Retail Roundup: Carmageddon retail therapy, retail sales, Borders bankruptcy, Toys R Us IPO

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-- Three Westfield centers in the Southland -- Century City, Culver City and Fashion Square in Sherman Oaks -- will be offering giveaways and special deals during ‘Carmageddon’ weekend to help shoppers survive the 405 Freeway shutdown. At all three malls, shoppers can enter to win the ‘I survived the 405’ prize -- a $500 gas card and, for the rest of the year, free valet parking and a car wash once a month. The centers will also be hosting individual promotions, such as a tailgate party at Westfield Culver City from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, and a free screening of ‘L.A. Story’ at Westfield Century City at 8:30 p.m. Saturday.

-- Retail sales were up slightly in June, rising a modest 0.1%, the Commerce Department said. The results were helped by sales of cars and at big chain stores; excluding autos, sales were flat.

-- Borders is facing liquidation after creditors rejected a bid by private equity firm Najafi Cos. that would have kept the bankrupt bookseller running. Creditors said the offer was too low; Najafi could still bid for the bookseller in a possible upcoming bankruptcy auction.

-- Toys R Us, which filed paperwork for an IPO two years ago, is not expected to go public until 2012, according to Reuters. Analysts said the toy giant probably would wait until after the holidays to avoid distractions during its most important time of the year.

-- Andrea Chang