Amazon.com, Inc.

SEATTLE -- Is Amazon.com fixing to be the Web's Wal-Mart Supercenter? The leading e-tailer took what might be a first step in that direction yesterday, by adding a new grocery store to its mega e-merchandising site that will hawk more than 10,000 non-perishable grocery items "with convenience and low prices." Online food retailing may never be the same.

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- More than 3,000 attendees from all over the country came to find out what's new in kosher, halal, and other ethnic foods at the first World Ethnic Market/KosherWorld trade show held in Anaheim, Calif. last month. The show was co-located with Natural Products Expo West.

INGOMAR, Pa. -- Michael Bergdahl, a full-time motivational speaker and writer based here, has published "The 10 Rules of Sam Walton," (Wiley, May 2006), his second book to reveal the secrets behind Wal-Mart's success and show readers how they might emulate some of the Bentonville, Ark.-based retail behemoth's most effective entrepreneurial strategies. His previous book, published in 2004, "What I Learned from Sam Walton: How to Compete and Thrive in a Wal-Mart World," details his experiences working for the world's largest retailer.

BELLEVUE, Wash. -- Front-of-store solution provider Coinstar, Inc. has added Borders Books & Music and Waldenbooks stores to its selection of gift cards in its Coin to Card program.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Several industry movers and shakers spoke yesterday on the importance of retailer and supplier collaboration, during the GMA Merchandising, Sales, and Marketing (MSM) Conference here.

HOUSTON, Texas -- Gerlands here today added a new feature to its Coinstar kiosk that allows shoppers to purchase Amazon.com gift certificates using cash or coins.

NEW YORK -- Gristedes Supermarkets here continues to broaden its national e-commerce presence, most recently with Cubans--sandwiches, that is, in partnership with Freeport, N.Y.-based Roadhouse Foods.

NORWALK, Conn. -- Stew Leonard Jr., president and c.e.o. of Stew Leonard's, based here, and his wife, Karen, have produced their second children's book about water safety, "Swimming Lessons with Stewie the Duck," to be released May 1 by Kimberly Press. The Leonards have been devoted to the cause of water safety since the 1989 drowning death of their 21-month-old son, Stew Leonard III, while the family was vacationing in the Caribbean.