The battered American retail industry took a few more lumps this week, with stores at both ends of the price spectrum preparing to close their doors. At the bottom, the seemingly ubiquitous Payless shoe chain filed for bankruptcy and announced plans to shutter hundreds of locations. Ralph Lauren, meanwhile, said it will close its flagship […]
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Posted inFranklin, Livermore Falls Advertiser
Company says it can help towns with retail strategy
JAY — A Texas-based customer analytics company told about 25 people from Farmington, Jay, Livermore Falls and Wilton on Wednesday night what it could do to help them attract retailers to the area. The presentation was the result of the four towns’ managers and some selectmen, along with Alison Hagerstrom, executive director of Greater Franklin […]
Posted inBusiness
Paint retailer Sherwin-Williams to open Auburn store
AUBURN — National paint retailer Sherwin-Williams plans to target homeowners and do-it-yourselfers with a new Center Street location. Company District Manager Scott Herlin said the store should be opening in September at 445 Center St., which previously housed a Pizza Hut. It’s part of the company’s 150th anniversary, he said. The company already has a store […]
Posted inbPlus, Lewiston-Auburn
Bliss Thru Shopping: Exit 80 dreamin’
So, we have several questions keeping us up at night. Why is everyone so excited about “Making a Murderer?” Why is the neighbor target practicing at all hours? And what the heck is going in at Exit 80? The last, at least, we can dig our retail-happy hooks into. Since news broke last month that […]
Posted inBusiness, Lewiston-Auburn
Augusta: A tale of two retail tax breaks
Faced with the aftermath of a deep recession and an area of town that city leaders really wanted to see developed, Augusta offered tax breaks 25 years ago to the developer behind the Marketplace at Augusta off turnpike Exit 112. Later, in a retail development known as Augusta Crossing three miles south at Exit 109 […]
Posted inBusiness, sj-web
Maine retailers report strong holiday shopping season so far
PORTLAND — Maine retailers say this year’s Black Friday weekend had strong sales that are continuing in December. Kelly Edwards, executive director of the Freeport Merchants Association, tells The Portland Press Herald sales activity over Black Friday weekend met or exceeded last year’s activity. Edwards says December is turning out to be equally strong. Curtis […]
Posted inBusiness, sj-web
Online sales surge on Thanksgiving day
View Survey U.S. e-commerce sales surged on Thanksgiving, raising questions about how many shoppers will show up for brick-and-mortar promotions on Black Friday, the traditional kickoff to the holiday season. By 5 p.m. in New York on Thursday, $1.1 billion was spent online, according to Adobe Systems Inc. The full day was expected to total […]
Posted inBusiness, sj-web
Retailers expect surge in smartphone shopping
For the first time, there’s expected to be more people visiting retailers’ web sites through their smartphones than on desktop computers or tablets during the first weekend of the holiday shopping season that begins on Thanksgiving Day. Mobile traffic during the five-day start to what is typically the busiest shopping period of the year is […]
Posted inBusiness, sj-web
L.L. Bean to open New York outlet near Adirondack Mountains
QUEENSBURY, N.Y. — L.L. Bean plans to open its first outlet store in New York state at a popular shopping complex near the Adirondack Mountains. The Freeport, Maine-based outdoors outfitter expects to open the store in August at the Adirondack Outlet Mall on Route 9 in Queensbury, just south of the tourist village of Lake […]