Retail

Price Chopper, which operates 10 stores in Central Mass., has been hit with a federal class-action lawsuit...

Those counting on a tax break in mid-August still have to wait to find out what day to head to the stores. Both the House and the Senate passed the annual sales-tax holiday, but lawmakers disagree over which weekend in August to forego the state's 6.25 percent sales tax.

Gov. Deval Patrick last week signed a bill allowing retail liquor stores to start selling alcohol at 10 a.m. on Sundays, instead of noon.

A judge has ordered CVS Caremark to reinstate a provider agreement with independent pharmacy Hopkinton Drug.

Galaxy Development of Auburn said it's looking to turn an abandoned industrial site along Fitchburg's Water Street into a 21,650-square-foot shopping center.

Wegmans supermarkets has come out on top in a poll of grocery store brand names in the Northeast, according to the Harris organization, which conducted a nationwide study of the most popular grocery store brands in four different regions of the United States. Wegmans, whose first New England store opened in 2011 in Northborough, has about 80 stores, mostly in Pennsylvania and its home state of New York. While that may be fewer than other grocery store chains, Wegmans' ratings in the survey “make them look like a regional David among national-brand Goliaths," says Michael Treboni, executive vice president of retail professional services at Nielsen, the parent of Harris.

Boston-based mobile software company Drizly is working hard to make doorstep alcohol delivery the latest convenience for consumers living in a push-button world, and the MetroWest suburbs are its latest frontier. The startup offers its mobile app to retail liquor stores in four major cities, including Chicago, New York City (plus the Hamptons) and Los Angeles. But bringing the services to MetroWest towns that include Natick and Wayland, to start, will test the viability of the Drizly app on suburbanites, a departure from the urban dwellers Drizly has catered to since launching last year.

Staples has completed its acquisition of a Canadian digital media firm that the Framingham-based office supplies retailer said would broaden its online offerings and functionality for its business customers. In a statement, Staples said it acquired all shares of PNI Digital Media of Vancouver for $1.70 (Canadian) per share ($1.58 US). Staples said PNI's stock will be delisted from the Toronto Stock Exchange and the OTC QB marketplace later this week.

The union representing Massachusetts public school teachers announced a boycott of Framingham-based Staples on Monday to protest the opening of U.S. Postal Service retail centers inside company stores.

Independent pharmacy Hopkinton Drug is taking CVS Caremark to task in court, after the pharmacy benefits manager moved to end a contract that could devastate the Main Street business.