Five Below, a leading retailer of extreme-value merchandise for teens and pre-teens, stormed into the Chicago market with the grand opening of its first 10 stores in the region on Friday, May 6, 2011. The simultaneous debut of these 10 Chicago area stores represents the biggest one-day push into a new market in company history.
Five Below offers thousands of brand-name items and all the latest trends for teens, preteens and everyone in between at ultra low prices. All merchandise, including fashion accessories, DVDs and video games, sports equipment, home décor, toys, games and more, is priced at $5 or less.
Five Below has announced plans to open an additional 10 stores in Greater Chicago later this summer, bringing its total in the Chicagoland area to as many as 20 by year-end. Over the next few years, Five Below intends expand its presence in the Chicago area to include as many as 75 stores.
Five Below’s 10 new stores opening on May 6 are located in Chicago, Bradley, Crystal Lake, Countryside, Geneva, Joliet, Orland Hills, Rockford, and Vernon Hills, Illinois and in Merrillville, Indiana. To celebrate the grand openings, each store is giving free Five Below t-shirts with any purchase to the first 300 customers each day during opening weekend, five-cent hot dogs, and other prizes, including a $100 Five Below shopping spree.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Motorola Solutions, Inc. Elects Brown Chairman
Motorola Solutions, Inc. announced Tuesday that CEO Greg Brown has been elected by its board of directors to the added role of chairman. Brown replaces Dave Dorman, who has been elected as lead independent director of the board.
“I want to thank Dave for his service to Motorola as its chairman over the past 3 years and, in particular, his leadership and guidance as Motorola planned and executed its successful separation into two companies,” Brown said. “I look forward to working with him in his role of lead independent director as we continue to build and grow our company.”
Said Dorman: “I am honored to have been chairman of Motorola, and Greg has my full support in his new role as he guides this company to greater success.”
Brown joined Motorola in 2003 and was elected to the company's board of directors in 2007. He became president and CEO of Motorola in January 2008. Since that time, he has served as CEO or co-CEO of Motorola. In addition to his responsibilities at Motorola Solutions, Brown is an active member of the civic and business communities. He recently was appointed by President Obama to the President’s Management Advisory Board. He is a member of the Business Council, Business Roundtable, Technology CEO Council, Commercial Club of Chicago and the Northwestern Memorial Hospital board. He is also on the executive committee of the US-China Business Council (USCBC).
Motorola Solutions is a leading provider of mission-critical communication products and services for enterprise and government customers.
“I want to thank Dave for his service to Motorola as its chairman over the past 3 years and, in particular, his leadership and guidance as Motorola planned and executed its successful separation into two companies,” Brown said. “I look forward to working with him in his role of lead independent director as we continue to build and grow our company.”
Said Dorman: “I am honored to have been chairman of Motorola, and Greg has my full support in his new role as he guides this company to greater success.”
Brown joined Motorola in 2003 and was elected to the company's board of directors in 2007. He became president and CEO of Motorola in January 2008. Since that time, he has served as CEO or co-CEO of Motorola. In addition to his responsibilities at Motorola Solutions, Brown is an active member of the civic and business communities. He recently was appointed by President Obama to the President’s Management Advisory Board. He is a member of the Business Council, Business Roundtable, Technology CEO Council, Commercial Club of Chicago and the Northwestern Memorial Hospital board. He is also on the executive committee of the US-China Business Council (USCBC).
Motorola Solutions is a leading provider of mission-critical communication products and services for enterprise and government customers.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
DealADayOnline Acquired by BuyWithMe
Chicago-based DealADayOnline, a group buying and social commerce company focused on the Chicago marketplace, has been acquired by BuyWithMe (http://www.buywithme.com/). This acquisition further expands BuyWithMe’s rapidly growing footprint in the Chicago marketplace and across the United States. BuyWithMe currently offers high-quality daily deals in 13 of the largest cities in the U.S. (Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington D.C.) and is expected to double that footprint over the course of 2011.
“We are expanding rapidly in Chicago and our acquisition of DealADayOnline is a logical extension of that," said Jim Crowley, CEO of BuyWithMe, Inc. "DealADayOnline allows us to better meet the needs of our growing customer and merchant partners in the areas. We are delighted to welcome the DealADayOnline consumer and merchant community to the BuyWithMe family. We are also excited to help Chicagoans better discover and enjoy the many activities, destinations and experiences that are made possible by their local merchants."
“We’re very excited to join the BuyWithMe team. We pride ourselves on delivering a positive experience for merchants and consumers alike and those values are fully shared by BuyWithMe,” said Melissa Newman, CEO of DealADayOnline. “BuyWithMe is a clear and rapidly growing leader in this space, and our merchants and members will benefit from being a part of BuyWithMe’s larger community and capabilities which further accelerates our expansion in Chicago."
