VENTURE CAPITAL POST

Starting last week, Kmart, the U.S. retail company under Sears Holding Corp. brings back its No Money Down Layaway Program and launches No Money Down Leasing for holiday shoppers.

Office-supply retailer Staples Inc (SPLS.O) said about 1.16 million payment cards might have been affected by the data breach announced in October.

Struggling Sears Holdings Corp (SHLD.O) said it would raise up to $380 million by selling most of its stake in Sears Canada Inc (SCC.TO) through a rights issue, generating much-needed cash ahead of the crucial holiday shopping season.

Houston, Texas-based home decor retail chain Garden Ridge bought a former Kmart store located along Reynolds Road in Southern Toledo for $1.6 million to renovate and re-occupy the said property.

Sears Holdings Corp will be halting the operations of its flagship store in Chicago in April in a bid to bring down the number of its outlets and rely more on online retail, Reuters reported.

Private equity firm Hellman & Friedman is reportedly considering to sell Catalina Marketing Corp. in a deal that could fetch $2 billion to $2.5 billion. Catalina provides customer-driven marketing services to over 25,000 grocery, drug and department stores in the US.

Sears Holdings Corp, which had been selling and closing stores to turn around its business, will be spinning off its Lands' End clothing business. The spinoff will be through a pro rata distribution of the apparel retailer's shares to Sears shareholders.

More investors discouraged by the declining fortunes of ESL Investment's stake in Sears Holdings Corp. are heading for the exit. American billionaire Edward Lampert owns ESL Investments and leads Sears Holdings.

Irate shoppers say they will not be spending a dime on stores that will open early as early as 6 A.M. on Thanksgiving for Black Friday and threatening a boycott.

Tara Poseley of Kmart hired as new chief product officer of Lululemon.