Drug Store New sent out a midday bulletin last week when it learned that Walgreens merchandising guru David Van Howe would be leaving at the end of the year. It now explains why. Van Howe played a major role in the company's success as the nation's most profitable drugstore chain, it says, but is seen as part of the company's old guard that has been replaced by a new breed of relatively youthful merchants and consumer marketing experts. "If any retail observer still doubted the determination of Walgreens' top managers to shake the company to its foundation, recharge …

Jonathan Birchall reports that Wal-Mart has stepped up efforts to mobilize local political support for new store openings in U.S. cities like Philadelphia, New York and Boston.

Although Avon's third-quarter sales declined in the U.S. and China, it beat analysts' estimates by staying in tune with the makeup of the marketplace, writes Anthony Zumpano. Avon has been promoting lower-priced products, and will be heavily targeting Latin America, where, the company says, people spend a high proportion of their income on beauty products. It also plans to lower its advertising budget, but will hire more sales reps who, like the Avon lady who visited Zumparo's mom, "wasn't just some sales drone: she maintained personal relationships with her clients -- and, most importantly, used …