Chain Store Age Executive Fax articles from May 2004

Chain Store Age Executive Fax archives from May 2004

New stores, new markets.(Brief Article)
May 7, 2004... Big Lots opened a new store in Fountain Valley, Calif. The chain also added furniture departments at its locations in Rome, N.Y., and Neenah, Wis.... Brooks Bros. will take over the space of Casual Corner, its sister chain, in Greenwich,...

April comps moderate to 4.4%; high-end stores show strength.(Illustration)
May 7, 2004... Following three months of stellar comp-store sales growth that averaged 6.6%, April ushered in a return to normalcy. The International Council of Shopping Centers' (ICSC) tally of 72 chain stores showed industry same-store sales grew 4.4% in...

Gateway appointed former Best Buy executive Scott Bauhofer as senior VP of its direct-to-consumer division.(People in the News)(Brief Article)
May 7, 2004... Gateway appointed former Best Buy executive Scott Bauhofer as senior VP of its direct-to-consumer division. He most recently was senior VP of Best Buy's on-line store division....

James Gold was promoted to chief executive and president of Bergdorf Goodman, a division of The Neiman Marcus Group.(People in the News)(Brief Article)
May 7, 2004... James Gold was promoted to chief executive and president of Bergdorf Goodman, a division of The Neiman Marcus Group. He most recently served as senior VP and general merchandise manager of the men's and cosmetics departments at Neiman Marcus...

Safeway targets corp. governance.(Brief Article)
May 7, 2004... Safeway Inc. announced new measures to strengthen its corporate governance. The changes will include a commitment to name three new independent directors and the election of director Paul Hazen into the role of lead independent director. Hazen...

Print your camera snapshots at CVS.(Brief Article)
May 7, 2004... Consumers can now print out photographs taken with their mobile phones at CVS. The offering, available at all CVS locations with one-hour photo service, allows customers to beam photos from infrared-or Bluetooth-enabled phones to the store's...

Hard times, hard decisions at Winn-Dixie.(Winn-Dixie Stores)(Brief Article)
May 7, 2004... Winn-Dixie Stores felt it had to take drastic action to turn around the company. It's decision: Identify core markets and streamline the company. As a result, the Jacksonville, Fla.-based company is cutting 10,000 jobs and unloading 156 stores....

Executive optimism looks strong.(Brief Article)
May 7, 2004... Sales are up. Store traffic is up. It's no wonder that the confidence of retail executives is up, as measured by the latest National Retail Federation Executive (NRF) Opinion Survey. The NRF's Retail Sector Performance Index (RSPI) jumped 10.5...

Fighting words over counterfeit claims.(Brief Article)
May 7, 2004... Cheap jewelry is at the heart of a legal tangle between 620-store deep discounter Tuesday Morning and fashion giant Liz Claiborne. Claiborne sued the retailer after discovering costume jewelry sold under its Monet brand in Tuesday Morning...

This week's retail news nuggets.(Brief Article)
May 7, 2004... Food Lion introduced a new store concept called "Bloom, A Food Lion Market." The first of the five new stores, which focus on hassle-free shopping, will open May 26 in Charlotte, N.C.... Payless ShoeSource says it will outsource its Web...

New stores, new markets.(Brief Article)
May 14, 2004... Dillard's, Abercrombie & Fitch, Ann Taylor Loft, Parisian, Barnes & Noble, Bath & Body Works, Linens 'n Things, Buckle, Banana Republic, Claire's, Express, Hollister and Victoria's Secret are just some of the tenants slated to open at The...

Legalize it: CVS is first to call for decriminalizing Rx imports.(Brief Article)
May 14, 2004... Showing his cards early in the game, Thomas Ryan, the chairman and CEO of CVS Corp., said this week that he supports legalizing imports of prescription drugs. His statement was contrary to other viewpoints in the industry, as Ryan is the first...

Gap strikes chord with social causes.(Gap, Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 14, 2004... Gap, Inc. doesn't just talk the talk, it walks the walk. In its 2003 social-responsibility report, the retailer noted that it will no longer import apparel merchandise from 136 factories in places such as China, India and Pakistan due to...

