Read more International Council of Shopping Centers stories on Newserhttp://www.newser.com/taggrid/790/international-council-of-shopping-centers.htmlhttp://img1-cdn.newser.com/images/newser-black250x40.gifhttp://www.newser.com/2012 - Newseren-usNewser Feed GeneratorSat, 26 May 2012 10:39:52 CDThttp://www.newser.com/story/18435/slow-jan-sales-worry-retailers.htmlJim O'Neill<img src='http://img2-cdn.newser.com/getimage.aspx?mediaid=71745&width=45&height=45&crop=Y&updateddate=20110401022158' border='0' />Winter storms and lagging gift-card redemption iced Wal-Mart’s January same-store sales growth, the retailer said, raising concerns the US is in a recession, reports the Wall Street Journal . Wal-Mart expected 2% sales growth in stores open more than a year, but saw sales bump just 0.5%. Its 1.4%...A sign stands in front of the Wal-Mart Stores Inc. headquarters in Bentonville, Ark., in this Friday, Oct. 5, 2007 file photo.http://www.newser.com/story/18435/slow-jan-sales-worry-retailers.htmlThu, 07 Feb 2008 08:46:47 CSThttp://www.newser.com/story/1055/small-towns-to-chain-stores-let-us-shop.htmlHeather McPherson<img src='http://img1-cdn.newser.com/getimage.aspx?mediaid=2096&width=45&height=45&crop=Y&updateddate=20110401035605' border='0' />Small towns and exurbs are bending over backwards to woo national retail chains, Governing magazine reports from the International Council of Shopping Centers' convention. Phalanxes of city reps descend on the dizzingly massive—and cutthroat—annual spring conference in Vegas, attempting to raise their profile and land a Pottery Barn...National chain stores give small towns an image boosthttp://www.newser.com/story/1055/small-towns-to-chain-stores-let-us-shop.htmlWed, 04 Apr 2007 16:24:08 CDT