Chain Store Age Executive Fax articles from August 2005

Chain Store Age Executive Fax archives from August 2005

New stores, new markets.(Hart Stores Inc.'s plan to open five new stores)(planned Barnes & Noble location)(Dippin' Dots Franchising Inc. opens new location )(Brief Article)
August 5, 2005... Hart Stores Inc. will open a total of five new stores in August and September: two in Ontario and three in Quebec. The largest will be a 45,000-sq.-ft. location in Sudbury, Ontario.... Barnes & Noble, Inc. is expected to open a bookstore in...

Industry comps grow 3.6% in July; heat wave hurts some, helps some.
August 5, 2005... Retail sales came back to earth in July, as the industry as a whole posted a modest comparable-store-sales growth of 3.6% on a year-over-year basis, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers' (ICSC's) tally. "The July...

Wal-Mart Stores.(Doug McMillon promoted)(Brief Article)
August 5, 2005... Wal-Mart Stores promoted Doug McMillon to president and CEO of its Sam's Club division. He is replacing Kevin Turner, who is leaving to become chief operating officer of Microsoft Corp.

Mark D. Moreland was promoted to VP, finance and treasurer of the Movie Gallery holding company.(PEOPLE IN THE NEWS)(Brief Article)
August 5, 2005... Mark D. Moreland was promoted to VP, finance and treasurer of the Movie Gallery holding company. He will oversee the treasury function for both Movie Gallery and Hollywood Entertainment. He previously served in the same capacity for Hollywood...

OfficeMax.(Monte R. Haymon appointed)(Brief Article)
August 5, 2005... Monte R. Haymon, retired chairman of Sappi Fine Paper North America, has been elected to serve on the OfficeMax board of directors. He will serve on the audit and executive compensation committees.

Best Buy Co. Inc.(Greg Thorson appointed)(Brief Article)
August 5, 2005... Best Buy Co. Inc. hired Greg Thorson as executive VP of transformation. He most recently served as a retail partner at Accenture.

Jos. A. Bank Clothiers.(appoints Sidney H. Ritman)(Brief Article)
August 5, 2005... Jos. A. Bank Clothiers named Sidney H. Ritman as an additional director of the company. Ritman is the founder of Toni Industries, an importer of the Giorgio San Angelo line of ladies clothing.

Chico's FAS.(Charles L. Nesbit Jr. and James P. Frain promoted)(Brief Article)
August 5, 2005... Chico's FAS has promoted executive VP of operations, Charles L. Nesbit Jr., to COO. Charles J. Kleman, who has maintained the dual role of CFO and COO since November 2003, will remain CFO. Separately, Chico's said that James P. Frain, executive...

SuperValu.(appoints Jim Gilliam and Bill Chew)(Brief Article)
August 5, 2005... Jim Gilliam was named president of SuperValu's Northern region and Bill Chew was named executive VP of the Minneapolis-based distributor's Southeast region.

Vendor deal gives Winn-Dixie $100m in liquidity.(Winn-Dixie Stores Inc.)(Brief Article)
August 5, 2005... In a move that will allow the bankrupt retailer and its vendors to bypass costly litigation, Winn-Dixie came to terms with its vendors late last week in a deal that brings some $100 million in liquidity to the Jacksonville, Fla.-based...

European markets face challenging factors.(Brief Article)
August 5, 2005... Intense competitive pressures in European retail are creating a race to countries with bright growth prospects, according to New York City-based Standard & Poors. Chains with an attractive price image, solid international operations outside...

Liquidator buys struggling casual corner.(Gordon Brothers Group, Retail Brand Alliance Group)(Brief Article)
August 5, 2005... The future of struggling women's clothing chain Casual Corner was thrown into uncertainty this week as privately held Retail Brand Alliance said it will sell all 550 of the stores to Gordon Brothers Group, a Boston-based retail liquidator. The...

This week's retail news nuggets.(Winn-Dixie Stores Inc. undergoing bankruptcy)(King Kullen Grocery Company Inc. opens at New York)(Pantry Inc. and Chatham Oil Co. merged)(Brief Article)
August 5, 2005... Yesterday marked the 75th anniversary of the supermarket. On Aug. 4, 1930, the King Kullen supermarket opened in Jamaica, N.Y., ushering in a new era of food retailing.... Winn-Dixie sold 13 of its stores in Georgia as part of its...

New stores, new markets.
August 12, 2005... Wal-Mart plans to open 17 supercenters in the Cincinnati region. Currently the retailer owns only four there.... Marsh Supermarkets plans to open its first store in Illinois on Aug. 22. The new 66,000-sq.-ft. lifestyle format store will be in...

