Watching Circuit City in its final days before closing is painful for most people in Highlands County. Landing that major electronics store was a big deal and added a new level of shopping in this area. All we can hope for now is that another similar business takes its place. ...more

February 18, 2009

Just as Circuit City shuts down, a rival electronics retailer is preparing to enter the Tampa Bay area and challenge Best Buy. ...more

February 12, 2009

The Indianapolis-based appliance and electronics chain HHGregg is finishing its first local store in the Market Square shopping center near Interstate 75 and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard in New Tampa. It's also scouting other potential store sites around the Bay area, but hasn't yet committed to any other new stores other than one in Sarasota. Its closest store to the area at the moment is in Lakeland. ...more

February 11, 2009

START YOUR DAY OUT RIGHT Whoever connected the dots between Valentine's Day and chocolate, our hat's off to you. Seriously. Well done. But though it's one thing to enjoy chocolate, it's quite another to eat, sleep and breathe it. Chocolate connoisseur Barbara Passino, famous for making decadent breakfasts at her Napa Valley inn, would like you to start your day with chocolate. Her recipes in her new book, "Chocolate for Breakfast" (The Gerald & Marc Hoberman Collection, $40) include Chocolate Omelet with Blueberries in Pinot Noir sauce, Poached Apples in Chocolate Gingerbread Cookie Cups and Chocolate-Chocolate Pancakes. Now, there's an idea we can get behind. ...more

February 8, 2009

Authorities have arrested a former employee of a Best Buy store in West Palm Beach for allegedly stealing credit card numbers of some 4,000 customers. ...more

February 7, 2009

Preston Parker's troubled football career at Florida State is over after his second arrest in less than a year. ...more

February 2, 2009

Retailers beware - don't wait until you're broke to file for bankruptcy. ...more

January 21, 2009

Are you sick of hearing about the digital TV transition yet? You could be. I don't blame you. America is waking up to a lot of frustrating, infuriating, expensive glitches with that transition to come. ...more

January 10, 2009

Circuit City Stores Inc. said Friday it is in talks with two parties that could buy the company or provide additional financing for it to stay in business. ...more

January 10, 2009

Best Buy Co., the nation's largest consumer electronics chain, narrowed its fiscal 2009 adjusted earnings forecast Friday and said it will take an approximately $60 million fourth-quarter charge related to some employee buyouts. ...more

January 10, 2009