Sweets and Shopping

This June is National Candy Month, meaning you can eat all of these and more. Started by the National Confectioner’s Association (according to them, they’re “a trade association that advances, protects and promotes chocolate, candy, gum and mints”), the holiday celebrates the value candy adds to our lives. Candy has been produced for over 100 years, which means you have a lot of catching up to do if you want to eat it all. Target is extending its $2-an-hour coronavirus wage increase for its store and distribution workers through July 4. According to the Star Tribune, which was first to report the news, CEO Brian Cornell informed workers about the extension in an email on Monday morning. Target first announced it would be raising wages in March. "At the outset of the pandemic, we knew there was a long road ahead, that we would have to pace ourselves. These pay and benefits extensions are intended to help you and your family do just that as we all continue to support each other and move forward," Cornell said, according to the Star Tribune. As malls and retailers begin to reopen this month, many shoppers are getting a shock. Your mall may not look the same. Here are some of the stores that may still be closed, so you don’t waste your money. The balloons are out, and the doors are open at retailers everywhere. Store owners like Kelly Stevens are hoping the shoppers come back. "It's a very tough environment to be in, very scary, but I'm trying to stay positive." But it’s already too late for thousands of stores that were struggling long before the pandemic hit, such as Victoria's Secret, which is closing 250 locations. That's a quarter of its stores.