Giant Eagle to acquire 56-store Ricker’s chain
Ricker’s Chairman Jay Ricker told IBJ on Thursday morning that a purchase agreement for his 39-year-old company is in place and the deal is expected to close by the end of the month.
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Brookstone files for bankruptcy, to close all mall stores
Among the closures will be the store in Circle Centre in downtown Indianapolis—an original tenant in the mall when it opened in 1995. The only other Brookstone store in Indiana is at Indianapolis International Airport.
Independent bookstores create worlds where print is alive and well
Here’s a rundown of some of the independents still pushing paperbacks, offering honest staff recommendations and otherwise keeping local lit alive.
Brookstone planning to shut down most stores after bankruptcy filing
In Indiana, Brookstone has stores in Circle Centre mall and at Indianapolis International Airport.
Record store, book shop reopen in historic Irvington building
The two businesses closed this spring, but a new owner has purchased both shops and is reopening them under one name in the 96-year-old Irvington Masonic Lodge property, which also recently changed ownership.
Local jewelry store to close its doors after 41 years in business
The family-owned jewelry business, which first opened in Glendale Town Center in 1977 before moving just north of 96th Street in 1991, plans to close Aug. 31—unless a late-developing plan to sell the store comes to fruition.
De Beers planning historic shift in diamond retail market
The company announced Tuesday that it will start selling man-made diamond jewelry at a fraction of the price of mined gems, marking a major strategy change for the world’s biggest diamond miner.
Indiana convenience stores find new way around cold beer ban
The announcement on Thursday, ahead of the Memorial Day weekend, was the latest attempt to combat liquor stores’ exclusive right to sell cold carry-out beer in Indiana.
Harry Gaunt Jewelers closing its doors after 60 years in business
The store’s 86-year-old owner and namesake has decided it’s time to retire. His store near Keystone at the Crossing has launched a going-out-of-business sale.
World’s biggest toymakers aren’t having much fun these days
There’s trouble in toyland. Sales at the world’s three biggest toymakers—Lego A/S, Hasbro Inc. and Mattel Inc.—slumped during the crucial 2017 holiday season, and the outlook for 2018 isn’t much better.
Babies ‘R’ Us demise sets off scramble for baby registries
The liquidation of Toys “R” Us Inc. has raised a big question: What happens to all the customers who had baby registries at the soon-to-be-defunct retailer?
Toys ‘R’ Us to liquidate U.S. operations, CEO tells employees
Toys “R” Us plans to shut down its U.S. operations, eliminating the jobs of some 30,000 employees while spelling the end for a 70-year-old retailer known to generations of children and parents for its sprawling stores and Geoffrey the giraffe mascot.
Shopping mall jewelry giant planning to weed out hundreds of stores
Signet Jewelers Ltd., which operates at least 18 stores in the Indianapolis area and thousands nationwide, is betting that a shift online can help pull the company out of a sales slump.
Record shop Irvington Vinyl closing its doors
The record store shares leased space with the bookstore Bookmamas, a separate business that also announced that it plans to close.
Starbucks says empty storefronts are leading to lower rents
Starbucks Corp. Chairman Howard Schultz said he sees a blessing in all the retail vacancies across the United States—landlords are beginning to reduce rents.
High-end chocolate retailer latest to abandon Circle Centre
One of Circle Centre’s original tenants is preparing to close, more than 22 years after entering the Indianapolis market with the downtown store.
Lids parent ‘exploring’ sale of struggling retailer
Retail conglomerate Genesco Inc. said Tuesday that it has hired an outside firm to advise it in the potential sale of Zionsville-based Lids Sports Group, its weakest-performing division.
Two local stores on Toys ‘R’ Us bankruptcy closure list
The world’s largest toy chain is planning to close about 180 Toys “R” Us and Babies “R” Us stores nationally as part of a reorganization plan to emerge from its September bankruptcy, according to a court filing.
Carmel closet designer to use VR to help customers envision spaces
The VR system will allow customers to use an Oculus Rift headset to virtually explore a closet or other space designed specifically for them.
Toys ‘R’ Us files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
The company filed Chapter 11 documents late Monday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Richmond, Virginia. The chain secured $3 billion in debtor-in-possession financing to stay open while it restructures, according to a company statement.