Tuesday morning defends its jewelry.(Tuesday Morning Corp.)(Brief Article)
May 14, 2004... Tuesday Morning is defending its honor. One week after Liz Claiborne sued the deep-discount retailer and alleged that its Monet brand of jewelry was being copied illegally, Tuesday Morning released a statement that called Claiborne's conduct...

Job growth up for second month.(Brief Article)
May 14, 2004... The Labor Department reported that U.S. employment surged for a second straight month in April, adding another 288,000 jobs. The number was well above what many economists expected. The back-to back gains in March and April were the strongest...

Jo-Ann Stores.(People In The News)(Brief Article)
May 14, 2004... Mike Edwards has resigned as executive VP of operations of Jo-Ann Stores to join West Coast retailer Lucy as CEO and president, effective later this month....

Dollar General.(People In The News)(Brief Article)
May 14, 2004... Dollar General hired David Tehle as executive VP and CFO, effective June 7. He currently serves as executive VP and CFO of Haggar Corp....

The Kroger Co.(People In The News)(Brief Article)
May 14, 2004... The Kroger Co. promoted William Boehm to senior VP, president of its manufacturing division. Taking over Boehm's role as group VP of logistics will be Kevin Dougherty, who joined the grocer in 2001 as VP of supply chain operations.

7-Eleven CEO hopes to diversify food.(People In The News)(Brief Article)
May 14, 2004... If Japanese consumers have taken a liking to U.S. food imports, it may stand to reason that U.S. shoppers could come to develop taste buds for some Japanese food offerings. At least that's what James Keyes, chief executive of 7-Eleven Inc.,...

Study: older shoppers retain habits.(Brief Article)
May 14, 2004... Consumers aged 55 to 70 may not be particularly attracted to specialty apparel shops or convenience stores, but they do maintain the shopping frequencies they developed in their prior years. A recent study by New York City-based WSL Strategic...

KB Toys sells e-commerce operations.(Toy Acquisition Corp.)(Brief Article)
May 14, 2004... Bankrupt retailer KB Toys, Inc. sold nearly all of its assets relating to its e-commerce division this week to a group called Toy Acquisition Corp. for roughly $7.4 million in cash. The business, which will be renamed eToys Direct, is an...

Wal-Mart settles clean-water violation.(Brief Article)
May 14, 2004... Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. agreed this week to pay a $3.1 million fine to settle a violation of the U.S. Clean Water Act. The settlement, which cites Wal-Mart violations at 24 construction sites in nine states, alleges it failed to get required...

This week's retail news nuggets.(Brief Article)
May 14, 2004... Foot Locker completed its purchase of approximately 350 Footaction stores from Footstar.... Dunkin' Donuts will establish a presence in 10 Wal-Mart stores over the next few months. The first in-store Dunkin' Donuts shop opened today in North...

New stores, new markets.(openings)(Brief Article)
May 21, 2004... Eddie Bauer has opened at Chicago Premium Outlets.... Boscov's set up shop in a former J.C. Penney location at Harrisburg (Pa.) East Mall. It also will open this fall at Piedmont Mall in Danville, Va.... Children's apparel chain Little Me...

Eyler: no surprises this holiday; Toys "R" Us CEO loading arsenal.(Brief Article)
May 21, 2004... Toys are more than a commodity and shouldn't be treated like one. In an interview with Reuters this week, John Eyler, chief executive of Toys "R" Us, noted, "There is a lot of concern in the industry that [toys] are being treated like a bag of...

Wal-Mart: RFID off to a positive start.(radio frequency identification)(Brief Article)
May 21, 2004... Prognosis: positive. Less than a month after the launch of its radio frequency identification (RFID)-tag pilot at seven stores and one regional distribution center in Texas, Wal-Mart said the initiative is off to a great start. During the test...

Blockbuster buys Rhino Video Games.(acquisitions)(Brief Article)
May 21, 2004... Blockbuster, Inc. has spent an undisclosed sum to acquire the assets of American Satellite and Video, Inc., which owns and operates Gainesville, Fla.-based Rhino Video Games. The 40-store chain has locations in Florida, Alabama, Tennessee,...