Gap buyout rumors raise stock but analysts remain skeptical.
August 12, 2005... Gap Inc. shares rose Tuesday, lifted by an analyst's report speculating that the specialty retailer may be taken private. "With Gap having underperformed in a major way over the past 14 months, the risk-reward ratio now strikes us as...

Wal-Mart assails bias suit's class status.
August 12, 2005... Wal-Mart Stores wants a federal appeals court to dismiss a class-action lawsuit alleging that the retailer discriminated against as many as 1.6 million current and former female employees, denying them promotions and paying them less than their...

U.K. sales down following terror attacks.(Brief Article)
August 12, 2005... U.K. retailers had their poorest July in 10 years as London's recent terror attacks shook consumer confidence and stagnating house prices curbed consumer spending, the British Retail Consortium said. Same-store sales fell for the fourth...

Chico's FAS Inc.(Michael Weiss appointed)(Brief Article)
August 12, 2005... High-flying apparel retailer Chico's FAS Inc. appointed Michael Weiss to its board, increasing the total number of directors to 11. Weiss is the retired president and CEO of Express, a subsidiary of Limited Brands Inc.

Family Dollar.(appointments and resignations at Family Dollar Stores Inc.)(Brief Article)
August 12, 2005... David Alexander, president and CEO of Family Dollar, left the company to pursue other opportunities. Howard Levine remains as chairman and CEO. Robert George joined Family Dollar as executive VP, chief merchandising officer. Dorlisa Flur,...

Wal-Mart.(B. Kevin Turner resigns from Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Sam's Club to join Microsoft Corp., Douglas McMillon to succeed)(Brief Article)
August 12, 2005... B. Kevin Turner resigned as executive VP of Wal-Mart and as president and CEO of the Sam's Club chain. He will work for Microsoft Corp. as COO. C. Douglas McMillon will succeed Turner.

The Kroger Co.(Michael S. Heschel retires, Christopher T. Hjelm joins)(Brief Article)
August 12, 2005... The Kroger Co. executive VP and CIO Michael S. Heschel will retire at the end of this fiscal year. Christopher T. Hjelm will join the company later this month as senior VP and CIO.

Lands' End.(Mindy Meads resigns)(Brief Article)
August 12, 2005... The CEO of Lands' End, Mindy Meads, abruptly resigned after less than two years on the job. Many industry observers see Meads' departure as a sign that Lands' End parent company Sears Holdings plans to sell the specialty clothing company.

Rite Aid Corp.(Todd C. McCarty appointed)(Brief Article)
August 12, 2005... Todd C. McCarty, former senior VP of human resources, North America, Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, is joining Rite Aid Corp. as senior VP, human resources.

Wet Seal Inc.(Douglas C. Felderman resigns )(Brief Article)
August 12, 2005... Douglas C. Felderman, CFO of Wet Seal Inc., resigned for personal reasons. He will step down at the end of August.

Interchange lawsuit hits stumbling block.
August 12, 2005... A judge in California has thrown out a lawsuit brought by small merchants against Visa and MasterCard over interchange fees. The merchants hoped to establish a class action and alleged that the card associations violated antitrust laws in...

Self-checkout transactions gain popularity.(Brief Article)
August 12, 2005... A new study conducted by IHL Consulting Group found that self-checkout transactions for 2005 will total $161 billion. The study predicts the value of the transactions will be more than $450 billion by 2008. Analysts attribute the increase in...

Tweens flex their purchasing-decision muscle.(Brief Article)
August 12, 2005... Tweens have a big say in family purchasing decisions, according to the new Nickelodeon/Youth Intelligence June 2005 Tween Report. The 9- to 14-year-old age group wields considerable influence on household purchases, the report shows,...

This week's retail news nuggets.(Wal-Mart Stores Inc. to acquire Sonae Distribuicao Brasil, Pacific Sunwear of California Inc. plans new concept stores, ShopKo Stores Inc. to be acquired by Goldner Hawn & Johnson)(Brief Article)
August 12, 2005... McDonald's plans to expand MasterCard International's PayPass contactless payment service to its more than 13,600 U.S. stores. The system allows customers to wave or tap a specially equipped credit card over a card reader to pay for their...

New stores, new markets.
August 19, 2005... The Fresh Grocer will open a 45,000-sq.-ft. fresh-food store in Philadelphia's Yorktown section. The company will receive $250,000 in funding for the project from the Pennsylvania Fresh Food Financing Initiative.... Wal-Mart opened an expanded...

Kohl's unveils big growth plans: 500 new stores in five years.(Brief Article)
August 19, 2005... Kohl's is planning to "right size" the organization--the right size being twice as big as it is right now. By the end of fiscal year 2010, Kohl's plans to operate more than 1,200 stores, up from 670 stores today. Also by 2010, the Menomonee...

