Do it Best announces the retirement of one of its senior executives and the promotion of three others. Effective October 31, Executive Vice President of Operations Steve Markley will retire. Dent Johnson will serve as the Executive Vice President of Operations and Nick Talarico will serve as the Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing. Jason Stofleth will become the Vice President of Merchandising.

Saturday, Sept. 10, Lowe's is joining Sleep in Heavenly Peace (SHP) and thousands of volunteers for the fourth annual Bunks Across America event to build and deliver quality bunk beds to children and families in need.  More than 175 local Sleep in Heavenly Peace chapters and national partners will unite with a goal of building over 7,500 beds in a single day. Lowe's associates from more than 30 stores will participate in bunk bed builds, with more than two-dozen of those stores hosting parking lot builds. The company is also contributing more than $350,000 of product to support the builds.

Tractor Supply Company, the largest rural lifestyle retailer in the United States, today announced the return of its annual Pet Appreciation Week (PAW) event, presented by Seresto, and Rescue Your Rescue contest. Highlights of Tractor Supply’s Pet Appreciation Week include the following: Seresto, the maker of flea and tick treatments for dogs, is teaming up to host the PAW event, which is set for Sept. 6-11. Stores nationwide will team up with local shelters and rescue groups to host pet adoption events on Sept. 10. Tractor Supply and Canidae will host a Rescue Your RescueContest, awarding more than $100,000 to local shelters. Tractor Supply will partner with Miranda Lambert’s MuttNation Foundation to host pet supply drives at all stores nationwide, encouraging customers to drop off or donate new pet supplies including food, toys, cleaning and grooming tools, and pet accessories at any local store. Tractor Supply will donate all the items collected to local shelters and rescues after the event concludes.

U.S. economic growth has slowed, but it still isn’t clear if the nation is in a recession, National Retail Federation Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz said today. “As we come to the end of the summer, economic indicators are signaling an unsteady U.S. expansion in the face of several headwinds,” Kleinhenz said, noting ongoing inflation, Federal Reserve interest rate hikes, the volatile stock market and other issues. “These factors are all contributing to the debate on whether the economy is already in a recession, but key indicators disagree on whether we are there yet.” “All eyes remain on the consumer and what is happening in retail is very important,” Kleinhenz said. “While consumers have become more cautious and cooled their spending in the first half of 2022