Abercrombie & Fitch.(People In The News)(appointments)(Brief Article)
May 21, 2004... Abercrombie & Fitch tapped Robert Singer as president and COO. A former Gucci executive, he succeeds Seth Johnson, who is retiring on June 18....

Michaels Stores, Inc. named Tom Bazzone as president of its ReCollections and Star Decorators Wholesale Warehouse units.(People In The News)(Brief Article)
May 21, 2004... Michaels Stores, Inc. named Tom Bazzone as president of its ReCollections and Star Decorators Wholesale Warehouse units. Bazzone most recently was executive VP and COO of Restoration Hardware. Prior to that, he served with RedEnvelope and...

Ingles Markets.(People In The News)(Brief Article)
May 21, 2004... Ingles Markets has elected Robert Ingle Jr., the son of its founder, as chairman. Founder Robert Ingle will continue as CEO and chairman of the executive committee....

Smart & Final, Inc.(People In The News)(Brief Article)
May 21, 2004... Etienne Snollaerts has taken over as CEO of Smart & Final, Inc., completing the previously announced replacement of Ross Roeder, who will remain active as chairman. Snollaerts most recently served as COO and president of the grocer and...

Former Rite Aid CEO agrees to harsher jail plea.(People In The News)(Martin Grass)(Brief Article)
May 21, 2004... Weeks after Judge Sylvia Rambo rejected a plea deal by Martin Grass, the former Rite Aid chief executive agreed to a harsher plea deal that could see him serving as many as 10 years in prison for his part in an accounting fraud, according to an...

Nash Finch closing Hispanic format.(Avanza and Buy n Save )(Brief Article)
May 21, 2004... Hasta la vista. Nash Finch is closing down its Hispanic-format Avanza, as well as its Buy n Save concept. The retailer says that if it fails to find a buyer for the 21 underperforming stores it will close them. The stores represent about 15% of...

Stylizers dictate what's hot at Wet Seal.(Brief Article)
May 21, 2004... What are the hottest trends in teen fashion? Wet Seal is going right to the source. The young women's apparel retailer has selected 11 of its most stylish customers to be the backbone of the Wet Seal Stylizers, a group of fashion aficionados...

Sears may launch Lands' End stores.(Sears, Roebuck and Co.)(Brief Article)
May 21, 2004... Sears is looking into the option of opening freestanding Lands' End apparel stores. Speaking during its first-quarter conference call, Sears CEO Alan Lacy said the company was looking at "the potential to have a Lands' End specialty store in...

Glimcher launches gift-card program.(Glimcher Realty Trust has partnered with NBO Systems, Inc. for services)(Brief Article)
May 21, 2004... Glimcher Realty Trust has taken mall gift cards to the next level by offering a Visa gift card that can be redeemed at any retail store in its portfolio that accepts Visa. The company partnered with NBO Systems, Inc. to create the offering....

This week's retail news nuggets.(Brief Article)
May 21, 2004... Krispy Kreme has opened its first freestanding store in Great Britain. The new location, in Enfield, follows the launch of an in-store shop in London's legendary Harrods department store last fall.... Target plans to have as many as 200 new...

New stores, new markets.(Brief Article)
May 28, 2004... Spanish apparel chain Zara opens its first store on the West Coast today at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, Calif.... PureBeauty will open three stores in the Washington, D.C., metro area by August.... Big Lots added new stores in Fountain...

Food Lion's new format "Blooms".(Brief Article)
May 28, 2004... The first of five new format supermarkets from Food Lion has opened this week in Charlotte, N.C. Called Bloom, the pilot store places everyday items such as milk, bread and eggs at the front of the store. It also features multiple ways for...

Spiegel sells catalog divisions; Neiman Marcus May sell one, too.(Brief Article)
May 28, 2004... The Spiegel Group sold two of its catalog divisions this week, including its namesake business, in separate transactions to the same buyer. Investment firm Pangea Holdings Ltd. will spend roughly $31 million to acquire the Spiegel catalog and...

