General Merchandise

CINCINNATI — Leaving the iconic Times Square clean and sparkling is a huge job, but somebody's got to do it. A 25-person "Mr. Clean Team" worked tirelessly alongside the New York City Department of Sanitation and the Times Square Alliance on Jan. 1 to give the area a thorough scrub-down following the massive New Year's celebration and they had some help thanks to one of Procter & Gamble's newest products. 

PURCHASE, N.Y. — U.S. retail sales reportedly rose 3.5% between Nov. 1 and Dec. 24, 2013 compared to the same period in the prior year. According to data from MasterCard Advisors SpendingPulse, sales of holiday-related categories, such as clothing, electronics and luxury goods, rose 2.3%, after rising 0.7% in 2012.

NEW YORK — Clearette, a manufacturer of electronic cigarettes, has ordered specialized equipment in an effort to improve production output in hopes to allow volume increases.  

MIDDLETON, Wis. — Rayovac will showcase a new line of portable mobile charging devices at the upcoming 2014 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas from Jan. 7 to Jan. 10, 2014.  

NEW YORK — The New York City Council has voted to ban electronic cigarettes in such public venues as bars, restaurants, beaches, parks and office buildings, according to published reports.

CAMP HILL, Pa. — Rite Aid is extending store hours and featuring gift items as the holiday shopping season comes to an end, the retail pharmacy chain said Friday.

The company said it would extend store hours through Monday, as well as keeping some stores open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, including some 24-hour stores.

MINNEAPOLIS — As consumers are reaching the final days to squeeze in their holiday shopping, Target has announced some last-minute deals.

Guests using Cartwheel, the retailer's unique savings program, can take advantage of a one-day sale on Dec. 19 when around 40 great gift items — ranging from toys to cookware — will have special offers with discounts ranging from 10% to 60% off. Cartwheel has gained more than 1 million new users this season alone, putting the number of guests signed up for the program at 4 million.