebration of color, texture and personality, and Macy’s has done an outstanding job of bringing it to life across categories and signature events,” said Jim Fielding, DreamWorks Animation. “From the exclusive products to fabulous in-store events and innovative promotional efforts, Macy’s will be at the heart of Trolls happiness this fall. We can’t wait to celebrate with Macy’s shoppers and see them add a little extra sparkle to their lives.”

The Trolls at Macy’s campaign was previewed last week at Macy’s Presents Fashion’s Front Row, the company’s fashion and music kickoff to New York Fashion Week™. Live from the stage at The Theater at Madison Square Garden®, Fashion’s Front Row featured the world premiere of Betsey Johnson xox Trolls, an exclusive collection inspired by the DreamWorks Animation feature. The show, hosted by E!’s Giuliana Rancic and Brad Goreski, featured sensational fashion presentations of the fall season’s must-have looks and musical performances by Ariana Grande and Flo Rida. The show aired nationwide on E! last week and is now available to stream at eonline.com.

Beginning in mid-September, Macy’s is offering a vibrant assortment of Trolls-themed product that includes flashy clothing, hair-raising accessories, whimsical housewares, and cheerful tech items. Pajama sets are adorned with hearts, rainbows, and flourishes certain to produce sweet dreams. T-shirts, sweaters and jackets are emblazoned with witty sayings and puns, in addition to fanciful imagery and playful color combinations. The iconic Troll hair finds itself on accessories galore, with bags, shoes, rings, hats, and even pens embellished with the brightly-hued manes. Macy’s has also tapped legendary fashion designer Betsey Johnson, an originator of the bold, over-the-top, exuberant fashion aesthetic, to create Betsey Johnson xox Trolls. The larger-than-life collection offers head-to-toe Trolls glamour with flamboyant jewelry, sleepwear, handbags and fabulous accoutrements, including mugs, pins, notebooks, and even umbrellas! The range of apparel and accessories is blissfully cheeky, boasting brilliant colors, dazzling sparkle and fun silhouettes, all rendered beautifully for a collection that will leave fashion lovers smiling with glee.

In late September, the whimsy of DreamWorks’ Trolls will be showcased at select stores nationwide with playful window and in-store displays, including a massive visual presentation at Macy’s flagship store at Herald Square inNew York City. The iconic Macy’s bag-shaped sign on the 34th Street corner of the world-famous department store will feature a hair-raising takeover by the rambunctious Trolls characters, who will be seen peeking out from inside the bag, as well as adorning the exterior. This marks the first time that the signature store sign has been used to promote a partnership of this kind.

Promotional support for Trolls at Macy’s will include a comprehensive advertising campaign featuring print/outdoor, social, digital, in-store and online marketing. From Trolls co-branded shopping bags to an online hub at macys.com/Trolls, where shoppers can browse and shop the Trolls-inspired assortment, get behind-the-scenes content, and more, Macy’s will invite customers to #gethappy this fall via a variety of touch points. The broadcast campaign will see Macy’s and Trolls taking to the airwaves in mid-October, when a combination animated and live action television spot debuts. Helmed by famed music video director Nigel Dick, the commercial features Macy’s exclusive Trolls-inspired fashions in a lively commercial focused around music and dance.

Macy’s will also bring a special part of beloved Trolls character, Poppy, to life, producing a $750,000 emerald and diamond replica of her Celebration Crown. The one-of-a-kind piece, created by Rare Featuring Gemfields, contains 51 carats of Zambian emeralds and 10 carats of diamonds, all set in 18 karat gold. The crown, available for purchase by appointment and on view from Oct. 3 through Oct. 16 at Macy’s Herald Square in New York City, captures the spirit and wonder of the film in a celebration of joy and happiness. For more information on Poppy’s Celebration Crown, visit macys.com/trollscrown.

As the frenzy of the film’s release kicks into high gear, Macy’s associates nationwide will also have the opportunity to #gethappy and show their Trolls colors as they don colorful wigs and apparel for Macy’s Trolls day on Saturday, Nov. 5, celebrating the film’s release weekend.

Rounding out the over-the-top happiness, Trolls will take to the skies of New York City, as the characters debut a new giant helium balloon in the 90th Anniversary Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade®. Taking flight in the annual spectacle on Thursday, Nov. 24, the new Trolls giant balloon will be a multi-character spectacle featuring Poppy, Branch and Guy Diamond hitching a ride down the streets of Manhattan on Caterbus. As it makes its way down the route, the Trolls giant character balloon is sure to delight the more than 3.5 million spectators lining the streets and more than 50 million viewers tuned in nationwide to NBC-TV for the 90th anniversary celebration; which airs in all time zones from 9 a.m. – Noon.

