Another Airmall open house; airport building in the works
A Pittsburgh International Airport Airmall open house was so successful last weekend that officials want to do it again. The Allegheny County Airport Authority is looking at scheduling another open house sometime in the spring, acting executive director James Gill said Thursday. Airmall shops usually are off limits to members of the general public who do not have a ticket to fly. Airmall sales in the center core of the airside building where nearly all retailers are located were up 113 percent over what the shops normally do over the same period. Separately, the authority is working with the Pittsburgh Airport Area Chamber of Commerce to build a new one-story building on airport land near the Cherrington office park.
More consumers see growth in ’15 economy, survey shows
More consumers in Western Pennsylvania are feeling positive about the economy in the year ahead than they were last year, according to an annual survey from Huntington Bank. Forty-four percent expect the local economy to be better in 2015 compared with 38 percent who felt that way last year. Around half of respondents reported plans to spend money on home improvements next year, up from 33 percent. Sixteen percent expect to purchase a new car in 2015, up from 4 percent a year ago.
Regional credit unions featured on problem list
Five Pittsburgh-area credit unions landed on BauerFinancial’s list of problem financial institutions for the third quarter. They included Beaver Avenue credit union, North Side; Iron Workers, Downtown; Pittco of Pittsburgh, Downtown; Pittsburgh Central, Sewickley; and Shacog, Mt. Lebanon. Institutions earning two stars or fewer out of five end up on the independent research group’s list. Each of the local credit unions earned two stars. There were no area banks on the problem list.
Mylan announces new generic medications
Mylan Inc. said it launched the generic version of Pfizer’s arthritis medication Celebrex and the generic version of Shionogi’s Orapred anti-inflammatory tablets and Hikma Maple Ltd.’s Robaxin injection used to treat acute muscle and bone pain.
Burger chain launches first location in region
Denver-based burger restaurant chain Smashburger opened its first Pittsburgh-area location in Monroeville this week. Earlier this year, the company said it had a franchise agreement with Expandable Technologies and expected to open four new locations in the market over the next few years.
Holiday shopping on track to meet forecast of 4.1%
The National Retail Federation said retail sales in November rose 3.2 percent unadjusted over a year ago, putting holiday shopping on track to meet its earlier forecast of a 4.1 percent increase over last year for November and December combined. Lower gas prices and some improvement in wages have helped, said the Washington, D.C., trade group’s chief economist, Jack Kleinhenz.
Takata air bag woes spur more recalls
Honda, Nissan and Mitsubishi announced more recalls Thursday for the same possibly defective Takata air bags that Toyota recalled earlier this month after one exploded during scrapping in Japan.
First Published: December 12, 2014, 5:00 a.m.