VIDEO: The Party Never Stops at Walmart

The time-lapse video below (via BuzzFeed) shows why Walmart is the most successful retailer (and company) on the planet. This 24-hour store is always busy, with handfuls of shoppers even carousing in the wee hours of the morning. When the bars close, it’s time to hit Walmart.
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Will a Gottschalks Reincarnation Work?

Gottschalks, the West Coast department-store chain that went bankrupt and liquidated last year, is getting reborn. Joe Levy, a former CEO, is launching Gottschalk by Joe Levy, and plans to go into at least three of the 58 locations that were liquidated last year.

So far, the new concept is close to inking on deal in Clovis, CA, and it’s also considering former Gottschalks locations in the towns of Auburn and Oakhurst. If a deal is reached, the Clovis store will go into Land Value Management’s Sierra Vista Mall.

RadioShack Continues Its Turnaround

RadioShack, or The Shack as it now likes to be called, keeps turning in impressive financial results, mainly due to its mobile-phone selling success. Net income in its Q1 hit $50.1 million, up from $43.1 million in the same year-ago period, and same-store sales rose 4.7%

Sales got a boost by the addition of T-Mobile to its wireless service providers, adding it to Sprint Nextel and AT&T. It also started selling iPhones last year.

Sears Tries Selling, Leasing Stores Online

It looks like Sears Holdings Corp. might be ready soon to start cashing in on some of its real estate by putting thousands of its namesake and Kmart stores on the market for sale or lease. And management thinks that the Internet might be an attractive way to do so.

The retailer recently launched a website called SHC Realty that has a searchable database of its properties. The site currently has 67 closed stores that are on the market for sale.

Should Simon Own General Growth?

Simon Property Group is increasing its bid for General Growth Properties. The largest mall and outlet center owner in the country is committing $1.5 billion toward GGP’s exit from bankruptcy.

This is getting interesting. Simon has more investors on board, but potential GGP acquirer Fairholme Capital Management is against such a plan.

Fuddruckers Goes Bankrupt

Sorry, burger lovers. Fuddruckers’ parent company is bankrupt.

The chain, which specializes in mega-sized burgers, is closing 24 restaurants and at least 135 will remain open. The owner, Magic Brands, also operates 13 Koo Koo Roo chicken restaurants in California.

Best Buy Adding 1,000 Mobile-Phone Stores

Best Buy says it plans to eventually have 1,000 mobile stores across the US, up from the 77 it currently operates. The retailer is reportedly opening the stores in enclosed malls.

The move follows rumors that Best Buy could acquire Radio Shack and its 7,000 stores, one of the country’s largest mobile-phone sellers.

Walmart Leads Fortune 500

Walmart is on top of the Fortune 500. The retailer regained the lead this year after falling into second place in 2009 behind Exxon Mobile. The retailer was on top in 2008.

Other retailers cracked the top 25 as well. CVS Caremark came in at 18th, grocer Kroger hit number 23, and Costco Wholesale rounded out the 25th spot.

Not too many surprises here. Or are there?

ALSO: Casey’s Goes to Bat for Overlooked Retail Niche

Restaurant Sales Start to Rebound

March retail sales certainly rebounded, and it looks like restaurants are enjoying some improving sales figures as well. According to data from the NPD Group restaurant sales were up 1% in March after declining 2.9% in 2009.

The industry is also adding jobs, with 42,500 new ones coming on board during the first three months of this year. Those figures are down, though, by 251,000 since December 2007.

Loehmann’s Troubles Supposedly Overblown

If you followed the New York Post and subsequent reports earlier this week, it seemed like fashion-discount chain Loehmann’s was in big trouble. The publication reported that the 60-unit retailer, owned by Dubai World’s Istithmar, failed to make a $6-million debt payment.

After Loehmann’s issued a statement denying the claims, the Post reportedly took the article off of its website.