About Macy’s

Macy’s, the largest retail brand of Macy’s, Inc. (NYSE:M), delivers fashion and affordable luxury to customers at 734 locations in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam, as well as to customers in the U.S. and more than 100 international destinations through its leading online store at macys.com. Via its stores, e-commerce site, mobile and social platforms, Macy’s offers distinctive assortments including the most desired family of exclusive and fashion brands for him, her and home. Macy’s is known for such epic events as Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks® and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade®, as well as spectacular fashion shows, culinary events, flower shows and celebrity appearances. Macy’s flagship stores — including Herald Square in New York City, Union Square in San Francisco, State Street in Chicago, and Dadeland in Miami and South Coast Plaza in southern California — are known internationally and are leading destinations for visitors. Building on a more than 150-year tradition, and with the collective support of customers and employees, Macy’s helps strengthen communities by supporting local and national charities giving more than $69 million each year to help make a difference in the lives of our customers.

For Macy’s media materials, including images and contacts, please visit our online pressroom at macys.com/pressroom.

About DreamWorks Animation

DreamWorks Feature Animation (DWA) is a division of the Universal Filmed Entertainment Group (UFEG). Its 20-year feature film heritage includes many beloved characters and animated franchises, including Shrek, Madagascar,Kung Fu Panda, and How to Train Your Dragon. DWA’s 32 feature film releases have generated more than $13 billionat the global box office, garnered numerous awards and fueled a robust consumer products business.

Macy’s Media Relations:
Orlando Veras
646-429-7450
orlando.veras@macys.com

Julie Strider Fukami
646-429-5213
julie.striderfukami@macys.com

DreamWorks Animation
Seth Fowler
818-695-3719
seth.fowler@dreamworks.com

Source: Macy’s

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Posted on September 5, 2016 by Retail News Editor

Starbucks adds mobile trucks to three additional campuses this fall

Seattle, 2016-Sep-05 — /EPR Retail News/ — Starbucks is helping college students gear up and fuel up this fall with more mobile trucks on campuses and a collection of coffee and tea merchandise.

Starbucks mobile trucks are rolling to three additional campuses: Rutgers University in New Jersey; Stony Brook University in New York; and Sacramento State in California. The Starbucks mobile trucks first arrived at colleges two years ago to campuses at Arizona State University, James Madison University in Virginia and East Carolina University in North Carolina. A Starbucks mobile truck also serves travelers at the Molly Pitcher rest area on the New Jersey Turnpike in Cranbury, New Jersey.

The truck offers a menu of drinks and food nearly identical to what customers would find in their neighborhood Starbucks® stores. The truck can move to various locations on campus throughout the day, making it convenient for students and faculty to grab a snack or beverage. Although hours will vary on each campus, trucks are able to adjust business hours to suit the needs of their customers, in some cases staying open later than a dining hall.

“Between classes, homework, extracurricular activities, jobs and socializing with friends, college students are always on the go,” said Michelle Burns from Starbucks Branded Solutions. “The Starbucks mobile truck is a perfect opportunity to increase the convenience of our offerings and help meet students wherever they are in their busy days.”

Gear Up for Back to School at Starbucks
Send a college student off to campus with coffee and tea gear from Starbucks and Teavana.

School’s in. And so is this sweet new Starbucks Card featuring a cool owl design. At participating stores with a minimum load of $5.

For dorm living, Starbucks VIA® is the fastest, simplest way to make a good cup of coffee or a refreshing iced beverage. Starbucks VIA® Instant Coffee is made with Starbucks 100 percent arabica beans and Starbucks VIA Instant Refreshers™ are made with green, unroasted coffee beans for a delicious energy boost. There’s no equipment required. All that’s needed is hot or cold water, a cup and a spoon or stir stick. Available in Starbucks stores, online, and in grocery stores.

This easy-to-use brewing system regulates flow to allow for the full extraction of coffee flavors with every cup. Available in participating Starbucks stores and online for $9.95. Add a package of Melitta® #2 paper filters, a mug and a pound of coffee as a send-off gift.

Brew the perfect cup of loose-leaf tea every time with the Teavana® Perfectea Maker. Featuring a patented system for straining loose-leaf tea, this sturdy, BPA-free plastic tea maker fits 3.5-inch diameter cups and brews 16 ounces of tea. Available in select Starbucks stores, Teavana stores, and online for $19.95.

