Leaders break ground at Westin site

MIDWAY — With most of his company’s business coming from the East Coast, Westin Group LLC CEO Neil Jiang was looking for the right spot for a distribution center.

He found it on Coffer Court in the Liberty County Development Authority’s Tradeport East.

The company broke ground Friday on its 250,000-square-foot facility for Westin Furniture, and the company projects to have 80 employees once the distribution center is completed.

“Our facilities were on the West Coast, so this is very good to us to reach customers so we can provide quick service to them,” Jiang said. “We are excited.”

“We’re always glad to make an announcement of jobs and opportunities coming to our area,” said LCDA Chairman and state Rep. Al Williams.

About 85% of the company’s business is on the East Coast, and about 90% of its sales are in e-commerce. Westin Furniture also has merchandise in retailers such

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RELOCATION ESSENTIALS: A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE FOR STRESS-FREE MOVES

Moving to a new address is an exciting journey full of new beginnings, from making new friends to meeting new people and living in a new home. However, relocation can be tiring and overwhelming, especially for first-timers who do not know how to handle the process. Decluttering and packing all your belongings can be stressful, and you may not know where to start. This comprehensive guide can help make moving smooth and stress-free.

Start planning for relocation early.

Careful planning ensures a smooth and successful transition to your new home. Start planning early, create a moving checklist with all the essential tasks, and set the timeline for completion. Set the date for the relocation and notify your service providers of the relocation to the new address. Planning relocation early helps you spread the workload over a more extended period and avoid mistakes from the last-minute rush.

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Olive Garden, LongHorn offset Darden’s fine dining softness

Darden Restaurants beat quarterly sales and profit expectations thanks to a big assist from its Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse brands. Consolidated same-store sales grew by 5%, despite a 2.8% decline in the company’s fine dining segment.

LongHorn Steakhouse same-store sales were up 8.1%. Olive Garden, which represents about 45% of the company’s revenue, increased its same-store sales by 6.1%. The chain is bringing back its Never-Ending Pasta Bowl next week to maintain that momentum during a typically slower period, as families head back to school. Olive Garden brought the promotion back around the same time last year after a two-year hiatus, which exceeded expectations and kept traffic higher than segment averages in the quarter. It will remain the same price as last year’s promotion, starting at $13.99 and an additional $4.99 for certain protein toppings, such as meatballs, Italian sausage, and crispy chicken.

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Home Depot sales dip, but company says long-term outlook good

ATLANTA — Home Depot on Tuesday announced another quarter of declining sales, but it was a dip that was expected as the company works through what officials called a post-pandemic “settling.”

The retail behemoth reported sales of $42.9 billion for the past three months, down 2.0% from the same quarter during the previous year. Net earnings during the quarter were $4.7 billion, or $4.65 per share, down from $5.2 billion, or $5.05 per share, a year earlier.

“We look at 2023 as a year of moderation after the explosive growth we had in the last few years,” said Ted Decker, chief executive, during a teleconference with analysts and reporters.

Earlier this year, the company projected that its sales this year will be between 2% and 5% of the previous year’s revenue, while earnings per share drop between 7% and 13%. Officials Tuesday reaffirmed that prediction.

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Home Depot rides on smaller remodeling projects to top sales, profit estimates

A shopping cart is seen in a Home Depot location in Niles

Aug 15 (Reuters) – Home Depot (HD.N) on Tuesday posted better-than-expected quarterly results, cemented by Americans’ steady spending on small-scale projects around their homes even as they sharply cut back on larger remodeling and renovation.

Shares of the company, which announced a new $15 billion share repurchase program, rose about 1%, with the second quarter benefiting from a recapture of seasonal sales lost earlier this year due to a damp start to Spring.

The top U.S. home-improvement chain’s results come ahead of reports from Walmart (WMT.N) and Target (TGT.N) later this week, with investors focusing on discretionary spending trends as customers battle sticky inflation and higher borrowing costs.

Home Depot’s quarterly customer transactions drop of 1.8% improved from the prior quarter, driven by higher sales of items including

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National chain Tractor Supply opening Kalispell location

National retail chain Tractor Supply Co. plans to open a store here in the former Kmart building.

The company, which calls itself the largest lifestyle retailer in the U.S. and was founded in 1938, sells products for home improvement, agriculture, lawn and garden, livestock, equine and pet care.

The new store is set to hold its grand opening celebration from Sept. 21 to Sept. 24, according to a release from the company. A sign on the building shows the store is hiring for positions.

“Homeowners, livestock and pet owners, gardeners, hobby farmers, ranchers, tradesmen

and others rely on Tractor Supply for a wide assortment of products,” the company said in a release. “We’re excited to call Kalispell home and serve the community with the essentials you need to live life on your own terms.”

Tractor Supply expects to provide 15 jobs, with at least half of those as full-time positions,

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Gardener’s Supply names Rebecca Gray President and CEO

Vermont Business Magazine Gardener’s Supply Company, one of the nation’s largest multi-channel marketers of gardening products and accessories, has announced a new CEO, Rebecca Gray, who assumes the role following the retirement of Cindy Turcot, who had held the position since 2020.

Rebecca brings nearly 20 years of experience in the e-commerce space. She joined Gardener’s Supply Company in 2018 as Vice President of Merchandising, eventually overseeing all of the company’s Merchandising and Marketing activities.

During Rebecca’s time at the company, Gardener’s Supply has seen record growth, greatly expanding their digital footprint, increasing new product development, and expanding to five retail garden centers in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. Rebecca is excited to continue the company’s growth path, while maintaining the unique company culture and founding mission.

Rebecca Gray President and CEO

“Gardener’s has an incredible culture. Being 100% employee-owned and a certified B Corporation, we are motivated to make

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Edible Garden expands distribution deal with Walmart

Belvidere-based Edible Garden is growing its retail partnership with Walmart.

In a July 20 press release, the hydroponic farming company announced an expanded distribution agreement with the big box retailer that will bring a wider variety of its products to Walmart stores across the Northeast, as well as see it enter new retail locations in other regions of the country.

Founded in 2015, the company’s locally grown, sustainable lettuce, organic herbs, hydro basil, salad kits and protein powders can be found at more than 4,000 stores, including ShopRite, Gristedes, D’Agostino, Weis Markets, Meijer and King Kullen.

Edible Garden Chief Executive Officer Jim Kras said the company is pleased to grow its relationship with Walmart, noting that the company is “the world’s largest fresh produce retailer” and “has long been one of our most significant customers.”

Edible Garden's Garden Starters can be planted in a consumer’s home garden. — Edible Garden’s Garden Starters can be planted in a consumer’s home garden. – EDIBLE GARDEN

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Home Depot’s Granada Hills Plans Rankle Residents

Home Depot wants to raze a Regency Theaters location in Granada Hills to make way for a 136K SF store and a 28K SF garden center, but area residents aren’t keen on the plan, pushing back with concerns about parking and traffic.

The home improvement giant purchased the shuttered theater at 16830 Devonshire St. for $37M last year, depot-fuels-opposition-in-granada-hills/”according to the Los Angeles Daily News. The demolition would also include about one dozen smaller adjacent retail spaces.

Home Depot filed an application with city planners for the store, which would be roughly 30% larger than the average Home Depot store, not including the garden center. Its stores clock in at 105K SF on average, according to the company’s website.

Neighbors say the plans have gone forward without enough input from the community, according to the Daily News.

“It appears it’s just a done deal without any

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William Blair says buy Wayfair as furniture company can weather a housing market slowdown

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