5 things: Walmart buys a shopping mall5 things: Walmart buys a shopping mall

Walmart gets a mall: Talk about a 90s throwback—Walmart now owns a mall. On Tuesday, the big-box retailer confirmed that it bought the Monroeville Mall, some 12 miles east of Pittsburgh, in a $34 million all-cash deal, according to reporting from CNBC. Malls have been hot lately—some have added new, trendy restaurants, some have converted stores into apartments or condos, and still others have become Amazon fulfillment centers. (Oh, the irony?) Walmart didn’t respond to a request for comment regarding its plans for the mall, but a rep from the company that will ultimately manage the space told CNBC the focus will be a “retail-driven, mixed-use project,” complete with some housing. Add “landlord” to Walmart’s list of identifiers. —Chloe Riley

Eggs mysteriously poached in Pennsylvania: In a time when egg prices are at an all-time high due to the avian flu and inflation, workers at Pete & Gerry’s Organics were egg-hausted to find that 100,000 eggs were stolen from their facility. The 8,000 cartons of eggs, worth $40,000, were taken from the back of a distribution trailer around 8:40 p.m. on Sunday. It’s unclear what the thieves will do with the eggs, but the Greencastle company, which distributes organic eggs from family farms to retailers, is scrambling to beef up security. “It could happen once, it could happen again,” CEO Tom Flocco said on “Good Morning America.” “We are putting additional measures in place.” Hopefully, they crack the case soon. —Ally MacConchie

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Grocery bagger-slash-crooner: Twenty-nine-year-old Jordan Krolak has worked as a bagger at the Lunds & Byerlys store in White Bear Lake, Minn., for five years, according to the Fox affiliate, KMSP, there. But every month, he performs in the supermarket’s mezzanine area, crooning jazz standards made famous by Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Tony Bennett. Krolak, who has autism, often draws others with special needs to his shows. His mom, Melanie, said it has been difficult for her son to make friends. But he has created a following through his music. “People may prejudge initially, and then when he opens his mouth, they’re kind of surprised,” she said. Fans, who call themselves “Jordies,” show up to Jordan’s performances wearing black fedoras with puzzle ribbons to show their support of people with autism, the TV station said. —Heather Lalley

U.S. groceries canceled? It was quite a week in the grocery world with another potential crisis out of Washington in the form of 25% tariffs on the U.S.’s biggest trading partners — Canada and Mexico. The whole tariff situation — in North America at least, sorry China — was put on hold by President Trump just before they were to go into effect, but the threat to Canadian workers has prompted a backlash against U.S. products, Politico reports. A story out of Ottawa noted that Canadians aren’t just booing “The Star-Spangled Banner” at sporting events, they’re also taking a pass on grocery items that are notably produced in the U.S. — think Florida oranges. The story goes on to say that #BOYCOTTUSA has been trending for days on X. The outrage is not only centered on tariffs, but also the claim by President Trump that he wants to turn Canada into the 51st state. —Tim Inklebarger

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She meant to say: When you are new at the job, there is a honeymoon phase in which most mishaps are taken with a smile or a giggle, and can be followed up with the phrase, “Isn’t that cute? They are new here.” Well, the honeymoon clock is ticking for White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who has been on the job for only a couple of weeks and faces the daily peppering from journalists. This week, Fox Business’ Edward Lawrence asked Leavitt when prices will come down under President Trump’s watch. Leavitt asked for clarification: “Prices at the store and at the grocery pump?” Lawrence said all prices, and without missing a beat, Leavitt provided an answer. The youngest White House Press Secretary in history meant to say gas pump but was soon lit up on social media for her verbal slip. This could be the beginning of a rocky relationship. —Bill Wilson

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