RadioShack Headed to Florida?

We haven’t read much lately about big retail companies moving their headquarters, so we found reports about RadioShack leaving the Fort Worth area interesting. One area the company is supposedly considering for a new home is Tampa, FL.

Also under consideration are Charlotte, NC; Nashville, TN; and Albuquerque, NM. Spokespeople for the retailer aren’t talking about the possible move.

Retail IPO’s Gaining Attention

Yesterday retailers Dollar General and Rue21 both went public. Last month Vitamin Shoppe did the same.

Will Walmart’s Black Friday Crowd Control Work?

After the tragic Black Friday death last year of a seasonal employee at a Walmart on Long Island, NY, the retailer is launching new a crowd control program this holiday season.

To avoid the long lines and major rush on Friday morning, Walmart is keeping stores open 24 hours on Thanksgiving. The retailer also says that employees will better control the lines inside the stores.

Ruby Tuesday Tries the Upscale Approach

Ruby Tuesday menus are now suggesting what wine to pair with your lobster entree. The New York Times takes an inside look at the 900-restaurant chain and its founder Sandy Beall.

The changes at the chain has lost it a few customers, but “very few people miss the roller skates on the wall and the bad food,” Beall says.

Would You Buy 7-Eleven’s House Wine?

7-Eleven is making and selling its own wine. The convenience-store mega chain is putting out a Chardonnay and a Cabernet Sauvignon under the label Yosemite Road that will retail at most stores for $3.99.

The move comes after corporate realized that wines priced $5 and under are enjoying double-digit sales. We’re guessing that 7-Eleven is trying to capitalize on Trader Joe’s popular Two-Buck Chuck wine.

VIDEO: Malls Aren’t Dead

In the below video, Steve Forbes interviews Marty Cohen, co-chairman and co-CEO of Cohen & Steers about commercial real estate. He’s not big on hotels, but surprisingly, he thinks malls will hold up through the recession. “These are mainstays of the community. Who doesn’t like going to the mall?” We have a feeling some of you might disagree.

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CIT Bankruptcy Could Hurt Apparel

This weekend’s Chapter 11 filing by CIT Group apparently has big ramifications for the retail industry, especially apparel. The firm works with 2,000 vendors that supply merchandise to 300,000 stores and finances about 60% of the apparel industry, according to the Associated Press.

The good news, according to a National Retail Federation spokesperson, is that most retailers already have their holiday season inventory taken care of. But the bad news is that it could seriously impact stocking fashions for the spring season.

Sears Starts Black Friday Early, On Wrong Day

This Saturday, on Halloween, Sears is launching a campaign called “Black Friday Now,” with “doorbuster” deals on Christmas trees, work boots, diamond-stud earrings and other select items. The deals will take place every Saturday until Christmas.

The retailer is saying that the move is a response to customers wanting deep-discount deals before the traditional Black Friday, which falls on the day after Thanksgiving. But we’re thinking it’s more of a move to combat Sears’ dismal sales results.

Toys’R'Us In Crazy Holiday Push

Toys”R”Us is pulling out all the stops this holiday season in efforts to compete with the likes of Walmart and others that have encroached on its territory for a while. The chain’s solution? A pop-up and store-within-a-store strategy.

Not satisfied that shoppers will gravitate toward the 586 stores across the US that it operates, Toys is opening about 350 pop-up locations in high-profile malls over the holidays.

You Can Save a Penny at Giant

Consumerist has this photo from a Giant grocery store. Would you go out of your way to save a penny?