Retail

Framingham-based office supply retailer Staples Inc. will open a development center in Seattle to boost its ecommerce efforts, the company announced today.

Littleton-based equestrian retailer Dover Saddlery Retail announced plans to open its first store in Florida.

Two years ago, Northborough became the first Massachusetts community to host a huge Wegmans supermarket. Now, Wal-Mart...

TJX Cos. has alluded to a planned launch of a new e-commerce site for its off-price retail brands, including Marshalls, TJ Maxx and HomeGoods, a number of times over the last year. But it seems the Framingham-based company, which raked in higher-than-expected revenue in its most recent quarter, is taking a measured approach.

Sales professionals have a general positive outlook on their industry, according to a new Monster.com survey. The survey found than 42 percent of respondents felt confident they could find a new job if they needed one. Meanwhile, 58 percent surveyed said they would relocate for the right opportunity.

In an earnings report today, Framingham-based Staples Inc. attributed a 2-percent decrease in total company sales in its second quarter to the closure of 103 stores in North America and Europe over the last 12 months.

TJX Cos. raised its full-year guidance today after reporting second-quarter earnings that beat the company's expectations.

After more than 100 years of calling Framingham home, Avery Dennison Retail Branding and Information Solutions has moved its headquarters next door to Westborough, the company announced.

Still waiting for the final sales tallies, retailers on Tuesday reported a robust tax-free holiday weekend. Unlike previous years, this year's tax-free holiday shopping spree began before last weekend with many retailers offering pre-weekend sales throughout the month. “There were so many promotions where you got the reductions, but you technically paid the sales tax,” said Jon Hurst, president of the Retailers Association of Massachusetts.

Retailers saw a slight 0.2-percent increase in sales last month, in line with analysts' expectations, but year over year, sales jumped 5.4 percent, indicating growing strength in consumer spending.