Seattle — Online retail giant Amazon opened its first brick-and-mortar bookstore, called Amazon Books, on November 3, 2015 at University Village in north Seattle. The store opens 20 years after Amazon began selling books — severely discounted compared to traditional retailers — over the Internet.
retailers
Dublin, Calif. — Ross Stores, Inc. has appointed Brian Morrow as president and chief merchandising officer of dd’s DISCOUNTS, effective December 7, 2015. Morrow will report directly to Barbara Rentler, the company’s CEO, and be responsible for directing all aspects of merchandising at dd’s DISCOUNTS.
Grand Rapids, Mich. — As part of a $50 million extensive remodeling project for four supercenters in the Dayton, Ohio, market, Meijer’s Beavercreek, Ohio, store is the company’s first to feature all-LED lighting, saving more than a half million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually.
City of Commerce, Calif. — 99 Cents Only Stores LLC has appointed Felicia Thornton as its chief financial officer and treasurer. Thornton has extensive executive experience in retail, and particularly in the grocery store industry, having served in senior leadership positions at DSM, Inc., Albertsons and The Kroger Company.
St. Paul, Minn. — Outdoors retailer Gander Mountain has promoted Derek Siddons, executive vice president and chief operating officer, to president. Siddons’ new post will be effective on the retirement of the company’s current president, Michael J. Owens, on October 31, 2015.
Nashville, Tenn. and Philadelphia — The Pep Boys – Manny, Moe & Jack and Bridgestone Retail Operations, LLC (BSRO), a wholly owned subsidiary of Bridgestone Americas, Inc., have entered into a definitive merger agreement under which BSRO will acquire Pep Boys in an all-cash transaction for approximately $835 million in aggregate equity value.