Keeping you informed is one of our goals at The Motley Fool. So just in case you missed it, here's a recap of what happened during the week of 1/29/07-2/2/07 in the retail sector, as reported by our best and brightest.

Monday
As we moved into the heart of earnings season for retailers, we started the week off by looking at one of the biggies, McDonald's (NYSE:MCD). In our Fool on Call article about the company, where we examine the conference call for more information, Jeremy McNealy found plenty. And to learn why McDonald's will likely stay on a roll, simply click here to find out why Jeremy's still lovin' it.

Tuesday
With private equity firms awash in cash and looking for places to allocate it, lots of firms have come up as potential leveraged buyout targets. And with the struggles of clothing retailer Gap (NYSE:GPS) over the last several years, there's been plenty of speculation that Gap may be the next deal on the block. Is being private the best way for Gap to finally work out its problems and get back on the path of growth? Fools Anders Bylund and Rick Munarriz square off in a Duel to tackle that very question.

With the markets reaching record levels, it's getting tough to find a good bargain. Still, that doesn't mean we shouldn't be doing our homework to be ready for any opportunities should market sentiments changes. That's why I picked out three retailers to watch over the year just in case gravity takes its toll sometime in the near future.

Wednesday
"It's not easy being green," but that doesn't mean we shouldn't try. Heck, it's only the life of the planet we're dealing with, right? Regardless of whether global warming is entirely man-made or if there are natural periods of temperature changes over very long periods of time, we all have to do our part to protect Mother Earth. Wal-Mart (NYSE:WMT) has some big plans to do its share and to make a little green for shareholders in the process.

Thursday
Applebee's (NASDAQ:APPB) has been struggling as of late. Growth has slowed, and over the last few quarters, same-store sales have turned negative. Now the temperature in the kitchen is rising as an activist shareholder looks to drive some change in how value is created for shareholders. So has the company kicked the year off by bucking the trend? Click here to find out.

Whether pick-splitting riffs or beautiful arpeggios are your thing, Guitar Center (NASDAQ:GTRC) now has an even wider selection of orchestral instruments to go along with its Les Paul guitars and Marshall amp stacks. That's because it just finalized a deal that could lead to some nice future growth.

I imagine many of you are sipping on your second brew of the day. And there's a good chance you bought that second cup at a new Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) that recently popped up near you. That's because, despite its size, the company continues to grow. But is store count the only thing growing at the caffeine slinger?

Friday
Whoa! That's today. Better check out the site to see what's going on.

So that's the week that was in retail. Tune in to see what Foolishness the week ahead may have in store for you.

Gap and Wal-Mart are both Inside Value recommendations. Gap and Starbucks are both Stock Advisor selections.

Retail editor and Inside Value team member David Meier is ranked 329 out of 21,411 in CAPS and does not own shares in any of the companies mentioned. You can view his TMF profile here. The Fool takes its disclosure policy very seriously.