Keep beverages hot or cold during a full day of classes with an insulated S’well bottle. This Teavana-exclusive design patterned after old-school composition notebooks and is composed of non-leaching stainless steel. It keeps drinks cold for 24 hours and hot for 12 hours. Available in select Teavana stores.

The Acrylic Travel Coffee Press by Bodum® is an all-in-one coffee maker and travel mug. It is an ingenious solution for brewing coffee or tea on the go, and it’s insulated to keep beverages hot or cold. To use, simply add 3-4 tablespoons of coarse ground coffee, hot water and milk or sweetener. Stir, place the lid with the plunger up, and go. After four minutes, press the plunger down and enjoy. Available online for $19.95.

Media contact:

Global
Phone: 206 318 7100
Email: press@starbucks.com

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: Starbucks adds mobile trucks to three additional campuses this fall

Source: Starbucks

Posted on September 5, 2016 by Retail News Editor

The Fondation Louis Vuitton celebrates Sergei Shchukin this fall

: The Fondation Louis Vuitton celebrates Sergei Shchukin this fall

Paris, 2016-Sep-05 — /EPR Retail News/ — The Fondation Louis Vuitton has announced its fall program, which begins with a tribute to Sergei Shchukin, a leading patron of the arts of the early 20th century. His collection, which includes emblematic works by prominent artists from the period, will be displayed from October 22 within the scope of the France-Russia Year of Cultural Tourism.

Monet, Cézanne, Gauguin, Renoir, Picasso, Van Gogh… The collection constituted by Sergei Shchukin includes works by the most renowned impressionist, post-impressionist and modernist masters. The Moscow industrialist was a visionary in his taste for modern French art, leading him to begin forming an exceptional collection from 1898, representing the most radical trends in art from the era. Nationalized during the Russian revolution, the paintings in the collection have been displayed at separate locations in Saint Petersburg and Moscow.

For the first time since they were divided, the 135 works in the collection will be brought together for an exceptional retrospective at the Fondation Louis Vuitton. The fruit of a long-term collaboration with the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg and the Pushkin State Museum in Moscow, the exhibition retraces the genesis of the collection from 1890 to 1914 and proposes a comparison between the works by these modern French masters and those by Russian avant-garde painters.

The exhibition, which runs from October 22, 2016 to February 20, 2017, will span the entire Foundation Louis Vuitton and be accompanied by a program of music and dance events, as well as conferences.

The Foundation Louis Vuiton has launched advance ticket sales via its website: http://www.fondationlouisvuitton.fr/en/expositions/icones-de-l-art-moderne.html

Contact:

LVMH Moët Hennessy – Louis Vuitton
22, avenue Montaigne, 75008 Paris – France
Tel: +33 (0)1 44 13 22 22
Fax: +33 (0)1 44 13 22 23

Source: LVMH

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Posted on August 31, 2016 by Retail News Editor

Lowe’s introduces autonomous retail service robot — LoweBot in its San Francisco Bay area stores this fall

: Lowe’s introduces autonomous retail service robot — LoweBot in its San Francisco Bay area stores this fall

MOORESVILLE, N.C., 2016-Aug-31 — /EPR Retail News/ — This fall, Lowe’s will introduce LoweBot, a NAVii™ autonomous retail service robot by Fellow Robots, in 11 Lowe’s stores throughout the San Francisco Bay area. Following a successful robotics test of OSHbot at one of the company’s Orchard Supply Hardware stores, LoweBot will roll out in phases over a seven-month period beginning in September in San Jose, Calif., and will further explore how robots can meet the needs of both customers and employees.

“For nearly two years, we’ve studied how robots in our San Jose Orchard Supply Hardware store can help customers more effectively navigate the store to find products and assist employees with inventory scanning,” said Kyle Nel, executive director of Lowe’s Innovation Labs, the company’s disruptive innovation hub. “Now, we are taking those learnings and applying them to a focused group of Lowe’s stores to see how the technology supports a broader customer and employee base.”

LoweBot will add a layer of support to amplify the trusted advice of Lowe’s employees as it helps customers with simple questions, enabling more time for employees to focus on delivering project expertise and personalized service. Having the ability to scan inventory and capture real-time data with LoweBot will also help detect patterns or gaps that will ultimately influence business decisions.

