Local Macy’s, Sears stores escape new round of closures
Macy’s on Wednesday announced plans to close 68 of its department stores and eliminate 10,000 jobs. Sears Holdings, meanwhile, is closing 108 Kmart stores and 42 Sears department stores.
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Limited stores, including two in Indy, closing nationwide
The longtime clothing retailer shut the doors to its Circle Centre mall location Dec. 24, while the one at Castleton Square Mall is set to close Saturday.
Longtime Indiana Avenue bar, restaurant closing
Bourbon Street Distillery at 361 Indiana Ave. will serve its last customers on Friday, after 15 years in business.
HHGregg hires new chief merchandising officer
Aaron Trahan, 32, is the fifth person to hold this job since 2012 at the struggling Indianapolis-based retailer.
‘Perfect recipe’ leads to Fishers food-centric development
The culinary-centric development proposed in Fishers is an unusual concept for the northern suburb, but it’s an idea experts say just needed the right recipe.
Sears Holdings lines up $200M in financing to stay afloat
The move signals that hedge fund manager Eddie Lampert remains committed to bankrolling Sears, even as the once-mighty department-store chain suffers from dwindling sales and billions in red ink.
High CFO turnover for retailers a sign of the times
The rapid turnover is a symptom of the quickly changing retail industry, as shifting consumer behavior demands new strategies from companies trying to keep up.
UPS says it expects to make 1.3M returns to retailers in one day
UPS expects to deliver 1.3 million packages back to retailers on Jan. 5, which is celebrated by the delivery service as “National Returns Day.”
Hollyhock Hill, one of city’s oldest eateries, changes ownership
The restaurant, which first opened in 1928, had been owned by Jay and Barbara Snyder since 1992. The new owner is making her first leap into restaurant management.
Are the gay bars in Indianapolis headed for extinction?
Since 2015 at least five gay bars have closed in the city, about half the total. Among the casualties: the venerable Varsity, dating back to the 1940s. Talbott Street, long-known for its drag shows, also closed, as did the 501 Eagle, a bar favored by leather enthusiasts since 1986.
Struggling Finish Line strives to reduce reliance on apparel
Slumping sales of apparel led the Indianapolis-based athletic clothier to report a steep loss in its latest quarter.
Fishers City Council approves agreement for culinary development
The Yard, a 17-acre development by Thompson Thrift Retail Group, would replace the existing Springdale Estates neighborhood on the southeast corner of 116th Street and Ikea Way, just east of Interstate 69.
Fishers neighborhood to be razed for massive ‘culinary’ development
A 17-acre project called The Yard would be located next to Ikea and include numerous lots for restaurants, a culinary incubator and possibly a dinner theater. It could cost $40 million to $60 million to develop.
Three area Sears stores set to close in January
The stores are all operated by Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores Inc., a struggling public company that was spun off by Sears Holdings Corp. in 2012.
Scotty’s Brewhouse founder completes sale of 17-restaurant chain
A Scottsdale, Arizona-based company announced Friday that it has closed on its acquisition of Indianapolis-based restaurant chain Scotty’s Brewhouse. IBJ first reported the deal in October.
Finish Line proves again how hard it is to diversify
Finish Line's decision to give up on its JackRabbit running-shoe chain and try to find a buyer marks the fourth time the company has stumbled badly while trying to diversify.
Starbucks’ plan to win lunch crowd may be tough task for new CEO
Starbucks Corp. wants to persuade its coffee-loving customers to come back for lunch, after stumbling several times in previous attempts to expand its food offerings.
Sonic cooks up new plan to blanket Indianapolis area with drive-ins
Sonic is the nation’s largest drive-in chain and has solid name recognition, but has struggled to gain a major foothold in central Indiana.
Milano Inn to close after more than 80 years
The sisters who co-own the restaurant say they’re in negotiations to sell it and will serve their last customers on New Year’s Eve.
Black Friday deals helped lift U.S. auto sales in November
Black Friday deals — a relatively new phenomenon for the auto industry — are expected to pull November U.S. auto sales out of their recent slump.