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Business briefs

Briefs and news of note.

By Times staff and wires
Published May 18, 2006

HSN rival to halt TV shopping venture

Fed up with $84-million in losses over its ill-fated four-year venture into TV shopping, E.W. Scripps Co. is pulling the plug on both its ShopAtHome TV shopping channel and its online retail counterpart Web site effective June 22. The network, one of several small upstart rivals to HSN of St. Petersburg, will keep some staff on board until June 30 to fill outstanding product orders. About 660 employees whose jobs are on the line will get severance, and five Scripps TV broadcast stations that carried nothing but ShopAtHome are searching for new programming. Scripps paid $285-million in two acquisitions to get in the TV shopping business, which never turned a profit for the Cincinnati media company.

Hispanic apparel chain to open in Tampa

Marianne/Marianne Plus, a moderately priced apparel chain that specializes in trendy fashion for Hispanic women, on Saturday opens its first store in the Tampa Bay area at University Mall in Tampa. With 60 stores in Puerto Rico, Marianne's owner Ethan Shapiro has targeted Florida for expansion to be closer to growing Hispanic population centers. The chain prices tops in the $10-to-$30 range and has 10 stores in the United States. Owned by Urban Brands Inc., Marianne is one of the few chains that sells trendy or contemporary fashion lines in sizes 2 through 24.

Office Depot to buy N.J. supplies dealer

Office Depot Inc. on Wednesday said it has agreed to acquire Allied Office Products, a privately held Clifton, N.J., office products and services dealer with annual revenues of $300-million. Delray Beach-based Office Depot said it will retain management of Allied, which owns the Keurig single-cup coffee brewing system, an office furniture dealer and service that allows clients to outsource office products and services procurement.

Vinoy named No. 1 Renaissance hotel

The Renaissance Vinoy Resort and Golf Club of St. Petersburg said Wednesday that it has been named the 2005 hotel of the year among the more than 70 North American locations that are part of Marriott International Inc.'s Renaissance Hotels & Resorts division. The award will be presented in August to Vinoy general manager Russ Bond during the annual gathering of all Renaissance national and international general managers.

UPS to expand again at Louisville, Ky., hub

UPS Inc. announced plans Wednesday for a second $1-billion expansion at its main air hub in Louisville, Ky., in recent years, this time adding 5,000 jobs as the world's largest shipping carrier anticipates strong growth in global commerce. The latest project will add 1.1-million square feet to the sprawling air hub known as UPS Worldport.

[Last modified May 18, 2006, 06:29:08]