As an omni-channel home improvement company, Lowe’s is working relentlessly to shape the future of retail and deliver simpler and more seamless interactions with its customers. Lowe’s launched Lowe’s Innovation Labs in 2014 to explore ways to meet the changing expectations of the customer today while evolving the company’s capabilities to better serve customers in the future. Intelligent help is just one area that the Labs is pursuing to see how emerging technology can improve the customer experience and complement employee project expertise.

LoweBot was developed through a partnership between Lowe’s Innovation Labs and Fellow Robots, the same Silicon Valley technology company specializing in the design and development of autonomous service robots that worked on the OSHbot pilot. The partnership was initiated through SU Labs, a Singularity University program that connects corporate innovation teams with startups and other organizations to explore exponentially accelerating technologies and create new sustainable business solutions.

“We designed the NAVii robot to make the shopping experience easier for consumers – simplifying the process of finding the product you’re looking for – while also managing the back-end and keeping shelf inventory up-to-date for the retailer,” said Marco Mascorro, chief executive officer of Fellow Robots. “Leaving the data and simple recommendations to NAVii allows Lowe’s employees to devote their attention to the Lowe’s customer, to provide them with thoughtful advice and personalized service.”

About Lowe’s
Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE: LOW) is a FORTUNE® 50 home improvement company serving more than 17 million customers a week in the United States, Canada and Mexico. With fiscal year 2015 sales of $59.1 billion, Lowe’s and its related businesses operate or service more than 2,355 home improvement and hardware stores and employ over 285,000 employees. Founded in 1946 and based in Mooresville, N.C., Lowe’s supports the communities it serves through programs that focus on K-12 public education and community improvement projects. For more information, visit Lowes.com.

About Fellow Robots
Fellow Robots is at the forefront of reimagining retail by using exponential technologies. Founded out of Singularity University, Fellow Robots has partnered with multiple large corporations to work on service robotics. With a diverse team of experts experienced in robotics, software, design and manufacturing, Fellow Robots works closely with its corporate partners to enhance the consumer retail experience through cutting edge robot technology.

Contact:
If you’re a journalist working on a story about Lowe’s:
704-758-2917
PublicRelations@lowes.com

For customer inquiries: 1-800-445-6937

SOURCE: Lowe’s Companies, Inc.

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Posted on August 31, 2016 by Retail News Editor

Chick-fil-A launches three new breakfast items this fall

: Chick-fil-A launches three new breakfast items this fall

ATLANTA, Ga., 2016-Aug-31 — /EPR Retail News/ — Chick-fil-A customers in the states of New York and New Jersey, and cities of San Diego, Columbia, SC, and Washington, DC will be the first to taste three new breakfast items this fall[1]. In an effort to offer both classic customer favorites, and breakfast options with new flavors, Chick-fil-A® is testing a new Hash Brown Scramble – that can be served in either a bowl or as a burrito- and an Egg White Grill Bowl. The same restaurants will also test a new Berry Protein Blend breakfast beverage. The new breakfast items will be available at participating restaurants during breakfast hours.

The Hash Brown Scramble is a hearty breakfast option served as a burrito or in a bowl. The Scramble includes crispy Chick-fil-A Hash Browns, scrambled eggs, a Monterey Jack cheddar cheese blend and a choice of sliced Chick-fil-A Nuggets or sausage. It is served with Jalapeño Salsa. The Hash Brown Scramble Bowl has 450 calories and 30 grams of protein. The Hash Brown Scramble Burrito contains 650 calories and 31 grams of protein.

The Egg White Grill Bowl is a new protein-packed breakfast entrée that’s also low in calories, making it a great choice for health-conscious guests. Inspired by Chick-fil-A’s new Egg White Grill breakfast sandwich that rolled out in July, the Egg White Grill Bowl contains freshly scrambled egg whites, a Monterey Jack cheddar cheese blend and sliced grilled chicken. It is also served with Jalapeño Salsa. The Egg White Grill Bowl has 180 calories and packs in 29 grams of protein.

A great option for customers on-the-go, the new Berry Protein Blend is a substantial breakfast beverage made with chia seeds, ancient grains, mixed berries and yogurt. It’s handspun with a small portion of Chick-fil-A’s signature Icedream® and topped with Honey Brown Sugar Granola for an extra crunch. The Berry Protein Blend beverage has 340 calories and 23 grams of protein.

“More people are eating breakfast away from home, and we want to meet the needs of our guests by providing breakfast options that span a variety of nutritional needs, tastes and ingredients,” said Matt Abercrombie, senior consultant of menu development. “In addition to our classic breakfast offerings our customers know and love like our Chick-fil-A Chicken Biscuit or Chick-n-Minis, we’re excited to offer three new breakfast items for our customers to try and help us determine whether or not we launch them nationwide.”

