Seattle WA

Today kicks off the start of National Small Business Week, honoring the United States top entrepreneurs. This year, small business week is being honored in Seattle WA, Dallas TX, St. Louis MO, Pittsburgh PA, and Washington D.C. All cities will have featured events, forums, and keynotes designed to encourage small businesses.
 Matthew Shay, President and CEO of the National Retail Federation writes why he believes retail is America's small business and reminds us to think about the efforts that go into owning a small business.

Costco may expand its operations to Europe soon, and is mulling opening stores in Germany, Italy, France and Spain. Bloomberg reports James Murphy, international executive vice president for the Issaquah,Wash.-based retailing giant, said the company hasn't decided which European country will be first for its expansion there, and the first European store won't open for the "next couple of years."

Puget Sound Business Journal Amazon.com Inc. Amazon.com Inc. Latest from The Business Journals 'MIB 3' unseats 'Avengers' at box officeVance Corp. sells Plaza 600 building in Seattle's South Lake Union for .9MAmazon cuts ALEC ties Follow this company and Independent Publishers Group (IPG) have settled a three-month long dispute over electronic books. Publishers Weekly reports terms of the deal between Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) and IPG weren't disclosed. In February, Amazon pulled nearly 5,000 e-book titles from its site in a dispute with IPG, the second-biggest independent publishers group in the

SEATTLE, WA (BRAIN)REI this week reported an 8.4 percent jump in annual sales for 2011, to $1.66 billion, but operating income was down slightly, to $116.2 million from 2010s record $116.6 million. Net income was flat compared with 2010 at $30.2 million. We experienced strong sales in 2011. However, because winter weather failed to arrive, our profitability was impacted, said Brian Unmacht, REIs executive vice president. Looking ahead, our underlying strong financial position allows us to continue our growth plans and invest in ways that make it easy for customers and members to shop REI however they wishonline, on

SEATTLE, WA (BRAIN)—REI on Thursday announced plans to open new stores in Ohio and Oregon next year, and relocate a store in North Carolina. The three new locations are in addition to three previously announced openings planned for next year, in Indiana, California and Virginia. The openings will bring the cooperative's retail locations to about 130 in 29 states.                       The new locations: Cincinnati, Ohio: REI’s first location in Ohio will be nearly 22,000 square feet and open next fall. Medford, Oregon: The Medford store will be about 23,500 square feet and open next fall in Alba Village. Cary,