Staff reports

Federated adds eyewear, card line

Federated Department Stores said Friday that some of its stores would include boutiques featuring merchandise from eyeglass maker LensCrafters Inc. and card company American Greetings Corp.

Federated, parent of Lazarus-Macy's and Bloomingdale's, said it is opening its first optical in-store boutique at Bon-Macy's in Tacoma, Wash., with four more locations planned through February 2004.

Federated also said it will place American Greetings' upscale Winking Moon Press card line in kiosks in gift locations at 41 of its stores.

Multi-Color plans 3-for-2 stock split

Directors of Multi-Color Corp. have approved a 3-for-2 stock split for the Cincinnati label and packaging supplier payable on Nov. 30 to shareholders of record on Nov. 17.

It's Multi-Color's second stock split in two years.

GE retirees get bonus payment

General Electric Co. will make a special one-time payment totaling $125 million to about 142,000 retirees next month.

The payment, equal to one month's basic pension benefit, will go to those who retired from GE on or before Jan. 1, 2002. The parent of GE Aircraft Engines in Evendale said previously that it would make the additional pension payment after agreeing to raise the benefit in negotiations with its unions in June.

IHOP adding 15-20 restaurants

IHOP Corp. said Thursday that it plans to open 15 to 20 new restaurants in Greater Cincinnati over the next four years at a cost of $20 million to $25 million.

IHOP, best known for its pancakes, said it chose Cincinnati for expansion because of its strong market characteristics, the availability of sufficient locations and the lack of existing IHOP restaurants.

IHOP, based in Glendale, Calif., operates restaurants in 48 states, offering a menu of more than 16 types of pancakes, as well as omelettes, breakfast specialties, burgers, sandwiches, chicken and steaks