Retail Watchers

Has anyone else seen the TV commercials Albertsons is currently running for the 4x gas promotion thing? It's set at a gas station, where a woman filling up her car is greeted by a "genie" who tells her about the promotion. It is hands-down one of the most bizarre, low-budget, and stupid co...

I was in the Redondo Beach / South Bay Galleria Target yesterday. I noticed many, many yellow "New Lower Price!" tags on items throughout the store in all departments. First I've noticed something like that from Target. My personal impression is that Target's prices were creeping up, so ma...

I'm just worried that they'll close the Macy's in the Westside Pavilion after Nordstrom leaves since they sold the Macy's store (former May Co.) in February for $50 million. I think that Macy's Westside Pavilion will indeed close. In fact, I think the entire Westside Pavilion is royally screwed in ...

I am curious to check out the new Macy's Century City CalItalian described. I am a male millennial so I am curious as to how they market to us. The closest Macy's to me are Del Amo and South Bay Galleria and the Young Men's selection in both is very behind the current styles. Macy's needs more curre...

Good write up on the Carl's / Hardees identity refresh here: http://www.underconsideration.com/brandnew/archives/new_logo_and_identity_for_carls_jr_and_hardees_by_72andsunny.php Interesting to note their shift in strategy away from boobs and burgers. They even made a mini movie, "The Return of ...

http://us.fashionnetwork.com/news/Target-debuts-new-store-designs-to-launch-in-October,807344.html#.WNK72m_yuUk Highlights: - The new design will include two entrances, one of which will be for quick shopping, curved, circular center aisles, and cross merchandise presentations. - The second entrance...

Maybe they did not want to spend the money to remodel the larger store. Arcadia was such a great performing Pavilions and seemed like the perfect location for an upscale format... that one really confuses me. How about the other Pavilions locations? Are they the right neighborhood for a more upscal...

Also I found a Vons in San Diego that has the TX/FL style interior. It is a former Albertsons/Haggen way up in North San Diego, currently having a "Grand Opening." Looks good, but very oddly organized store (refrigerated cheese on the same aisle as lotion/shampoo?). Also the Stater Brothe...

I was rather surprised when the Carlsbad Haggen went to Gelson's, as Carlsbad didn't seem sufficiently upscale to support a Gelson's, particularly given DelMar is not that far away. My guess is they thought it would draw from Olivenhain, Encinitas, and LaCosta. What they didn't consider was Cardiff...

I was in Manhattan Beach Target yesterday and they have begun charging 10 cents for paper bags there. A good example of effects of the plastic bag ban going into effect overnight could be seen at the El Segundo Ralphs, which was recently remodeled into a Fresh Fare. The day the bag ban started, line...