• In-N-Out Faces COVID-19 Outbreak
    In-N-Out locations in Colorado and Los Angeles are centers of two COVID outbreaks. Two In-N-Out locations in Colorado saw COVID-19 infections as early as mid-December, just two weeks after opening. In-N-Out is responsible for the second-highest number of infections anywhere in Colorado’s El Paso County, second only to a nursing home. There appeared to also be a small outbreak beginning at In-N-Out locations in Los Angeles County.
  • Mercedes-Benz Reveals 56-Inch Screen
    Mercedes-Benz revealed a 56-inch screen that nearly spans the width of a new car's interior. The virtual reveal was timed for the annual Consumer Electronics Show, which is taking place online-only this year because of the pandemic. The so-called Hyperscreen will debut this spring in a new electric sedan, the Mercedes-Benz EQS. While a base price hasn't been announced, Edmunds estimated $110,000.
  • Burger King Intros New Logo
    Burger King unveiled a new logo that drops the blue outer swirl and has a retro-influenced design. It is the fast food chain’s first new logo in more than 20 years. The refresh also includes new food packaging, employee uniforms and signage in its soon-to-be remodeled restaurants. “Burger King said in a press release that the new minimalist logo seamlessly meets the brand evolution of the times,” according to CNN. “It also pays tribute to brand's 64-year-old history, with the refreshed look emulating an old logo used from 1969 to 1999.”
  • American Airlines Won't Serve Alcohol On Flights Leaving DC
    American Airlines says it won’t serve alcohol out of any flights out of DC for an unspecified amount of time. Sara Nelson, the head of the flight attendants’ union said that the “mob mentality behavior” of those who traveled to the Capitol this week puts airline workers and passengers at risk. The union feels it’s unsafe for those who participated in the insurrection at the Capitol to be allowed back onto airplanes. The statement comes after several reports of unruly behavior on flights to Washington, D.C., prior to the Jan. 6 events at the Capitol.
  • Amazon Sells COVID-19 Home Testing Kits
    Amazon is now selling COVID-19 tests for customers to use at home. The $110 DxTerity COVID-19 Saliva at-Home Collection Kit detects the presence of the virus. DxTerity's molecular-based PCR test received approval from the Food and Drug Administration last month. The test differs from the quicker and less expensive antigen tests, which use a nasal swab or throat swab to detect the virus.  Test takers must spit into a tube provided by the kit. The saliva sample is then inserted into a plastic bag and packed back into the box for shipment to one of DxTerity's laboratories.
  • Business Leaders Call For Calm At Capitol, Action On Trump
    National Association of Manufacturers President and Chief Executive Jay Timmons is asking Vice President Mike Pence to “seriously consider” invoking the 25th Amendment to remove President Trump from office after a huge group of protestors stormed the U.S. Capitol building. The Business Roundtable, which includes top execs from Walmart, General Motors, Apple and others, said in a statement: “The chaos unfolding in the nation’s capital is the result of unlawful efforts to overturn the legitimate results of a democratic election. The country deserves better. Business Roundtable calls on the President and all relevant officials to put an end to the …
  • Ahead of Ulta Initiative, Target Sells Skincare Retailer
    Target is selling Dermstore, a high-end skincare and beauty retailer, to a U.K. ecommerce company. “The deal comes as Target is about to embark on a major beauty initiative,” per Drug Store News. “In November, the discounter and Ulta Beauty entered into a deal to open Ulta-branded makeup and skincare shops inside hundreds of Target stores nationwide. Target will also offer an online version of the Ulta experience on its website.”
  • Macy's Closes Chicago Flagship
    The death toll for retail locations continues to grow.  Macy’s is closing its flagship store in Chicago’s Water Tower Place. The move creates a huge vacancy on the city’s Magnificent Mile during an already challenging time for retail landlords, according to the Chicago Tribune. The 170,000-square-foot store  will close after a clearance sale that starts this month and will run for 8 to 12 weeks, Macy’s announced in a statement Tuesday.
  • J.C. Penney Searching For New Chief Executive
    Jill Soltau, who became chief executive officer of the department store chain in October 2018 and saw it through bankruptcy, left the company on Dec. 31 for unspecified reasons, per an announcement by the new owners of Penney's retail operations. Simon Property Group and Brookfield Asset Management  along with strategic partner Authentic Brands Group, said that they have launched a search to “identify a leader that is focused on modern retail, the consumer experience, and the goal of creating a sustainable and enduring J.C. Penney.”
  • Post-Pandemic Fitness Can Exist Without Gyms
    Gyms might be reopening on a limited basis in some states, but their future is not rosy, according to research. “A survey of 3,500 Americans by The New Consumer and Coefficient Capital found that 76% of people have tried working out at home during the pandemic—and crucially, 66% prefer it,” per Fast Company. “Among millennials, the number is even higher: 82% made the switch and 81% like it more.” Even more troubling for the fitness industry, TD Ameritrade found that 59% of Americans don’t plan to return to their gym after the pandemic.
« Previous EntriesNext Entries »