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Atlanta Business Chronicle by , Senior Online Editor Date: Friday, June 22, 2012, 3:51pm EDT Related: Retailing & Restaurants, Legal Services Popular rock duo The Black Keys sued The Home Depot Inc. and Pizza Hut. Senior Online Editor- Atlanta Business Chronicle Popular rock duo The Black Keys sued The Home Depot Inc. The Home Depot Inc. Latest from The Business Journals Isakson is wealthiest Georgian in CongressArthur BlankBernie Marcus Follow this company and Pizza Hut alleging the companies used the band’s “Lonely Boy” and “Gold on the Ceiling” songs

Macy’s CEO Terry Lundgren is scheduled to give a deposition in July in a contract dispute with Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc., Bloomberg reported. Macy’s sued to stop Martha Stewart Living from executing a sales agreement with J.C. Penney. Cincinnati-based Macy’s said it has the exclusive right to sell Martha Stewart-branded products in certain categories. J.C. Penney acquired a 17 percent stake in Martha Stewart Living for $38.5 million. Lundgren is scheduled for a half-day of questioning on July 3 in advance of a July 13 hearing.

Teen clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch plans to close 180 U.S. stores over the next few years as it tries to improve its financial performance. Abercrombie used to generate most of its sales in the U.S. but has shifted its focus to overseas markets such as Europe and Asia, where it's still growing. The chain has already closed 135 underperforming U.S. stores over the past two years.

The world’s virtual flea market, eBay, has set up shop in Russia. The Russian subsidiary will be headed by Vladimir Dolgov, a former Google manager in Russia, Vedomosti daily reported. eBay has been considering the Russian market since 2010, when its international shopping system eBay International Market (eIM) was launched. The platform allowed people living in Russia to search for products around the world, compare them with other products and buy them through the eIM Russian interface. 

San Antonio Business Journal by , Reporter/Project Coordinator Walmart will hire more than 1,000 employees in the city once the retailer's planned store expansion is completed. Reporter/Project Coordinator- San Antonio Business Journal With its latest project now a done deal, Walmart is releasing some new figures regarding four new Supercenter stores in San Antonio. The stores, which will open between 2013 and 2014, will bring 1,200 new jobs to San Antonio, according to officials with the Bentonville, Ark.-based chain. Of the four new stores in the works by Walmart, three are set to open in 2013 — the fourth,

Bazaarvoice released the fourth edition of The Conversation Index, its quarterly research series that turns millions of consumer conversations into a strong data signal for brands and marketers. Derived entirely from first-person input from people across the globe, every edition of The Conversation Index provides tangible ways for brands to improve sales, loyalty and products.

Hallmark has announced a strategic alliance with Shutterfly, an internet-based social expression and personal publishing service. The alliance, which will roll out in phases, includes co-branded online and retail-based product offerings. Initially, the agreement calls for more than 1,000 exclusive Hallmark-designed customizable cards to be featured on Shutterfly's new personalized greeting card site, Treat.com. 

The Home Depot plans to spend $1.3 billion on new technology and $700 million to build 36 new stores from 2013-2015, according to a report by Investors Daily. The report was based on remarks from Home Depot's Senior Vice President of Finance Ted Decker, made Tuesday at Jefferies Global Consumer Conference. Decker also said the company plans to build “new state-of-the-art distribution facilities” to leverage its stores.

Apple is raising hourly pay for employees at its U.S. retail stores by as much as 25 percent, following an internal review period earlier this year. Apple employs the equivalent of 36,000 full-time staffers at its more than 350 retail stores around the globe. About two-thirds of the stores are in the U.S. Apple Store workers are typically paid about $9 to $15 an hour at the sales level, and up to about $30 an hour at its "Genius" tech support teams.

Camp Hill, Pa. -- Rite Aid Corp. reported Thursday that it narrowed its loss in the first quarter to $28.1 million, from a loss of $63.1 million in the year-ago quarter. Revenue rose 1.2% to $6.5 billion from $6.4 billion, edging Wall Street’s forecasted $6.47 billion in revenue. Same-store sales increased 2.5% in the quarter. “Our turnaround efforts continue to be successful as demonstrated by our sixth consecutive quarter of increased same-store sales,” said Rite Aid chairman, president and CEO John Standley. “The ground-breaking Wellness store format continued to gain traction.”