In addition to the menu items that Chick-fil-A is testing in select markets, customers will also be able to order the Chicken Egg & Cheese breakfast sandwich on the newly added English muffin.

The new breakfast items will only be available in participating restaurants during the limited-time test. Chick-fil-A will evaluate customer feedback following test to determine if the new menu items will rollout nationwide in the future.

About Chick-fil-A, Inc.
Atlanta-based Chick-fil-A, Inc. is a family owned and privately held restaurant company founded in 1964 by S. Truett Cathy. Devoted to serving the local communities in which its franchised restaurants operate, and known for its original chicken sandwich, Chick-fil-A serves freshly prepared food in more than 2,000 restaurants in 43 states and Washington, D.C.

Chick-fil-A system sales exceeded $6 billion in 2015, which marks 48 consecutive years of sales growth. Chick-fil-A earned a top spot in the 2015 Customer Service Hall of Fame for the second year in a row and is the only quick service restaurant to make the Customer Service Hall of Fame. The company was also the only restaurant brand named to the Top 10 “Best Companies to Work For” by 24/7 Wall Street. More information on Chick-fil-A is available on the chain’s website located at www.chick-fil-a.com.

[1] Customers are encouraged to contact their local Chick-fil-A regarding menu item availability.

Contact:

Corporate Media Hotline: (800) 404-7196

Email: cfapressroom@chick-fil-a.com

Twitter @ChickfilANews

Source: Chick-fil-A

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Posted on August 1, 2016 by Retail News Editor

Nordstrom to add Madewell merchandise to an additional 20 stores this fall

SEATTLE, 2016-Aug-01 — /EPR Retail News/ — Nordstrom (NYSE: JWN) announced plans to expand its partnership with Madewell by adding the brand to an additional 20 stores this fall. This is the third distribution expansion since the initial launch of the partnership in March 2015 and will result in the retailer carrying Madewell in a total of 76 locations in the U.S. and Canada, as well as Nordstrom.com. Outside of Madewell stores, Nordstrom is the only brick and mortar retailer to sell Madewell merchandise.

The fall collection will hit all stores on July 27. Featured styles include borrowed-from-the-boys button down plaid shirts and effortless embroidered dresses . Madewell denim essentials, such as the High Riser skinny jean, and the go-to Classic Jean Jacket , will also be a part of the fall delivery.

Nordstrom was the launch retail partner of choice for SJP Collection, Sarah Jessica Parker’s line of shoes, Topshop/Topman and IVY PARK. The retailer has also collaborated exclusively with Jason Wu for the launch of Miss Wu and Tank Magazine fashion director and street style star Caroline Issa for the ‘Nordstrom Signature’ and Caroline Issa collection, as well as with Olivia Palermo for Olivia Palermo + Chelsea28.

Nordstrom stores in U.S. now featuring Madewell:

Alaska	Minnesota
Anchorage (Anchorage, Alaska)	Mall of America (Bloomington, Minn.)

Arizona	New Jersey
Chandler Fashion Center (Chandler, Ariz.)	Cherry Hill (Cherry Hill, N.J.)
	Garden State Plaza (Paramus, N.J.)
California
Brea Mall (Brea, Calif.)	Ohio
Hillsdale Shopping Center (San Mateo, Calif.)	Beachwood Place (Beachwood, Ohio)
Los Cerritos Center (Cerritos, Calif.)
The Shops at Mission Viejo (Mission Viejo, Calif.)	Texas
University Town Center (San Diego, Calif.)	Domain Northside (Austin, Texas) – Store Opening Sept. 30th
	Stonebriar Centre (Frisco, Texas)
Kansas
Oak Park Mall (Overland Park, Kan.)	Washington
	Spokane (Spokane, Wash.)
Maryland	Tacoma (Tacoma, Wash.)
The Mall in Columbia (Columbia, Md.)

Michigan
Twelve Oaks Mall (Novi, Mich.)

Nordstrom stores in Canada now featuring Madewell:

Ontario
Eaton Centre (Toronto, Ont.) – Store Opening Sept. 16th
Yorkdale Shopping Centre (Toronto, Ont.) – Store Opening Oct. 21st

Click here to see the full list of Nordstrom stores featuring Madewell .

