By TERESA F. LINDEMAN, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Merchants, whose potential customers have been glued to depressing financial headlines for weeks, are trying to resuscitate the holiday spirit in a way that lets people feel good about however much they decide to spend.

With gasoline prices up and money tight, more Americans are trying to shop closer to home, making this a great moment to have a food store just around the corner.

While the past decade has left grocery-sized holes in neighborhoods all over the country, the industry has an answer.

Traffic to, a Web site that critiques frozen dinners, rose 10 percent in the past couple of weeks, and founder Abi Jones isn't exactly sure why.

Every time ad executive Michael Brunner sees a particular national ad on TV, he is struck by how much it looks like an idea his staff shared with that company last year. The company is no longer a client.

"They say they were thinking of something similar to it," said the head of Brunner advertising. He may have his doubts but he conceded, "We can't prove that."

Adding to the already strong international flavor to the tuna offerings in the grocery store. San Francisco-based Del Monte Foods Co. has agreed to sell its seafood business to a South Korean firm.

The sale of the Charlie the Tuna line for $363 million to Dongwon Enterprise Co. will mark the third popular brand of tuna owned by overseas companies.

The prize of the summer of 2008 seems obvious. It's gas, of course.

Gas to make it easier to justify that new Chrysler, which is promoting sales by subsidizing the fuel. Gas to lure shoppers to stores. Gas to encourage tourists to spend a few nights in town.

The tax rebates that began showing up in bank accounts via direct deposit this week originally weren't expected until the end of the week, leaving some retailers scrambling to make sure the economic stimulus handouts end up in their cash registers.

"We were a little surprised by this," admitted Sears Holding Corp. spokeswoman Kirsten Whipple.

Macy's put solar panels on some store roofs, is working to cut energy use, recycling more and generally trying to "green up." But the department store still wants shoppers to use bags. Some bag, any bag.

A Web store that quietly opened for business in recent weeks represents the broadest move yet by Pittsburgh teen retailer American Eagle Outfitters to expand its experiment in clothing 28- to 40-year-olds. Until now, the brand's customers were mainly those living near its 20 shops around the country.

Shares of Whole Foods Markets closed Monday at almost $33, a slide from the 52-week high of just over $53 set in early October and far from the $70 levels of early 2006.