“We are expanding rapidly in Chicago and our acquisition of DealADayOnline is a logical extension of that," said Jim Crowley, CEO of BuyWithMe, Inc. "DealADayOnline allows us to better meet the needs of our growing customer and merchant partners in the areas. We are delighted to welcome the DealADayOnline consumer and merchant community to the BuyWithMe family. We are also excited to help Chicagoans better discover and enjoy the many activities, destinations and experiences that are made possible by their local merchants."
“We’re very excited to join the BuyWithMe team. We pride ourselves on delivering a positive experience for merchants and consumers alike and those values are fully shared by BuyWithMe,” said Melissa Newman, CEO of DealADayOnline. “BuyWithMe is a clear and rapidly growing leader in this space, and our merchants and members will benefit from being a part of BuyWithMe’s larger community and capabilities which further accelerates our expansion in Chicago."
Friday, April 29, 2011
The Oprah Store to Close Up Shop in Chicago
As the filming of the final segment of The Oprah Winfrey Show brings to a close an era in Chicago, another symbol of Oprah Winfrey’s presence in Chicago will also soon be history. The Oprah Store, across the street from the West Loop studio where Oprah tapes her talk show, will close at the end of May.
The Oprah Winfrey Show is ending May 25 after 25 years in Chicago. The Oprah Store, which opened in January 2008, sells souvenirs and boutique items. According to the Chicago Tribune, “Fans have bought everything from "O" apparel and umbrellas to coffee mugs, baby bibs and pet collars.” The store also is the location for "Oprah's Closet," an armoire filled with clothes and shoes that once belonged to Oprah, the proceeds from which go to charity.
A smaller Oprah Store in Chicago's Water Tower Place also will close.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Wal-Mart finds site for first small-box store in Chicago
According to an article on ChicagoRealEstateDaily.com, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has found a site for its first small-box store in Chicago, with a deal to lease about 30,000 square feet in a three-level retail center in the Lakeview neighborhood.
The article reports that Wal-Mart has signed a letter of intent to lease space in a retail building known as Broadway at Surf, at 2840 N. Broadway. The building is 12 years old and currently houses a T. J. Maxx, a Bed Bath & Beyond and a Cost plus World Market.
The North Side store, which would be a Neighborhood Market focusing on groceries, also would be Wal-Mart's first in an affluent neighborhood in the city. It also would be among the several dozen outlets Wal-Mart has said it plans to open in Chicago over the next five years after emerging from a bruising battle with local unions and Chicago aldermen over employee wages.
Read more: http://www.chicagorealestatedaily.com/article/20101209/CRED03/101209867/wal-mart-finds-site-for-first-north-side-store#ixzz17dgn8cWT
The article reports that Wal-Mart has signed a letter of intent to lease space in a retail building known as Broadway at Surf, at 2840 N. Broadway. The building is 12 years old and currently houses a T. J. Maxx, a Bed Bath & Beyond and a Cost plus World Market.
The North Side store, which would be a Neighborhood Market focusing on groceries, also would be Wal-Mart's first in an affluent neighborhood in the city. It also would be among the several dozen outlets Wal-Mart has said it plans to open in Chicago over the next five years after emerging from a bruising battle with local unions and Chicago aldermen over employee wages.
Read more: http://www.chicagorealestatedaily.com/article/20101209/CRED03/101209867/wal-mart-finds-site-for-first-north-side-store#ixzz17dgn8cWT
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Fortune Brands to Split into 3 Companies
Fortune Brands, a consumer products company based in Deerfield, Illinois, has announced today that it plans to split into three separate companies. Fortune Brands said it will focus on its spirits business which generates annual revenue of $2.5 billion and includes brands such as Jim Beam bourbon, Canadian Club and Maker's Mark.
The home and security business, which includes well-known brands such as Moen faucets, Master Locks and MasterBrand cabinets, will be spun off on a tax-free basis to shareholders.
The golf business, which features brands such as Titleist golf balls and FootJoy golf shoes and gloves, will be either spun off or sold.
The company said the plan is the result of its ongoing strategic review over the past four years and is expected to be completed within several months. The separation is subject to various conditions including regulatory approvals.
The home and security business, which includes well-known brands such as Moen faucets, Master Locks and MasterBrand cabinets, will be spun off on a tax-free basis to shareholders.
The golf business, which features brands such as Titleist golf balls and FootJoy golf shoes and gloves, will be either spun off or sold.
The company said the plan is the result of its ongoing strategic review over the past four years and is expected to be completed within several months. The separation is subject to various conditions including regulatory approvals.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Groupon Sues Competitor MobGob in Federal Court in Chicago
Chicago-based Groupon Inc., which offers daily group purchasing deals in more than 300 U.S. and international cities, filed a suit against Los Angeles-based MobGob LLC on Thursday in U.S. District Court in Chicago. The suit claims that MobGob violates a patent issued to Groupon in 2001 for an online marketing system and method.
Groupon employs a system that offers its members one discount a day, and is triggered only if a pre-determined number of members accept the deal. MobGob allows a business to offer an item for a set price and determine how many people have to accept that offer within a particular period of time before the deal is executed for everyone.
Groupon's complaint asks for compensatory damages equivalent to a "reasonable royalty."