Wal-Mart to blow into the Windy City.(Brief Article)
May 28, 2004... Inglewood it's not. The City Council in Chicago this week approved Wal-Mart's plans to build a 150,000-sq.-ft. store on the West Side in an economically depressed area. By gaining entrance into the Windy City, Wal-Mart will now have stores in...

At Target, dollar shops for all stores.(Brief Article)
May 28, 2004... Buoyed by the success of a pilot test in 125 stores, Target will add dollar sections to all of its U.S. discount stores by the fall. The "1 Spot" sections will feature merchandise ranging from toys to food, according to a Reuters report. Target...

J'accuse!: Finish Line vs. Foot Locker.(Brief Article)
May 28, 2004... After denying rumors that its inventory was out of order, Finish Line this week accused Foot Locker of recruiting some of its workers to obtain secret sales data. Finish Line alleges that Foot Locker, one of its biggest rivals, actively...

Louis Stinebaugh was named president and COO of Fresh Brands, Inc.(People In The News)(Brief Article)
May 28, 2004... Louis Stinebaugh was named president and COO of Fresh Brands, Inc. He comes from Sentry, a division of Fleming and SuperValu, where he served as president. Also, Fresh Brands announced that Mike Houser tendered his resignation as executive VP,...

The Sports Authority, Inc.(People In The News)(Brief Article)
May 28, 2004... Elliott Kerbis stepped down as president and chief merchant of The Sports Authority, Inc. Until a replacement is found, vice chairman and CEO Doug Morton will oversee his duties....

Kent Kleeberger will resign as executive VP and CFO, and James Petty will step down as president and general manager of Too, Inc., effective June 23.(People In The News)(Brief Article)
May 28, 2004... ... Kent Kleeberger will resign as executive VP and CFO, and James Petty will step down as president and general manager of Too, Inc., effective June 23. Conversely, Doug Probst, who comes from KPMG, was named VP of finance and controller.

Wet Seal drops suit against Bebe.(Brief Article)
May 28, 2004... The suit contended that Scott, who served as president of Wet Seal's Arden B. unit, breached his contract by resigning and joining rival chain bebe. The suit also claims he unlawfully solicited Arden B. employees to join him at Wet Seal. Bebe...

Bombay gets Web help from Amazon.(Brief Article)
May 28, 2004... Bombay Co. selected Amazon to build and manage its Web sites. Bombay has been selling its merchandise through Amazon's site since last October.

Kmart chairman promotes retail basics.(Brief Article)
May 28, 2004... There will be no grandiose five-year plans. Nor will there be an attempt to be a cheap imitation of Wal-Mart. Instead, Kmart's focus will be on giving customers a reason to shop at Kmart. That's what Ed Lampert, the retailer's chairman and...

Old Navy adding plus-sized clothing.(Brief Article)
May 28, 2004... Gap, Inc. says it has a bevy of new ideas to keep its sales on the rise. Chief among them is expanding its plus-size offerings to its Old Navy division. The chain will add plus-sized clothing at 55 Old Navy stores this July. Speaking with...

Gone phishing: e-mail scams rise in April.(Brief Article)
May 28, 2004... More consumers unknowingly gave their credit-card information and/or other personal information to scammers in April. According to the Anti-Phishing Working Group, the number of e-mail scams, also known as "phishing attacks," nearly tripled to...

On-line sales reach 12-figure mark in '03.(Brief Article)
May 28, 2004... The numbers are in, and they are positive. On-line sales hit $114 billion in 2003, up 51% from 2002, according to an annual Shop.org study. The study of 150 retailers, conducted by Forrester Research, also discovered that on-line retailers...

Toysrus.com files suit against Amazon.(Brief Article)
May 28, 2004... Partner or not, Toysrus.com is peeved at Amazon.com. The e-commerce division of Toys "R" Us filed suit against Amazon alleging that it has violated the toy chain's rights to be the sole seller of toys, games and baby products on its Web site....