Back-to-school forecast: held back.
August 19, 2005... High consumer confidence and low inflation will help back-to-school shopping this year. But countering those factors are the trio of deflationary pricing, a potentially negative savings rate and high fuel prices, according to Standard & Poor's,...

Big apple mandates grocery health care.(Health Care Security Act)(Brief Article)
August 19, 2005... New York City retailers with more than 10,000 sq. ft. of space dedicated for food take note: It will be mandatory to offer health care to workers. The New York City Council this week passed the Health Care Security Act that requires food...

Aaron's Sales & Lease Ownership Division.(Paul A. Doize and Steven A. Michaels promoted)(Brief Article)
August 19, 2005... Aaron Rents appointed two new officers within its Aaron's Sales & Lease Ownership Division. Paul A. Doize has been promoted to VP, controller, and Steven A. Michaels has been promoted to VP, franchise finance....

Kmart.(Charles Conaway clears wrongdoing case filed by Kmart Creditors Trust)(Brief Article)
August 19, 2005... Former Kmart CEO Charles Conaway was cleared of wrongdoing in a civil lawsuit that was filed by the Kmart Creditors Trust. The panel found that Conaway acted properly in his role and only tried to keep Kmart from going bankrupt....

Pacific Sunwear of California Inc.(Michael Weiss appointed)(Brief Article)
August 19, 2005... Michael Weiss was appointed to the Pacific Sunwear of California Inc. board of directors. Weiss previously worked at Limited Brands where he was most recently CEO of Express....

Pathmark Stores Inc.(Jim Finocchi appointed)(Brief Article)
August 19, 2005... Pathmark Stores Inc. hired Jim Finocchi as VP of pharmacy operations. He previously worked with the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. Inc. (A&P) for 19 years in a similar position....

Harold's Stores Inc.(Hubert W. Mullins resigns, Leonard Snyder appointed)(Brief Article)
August 19, 2005... Hubert W. Mullins resigned as CEO of Harold's Stores Inc. The company appointed Leonard Snyder as interim CEO. Snyder has been marketing and management consultant since 1995....

J.Crew Group.(James S. Scully appointed)(Brief Article)
August 19, 2005... J.Crew Group appointed James S. Scully as executive VP and CFO, effective Sept. 7. Scully resigned as executive VP of human resources and strategic planning of Saks Inc., a post he has held since April 2004....

Saks Fifth Avenue Enterprises.(Thomas Matthews appointed)(Brief Article)
August 19, 2005... Saks Fifth Avenue Enterprises appointed Thomas Matthews as group senior VP of asset protection and operations. He has been with the company since 1993....

Books-A-Million.(Albert C. Johnson appointed)(Brief Article)
August 19, 2005... Birmingham, Ala.-based Books-A-Million named to its board of directors Albert C. Johnson, a former partner at Arthur Anderson.

Meijer stores signs up for speedy payment.(Brief Article)
August 19, 2005... Faster lanes mean more sales for a multi-lane retailer. In a move designed to shave seconds off transaction time, Meijer will accept contactless-payment options at all of its 171 locations. By early fall, all gas pumps will be equipped to...

Drexler rides again: J.Crew to go public.(Mickey Drexler of J. Crew Group Inc.)(Brief Article)
August 19, 2005... J.Crew finished in the red four of the last five years. But under former Gap Inc. chief Mickey Drexler, J.Crew posted a profit in its most recent 13-week period. Drexler now intends to lead J.Crew through an inital public offering that's...

The Conaway cabal: former CEO cleared.(Chuck Conaway of Kmart Holding Corp., Kmart Creditors Trust)(Brief Article)
August 19, 2005... Former Kmart chief Chuck Conaway is off the hook. An arbitration panel unanimously ruled that the Kmart Creditors Trust is not entitled to any damages from Conaway, who was CEO of the chain before it declared bankruptcy in 2002. The trust was...

This week's retail news nuggets.(Kroger Co. contracts with InStore Broadcasting Network, Carrefour SA denies Wal-Mart Stores Inc. takeover bid, Urban Outfitters stock splits)(Brief Article)
August 19, 2005... The Kroger Co. entered into a multi-year agreement with InStore Broadcasting Network to provide a television network for customers in more than 2,500.... Sears Holdings Corp. has posted nearly 100 help-wanted notices on Monster.com for...

New stores, new markets.(IKEA North America L.L.C. plans new stores, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. plans distribution center, 99 Cents Only Stores opens new store)(Brief Article)
August 26, 2005... Gap Inc. debuted its new apparel concept, Forth & Towne, on Aug. 24 in the Palisades Center Mall in West Nyack, N.Y. An additional four Forth & Towne stores will open in the Chicago area on Aug. 31. Targeted to women 35 and older, the Forth &...

