Peanut Butter Supplier to Whole Foods, Starbucks, Target Shut Down by FDA

The Sunland Inc. plant that distributes products to Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, Target and others is linked to Salmonella contamination that made at least 41 people ill in 20 states.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Monday that it has blocked food distribution from the Sunland Inc. peanut butter plant in New Mexico whose products were subject to a wide recall in recent months because of salmonella contamination. (Sign up here for the FREE Patch Newsletter, including Breaking News Alerts.) The plant supplies peanut butter products to stores, restaurants and retailers like Starbucks (there's one in Olivette at 9200 Olive Boulevard). The various types of Sunland peanut butter products—sold under several brands by major food retailers, including Starbucks, Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, and Target—had been part of a voluntary recall that began in September and later was expanded to include other nut butters as …

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Black Friday West County Wrap: Here's What's Open And When

If you plan to partake in the bounty of Black Friday sales, here's a breakdown of what stores are opening early for St. Louis sale seekers.

A number of stores and malls are beginning Black Friday sales earlier than ever before in the St. Louis area. Simply click on the links below for more details. Are you heading out to brave the crowds this Black Friday? If so, where are you shopping? What are you hoping to find? Tell us in the comments. If you know of a Black Friday sale we forgot to mention - please post it in the comments below!

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'Black Friday Creep' Spurs Online Petition Drives to Save Thanksgiving

Thousands are signing an online petition protesting Target's plans to open at 9 p.m. on Thanksgiving to offer Black Friday sales.

'Black Friday Creep' Spurs Online Petition Drives to Save Thanksgiving

Thousands are signing an online petition protesting Target's plans to open at 9 p.m. on Thanksgiving to offer Black Friday sales.

The petition was reportedly created by a Target employee upset that the retail giant is opening on Thanksgiving and requiring employees to work instead of spending time with their families. (Sign up here for the FREE Patch Newsletter, including Breaking News Alerts.) Target stores, including the one in Town and Country, will open their doors at 9 p.m. on Thanksgiving. As of Tuesday morning, there are more than 179,000 signatures on the petition. (Check out the petition here.) Target is joining other retailers, inlcuding Walmart, that are opening on Thanksgiving to get a jump on Black Friday holiday shoppers. A press release from Change.org reported that they have seen dozens of new petitions pop up about Black Friday hours. "Following a …

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Black Friday Shopping in St. Louis to Start Earlier Than Ever in 2012

Walmart announced a Thanksgiving Day start to its sales. Target, Toys R Us, and Best Buy aren't far behind.

Serious shoppers know Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, is the day for bargains. (For instant updates follow Patch on Facebook and Twitter.) Retailers are opening earlier than ever this year with sales to entice holiday shoppers. Walmart has set the bar at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day for 2012 sales to start. Will other stores follow? Macy’s, Target and Toys R Us are among a growing number of shops kicking off Black Friday sales at midnight, the St. Louis Business Journal reports. Area mall doors will open at various times, though some of their stores may or may not be open then. Many sales haven't been announced yet. Target offers a signup to receive text messages of sales, and previews a 40-inch Toshiba TV, a Samsung laptop …

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Seasonal Jobs Abound as Holiday Season Approaches

Many St. Louis-area big box retail stores are hiring seasonal workers to help handle the holiday shopping season.

Thousands of jobs are on the way to St. Louis as big-box retail stores such as Walmart and Target are set to hire seasonal employees in anticipation of the holiday shopping rush. According to a St. Louis Business Journal report, Walmart plans on hiring more than 50,000 seasonal employees, although it's not sure how many of those jobs will be for the store's 20 St. Louis-area locations, including the Manchester Highlands store. Walmart's not the only store hiring. Many of the Christmas season's go-to stores are also looking for seasonal help. The Business Journal reports that Target is set to hire between 80,000 to 90,000 workers across the country, while Kohl's plans to hire 52,000 workers. And Macy's, which has three locations in the St. …

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Getting a Job at Target: Not so Easy?

Target applicants used to have to complete 704 true/false questions about everything from politics to their sex life.

Looking for a job, either as full-time, part-time or seasonal?  Sounds like if you want to work at Target it's not easy to get in. An article by AOL suggests it's harder to get into Target than Harvard. Here's the process at a California Target, according to the article: "Target's hiring process for its new stores has been designed with military precision. Applicants take an on-spot assessment test, interview with two current employees, and are then escorted to the bathroom for an on-site drug test. If all goes well, they'll get a job offer, assuming their background check comes up clean." Have you, or are you planning on applying for a position at the Brentwood Promenade Target? A caller to the store is told to apply online. Do you have …

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Scottie

1:26 pm on Friday, September 7, 2012

Grab a shovel...   more ›

Walmart, Target Back-to-School Supplies Compared

Walmart in Manchester and Target in Town and Country both have school supplies, so 'Patch' did some price shopping.

If you plan to get your back-to-school shopping done this weekend, hopefully this will help you. Patch shopped a St. Louis area 8th grade school supply list at a local Walmart and Target. It's complicated, of course, because of the vast array of options in every category. At both stores, supplies can be found in office supply and special school supply areas. (For instant news updates follow Patch on Facebook and Twitter.)  Patch looked for the most economical options, keeping in mind what is on the school list. You might make different choices from what Patch found, for instance, you might want to buy a box of 50 colored pencils, or 10.  So take this research with a grain of salt, but if it makes your shopping any easier...Great! Target …

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Target Facebook Contest - Vote for West County Schools

Target is giving away one $25 gift certificate for every 25 votes schools earn in the retail store's online promotion.

Thanks to Patch Facebook fan Jill Davis for alerting us to this online promotion earning local schools some much-needed funds! Target is giving away $2.5 million in Target gift cards, and our schools need your votes. (Be sure to "Like" Patch on Facebook - check out our page here.) To vote, go to the Give With Target on Facebook site, search for the school you want to earn money and vote for them. (Note: You need a Facebook account to access the contest.) Schools receive a $25 Target gift card for every 25 votes they earn, up to a maximum of $10,000 in gift cards. So cast your vote for Parkway, Westminster, The Principia, Kennedy or CBC by following the link above. You can vote every week. Voting ends September 8 or when $2.5 million in …

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The Business Break-Down

The Effect of Town & Country Crossing Vacancies After Four Years

New owner Ramco-Gershenson, Inc. wants the shopping plaza to be a night time destination, not just another neighborhood strip mall.

Town & Country Crossing has struggled to find retailers after opening more than four years ago. The plaza has space for 310,000 square feet of shopping--up to 44 stores and restaurants. Only 29 shops, restaurants and a bank are currently open. In December 2011, the complex was purchased by Michigan-based Ramco-Gershenson Properties Trust for a reported $37.8 million. (Read Previous Story: Town and Country Crossing Shopping Center Sold) Representatives of Ramco-Gershenson are optimistic that they can turn the center into a “lifestyle destination” for evening entertainment, as well as unique daytime shopping experiences. They plan to court national chains at a Vegas convention in June. “We’ll sit down with a universe of tenants who like to …

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