Bargain Depot opens at 23rd Street location

A new 23rd Street business hopes to find a niche by selling everything from tools to housewares at prices up to 50 percent off.

Bargain Depot, 1547 E. 23rd St., which opened nearly three weeks ago, devotes half its inventory to tools and the other half to a variety of “close-out” merchandise it buys at a discount from other companies.

The store, located in the former Hill’s Home Furnishings building near 23rd and Harper streets, stocks tools, housewares, furniture, camping gear, carpet and other home improvement items.

The store, owned by Overland Park businessman Herb Hitz, above, employs 12 people, and is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday and from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Accounting: Federal prosecutors investigating Xerox

Federal prosecutors are investigating accounting practices at Xerox Corp. that were previously reviewed by securities regulators in a probe that led to a record $10 million civil penalty against the copy machine maker.

The Stamford, Conn.-based company issued a statement Monday night announcing the new investigation and saying it would cooperate with prosecutors.

Xerox spokeswoman Christa Carone declined to comment Monday on the new investigation. A spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office also declined to comment.

Agriculture: ConAgra Foods sheds meatpacking business

The chief executive of ConAgra Foods is literally trimming the fat, as well as the meat, out of his company.

In an effort to revitalize Omaha, Neb.-based ConAgra, CEO Bruce Rohde said the largest food service company is getting out of the meatpacking business and is prepared to shed other farm-related companies as it concentrates on big brands and value-added foods.

That focus was what led ConAgra to sell 54 percent of its meatpacking business under ConAgra Meats to Hicks, Muse, Tate and Furst Inc. of Dallas and Booth Creek Management Inc. of Vail, Colo., Rohde said.

Announced in May, the deal was to close in August, but was delayed when ConAgra Beef had nearly 19 million pounds of ground beef recalled because of E. coli contamination at its plant in Greeley, Colo.

Food industry: Chip maker to reduce fat

Frito-Lay Inc., whose chips are frequently a target for nutritionists, said Tuesday it would eliminate an especially harmful type of fat from its products and offer more reduced-fat snacks.

By early next year, Frito-Lay said it will switch from hydrogenated oils containing trans fatty acids to corn oil in cooking some of its most popular salty chips. Frito-Lay also will roll out reduced-fat versions of its Lay’s potato chips and Cheetos in the next few months, joining lighter products such as its Baked Lay’s,