Forget the bubble.com: Q2 E-retail sales increase 26% to $21 billion.(Brief Article)
August 26, 2005... The dot-com bubble may have burst, but e-retailers today have very little to complain about. The Commerce Department said on-line retail sales rose 7.2% for the second quarter of 2005, marking the largest rise in three years. From April to...

Nordstrom's new name in fashion: Jeffrey.(acquires Just Jeffrey Inc.)(Brief Article)
August 26, 2005... Nordstrom Inc. is buying luxury specialty retailer Just Jeffrey Inc. in a deal reported to cost in excess of $50 million. The Seattle-based retailer hired Just Jeffrey's founder, Jeffrey Kalinsky, as Nordstrom's director of designer...

SEC accuses former Kmart execs of fraud.(Charles Conaway)(Brief Article)
August 26, 2005... It looked like Charles Conaway was in the clear. But this week, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged Conaway and another former high-ranking executive at Kmart with financial fraud, claiming they misled investors about the...

Ann Taylor Stores.(Ronald W. Hovsepian appointed)(Brief Article)
August 26, 2005... Ann Taylor Stores elected Ronald W. Hovsepian as non-executive chairman of the board, effective upon the retirement of J. Patrick Spainhour as chairman and CEO. Hovsepian has been a member of the Ann Taylor board since 1998.

Charlotte Russe Holding Inc.(Patti Shields appointed)(Brief Article)
August 26, 2005... Charlotte Russe Holding Inc. hired Patti Shields as senior VP. She joins the retailer from Mervyn's, where she was responsible for merchandising in the junior fashion and season apparel categories.

John Standley, CFO of Rite Aid Corp., resigned to become CEO of Pathmark Stores Inc., succeeding Eileen Scott, who has been CEO of Pathmark since 2002.(PEOPLE IN THE NEWS)
August 26, 2005... John Standley, CFO of Rite Aid Corp., resigned to become CEO of Pathmark Stores Inc., succeeding Eileen Scott, who has been CEO of Pathmark since 2002. Kevin Twomey will become acting CFO of Rite Aid, effective immediately, until a permanent...

Sara Lee Corp.(E. Lee Wyatt Jr. appointed)(Brief Article)
August 26, 2005... Sara Lee Corp.'s branded-apparel division hired E. Lee Wyatt Jr. as its CFO, effective Sept. 6. Wyatt was the finance chief for Sonic Automotive Inc. of Charlotte since April 2003. The CFO position is new to the apparel division, which is...

Harvey's Supermarkets.(PEOPLE IN THE NEWS)(Joseph Hillman Harvey Jr.)(Brief Article)(Obituary)
August 26, 2005... Joseph Hillman Harvey Jr., former CEO of Harvey's Supermarkets, died at the age of 76. He appeared in television commercials in central and south Georgia and store events until his health declined because of cancer this year....

Francois Dalle, the French industrialist involved with L'Oreal when it became a worldwide cosmetics company, died at the age of 87 in Geneva, Switzerland.(PEOPLE IN THE NEWS)(Brief Article)(Obituary)
August 26, 2005... Francois Dalle, the French industrialist involved with L'Oreal when it became a worldwide cosmetics company, died at the age of 87 in Geneva, Switzerland, earlier this month.

Saks Inc. makes good on markdown payments.(department stores)(Brief Article)
August 26, 2005... Saks Inc. will pay $48.2 million to vendors after improperly collecting markdowns from them over an eight-year period. Birmingham, Ala.-based Saks' internal investigation found that one employee, who was not named, gave vendors false...

Kerr Drug subject of discrimination lawsuit.
August 26, 2005... A lawsuit filed this week alleges that Raleigh, N.C.-based Kerr Drug Inc. did not make allowances for the religious practices of two employees. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) filed an employment discrimination lawsuit...

Best Buy expands roll out of new experiences.(Brief Article)
August 26, 2005... Best Buy has its sights on moms and video-game enthusiasts. The Minneapolis-based chain will expand programs for these customers beginning Aug. 29. For moms, the chain will introduce Personal Shopping Assistants, described as "specially trained...

This week's retail news nuggets.(K-B Toys to emerge from bankruptcy, Stater Brothers Markets Inc. is not buying J. Jill Group Inc., Urban Outfitters Inc. acquires Super Rx pharmacies)(Brief Article)
August 26, 2005... KB Toys expects to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection later this month.... Cub Foods, a division of SuperValu, will expand its use of Pay By Touch, a biometric payment system, to four more stores within the next few months.......