ABOUT NORDSTROM:
Nordstrom, Inc. is a leading fashion specialty retailer based in the U.S. Founded in 1901 as a shoe store in Seattle, today Nordstrom operates 329 stores in 39 states, including 121 full-line stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico; 200 Nordstrom Rack stores; two Jeffrey boutiques; and one clearance store. Additionally, customers are served online through Nordstrom.com , Nordstromrack.com and HauteLook . The company also owns Trunk Club, a personalized clothing service serving customers online at TrunkClub.com and its five clubhouses. Nordstrom, Inc.’s common stock is publicly traded on the NYSEunder the symbol JWN.

ABOUT MADEWELL:
The first Madewell store opened in 2006 with designs inspired by its workwear beginnings modernized for today. Denim is at the core of everything we do – from great jeans to all the things you wear with them: tees, ankle boots, leather jackets, and more. Madewell is effortless, sexy, cool, tomboy, artful and unexpected. For more information, visit www.madewell.com and follow us @Madewell1937.

Contact:

Anya Pavlovic
Nordstrom, Inc.
(206) 303-3015
Anya.Pavlovic@nordstrom.com

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: Nordstrom to add Madewell merchandise to an additional 20 stores this fall

SOURCE: Nordstrom, Inc.

Posted on July 26, 2016 by Retail News Editor

REI to open new store in Houston, Texas when co-op sets up camp at the Baybrook Mall this fall

SEATTLE, 2016-Jul-26 — /EPR Retail News/ — Outdoor adventurers in Houston, Texas will have a new REI store when the co-op sets up camp at the Baybrook Mall this fall. Situated just miles from the northern point of Galveston Bay, the new store will carry gear and apparel for some of the region’s most popular activities, including hiking, biking, kayaking and trail running.

“It’s amazing that Houston is getting a third co-op store so close to so many outdoor places,” said Ann Bewley, REI Outdoor Programs and Outreach market coordinator for the Houston area. “We’re excited to increase our support of the local community and inspire people to get outside through our classes, gear and passion for the outdoors. Working with and growing our partnerships with local nonprofits in this area will add a new dimension to Clear Lake and its surrounding areas.”

REI Houston-Baybrook will be the co-op’s third location in the Houston area, joining stores at Willowbrook and The Galleria, which was the co-op’s first Houston location in 1996. The new 25,000 square-foot store will serve more than 80,000 active members in Houston. It will be the co-op’s 11th location in the state of Texas—first opening at Austin-Gateway in 1989.

The new store will feature the top brands of outdoor gear and apparel for camping, climbing, cycling, fitness, hiking, travel and paddling, and the store’s bike shop will provide cyclists with expert assembly and repair services. The store will also offer expert advice from in-store guides and classes through REI Outdoor School—a national leader in outdoor education that taught over 250,000 people across the country last year. In the Houston area, nearly 2,000 people have participated in REI Outdoor School classes this year. REI is also holding its first-ever national free weekend of Outdoor School on July 30-31 to bring people together outside, offering over 400 classes and events nationwide at no cost.

With each new store, the co-op invests in local nonprofit partners who steward local outdoor places. In 2016, REI has invested $40,000 in five Houston-area nonprofits and $210,000 in 23 nonprofit partners throughout the state. In total, REI will invest more than $8 million in hundreds of nonprofits throughout the country this year.

Join the REI Team
Candidates interested in joining the REI team at any local store can apply online at REI.com. The co-op expects to hire 50 employees for each of the new stores who receive a variety of benefits, including generous product and service discounts,competitive pay and retirement contributions. For 19 consecutive years, REI has been recognized as one of FORTUNE magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For.”

About REI
REI is a specialty outdoor retailer, headquartered near Seattle. The nation’s largest consumer co-op, REI is a growing community of more than 6 million active members who expect and love the best quality gear, inspiring expert classes and trips, and outstanding customer service. REI has 145 stores in 35 states. If you can’t visit a store, you can shop at REI.com, REI.com/outlet or the free REI shopping app. REI isn’t just about gear. You can take the trip of a lifetime with REI Adventures, a global leader in active adventure travel that runs 150 custom-designed itineraries on every continent. REI’s Outdoor School is run by professionally-trained, expert-instructors who teach beginner- to advanced-level courses about a wide range of activities. To build on the infrastructure that makes life outside possible, REI invests millions annually in hundreds of local and national nonprofits that create access to–and steward–the outdoor places that inspire us.

For more information or to request an interview, please contact REI Public Affairs at
(253) 395-5958, prrequests@rei.com

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: REI to open new store in Houston, Texas when co-op sets up camp at the Baybrook Mall this fall

Source: REI Coop