Chain Store Age Executive Fax articles from November 2003

Chain Store Age Executive Fax archives from November 2003

New stores, new markets.(includes multiple news briefs)(Brief Article)
November 21, 2003... The Sharper Image will soon open at The Summit in Birmingham, Ala., its first store in that state.... Tiffany & Co. opens at The Gardens of the Palm Beaches in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., in mid-2004.... KB Toys opened at St. Louis Mills in...

Toys 'R' Us shutting two divisions, apparel sales to hit $500 million.(Brief Article)
November 21, 2003... Toys "R" Us' decision to close its 146 freestanding Kids "R" Us stores and 36 freestanding Imaginarium stores was not altogether surprising. The retailer had consistently expanded its apparel business and has been successful at integrating...

Sears meets hip hop in 50 stores.(Brief Article)
November 21, 2003... Alan Lacy and crew may not know what "bling bling" means, but the heads of state at Sears are hoping a pilot test of urban shops in select locations will bring in consumers who do understand the street lingo. The retailer will open urban...

Study: sportswear market improving.(Brief Article)
November 21, 2003... Spending in the men's sportswear industry is up 2% for the year-to-date, driven largely by strong performance in jeans and trendy athletic wear. However, men's shirts and slacks are not performing as well, according to research by STS...

Donna Karan exec named CEO of SFAE.(Saks Inc. taps Fred Wilson as CEO of Saks Fifth Avenue Enterprises)(Brief Article)
November 21, 2003... Saks, Inc. named Fred Wilson as CEO of Saks Fifth Avenue Enterprises (SFAE), its luxury department store division, which consists of 62 Saks Fifth Avenue stores and 53 Saks Off 5th stores. Wilson, who currently serves as CEO at Donna Karan,...

Foot Locker.(People In The News)(Brief Article)
November 21, 2003... Foot Locker gave Matthew Serra, its CEO/president, the added post of chairman....

Jo-Ann Stores.(People In The News)(Brief Article)
November 21, 2003... Jo-Ann Stores named Jeffrey Fink VP of real estate....

The Wet Seal, Inc.(People In The News)(announces resignation of CFO William Langsdorf)(Brief Article)
November 21, 2003... William Langsdorf resigned as CFO of The Wet Seal, Inc., effective in January....

Lands' End named David McCreight, a former Disney Stores exec, senior VP of core merchandising.(People In The News)(Brief Article)
November 21, 2003... Lands' End named David McCreight, a former Disney Stores exec, senior VP of core merchandising. He replaces Patti Simigran, who was named senior VP and general merchandise manager of women's apparel at Sears, which acquired Lands' End....

Fresh Brands.(People In The News)(announces resignation of CEO Elwood Winn)(Brief Article)
November 21, 2003... Elwood Winn resigned as CEO and acting CFO of Fresh Brands. Vice chairman and chief marketing officer Michael Houser has assumed duties of the CEO....

Albertson's named former H.E. Butt executive Duncan Mac Naughton group VP.(People In The News)(Brief Article)
November 21, 2003... Albertson's named former H.E. Butt executive Duncan Mac Naughton group VP, grocery merchandising....

Fitch:Worldwide.(People In The News)(announces resignation of Kevin Roche as CEO)(Brief Article)
November 21, 2003... Kevin Roche resigned as CEO of design firm Fitch:Worldwide.

Gift card purchases double in 2003.(Brief Article)
November 21, 2003... More American consumers are replacing traditional gifts with gift cards, yet fewer shoppers are using them for personal use. Those are just some of the findings of a recent survey conducted by ValueLink, the gift and spending card service of...

Collectibles market past its peak.(Brief Article)
November 21, 2003... Shoppers have become more discriminating in what they buy and bring into their homes. As a result, consumers today are "rejecting the overt materialism that characterized the cocooning trend," says Pam Danziger, president of Unity Marketing....

Survey points to holly, jolly Christmas.(Brief Article)
November 21, 2003... For the first time in three years, U.S. consumers' holiday spending intentions have increased during a mid-November poll. A new Gallup Poll discovered that the public plans to spend an average of $734 on gifts this season, a 6.4% increase...

This week's retail news nuggets.(includes multiple news briefs)(Brief Article)
November 21, 2003... British health-and-beauty chain Boots signed a deal with Target and CVS to open boutiques within 32 locations in Denver and on the East Coast.... ShopKo will increase its capital spending to $100 million next year. Among the projects are...

New stores, new markets.(Brief Article)
November 7, 2003... Shoe Carnival leased space at Walden Park in Austin, Texas.... Ultimate Electronics debuted in Kansas with a store at Bradley Fair in Wichita.... Shaw's Supermarkets just opened in Vergennes, Vt., in a former SuperValu location. It also...

October sales cool off in face of warmer weather, gain 3.2%.
November 7, 2003... The sales momentum that had increased steadily and markedly from May to September could not continue into October. Retailers reported a 3.2% increase in comparable-store sales, according to the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi (BTM). Since last May,...

Limited Brands.(People In The News)(promotes Charles Turlinski)(Brief Article)
November 7, 2003... Limited Brands appointed Charles Turlinski as CEO of its name-brand format. An eight-year company veteran, he most recently served as executive VP of operations, administration of Express....

Gap, Inc. named Andrew Rolfe president of its international division.(People In The News)(Brief Article)
November 7, 2003... Gap, Inc. named Andrew Rolfe president of its international division, which operates 261 stores in France, Germany, Japan and the United Kingdom. He recently served as chairman and CEO of British food chain Pret A Manger....

Coldwater Creek named James Brownell as senior VP, CIO.(People In The News)(Brief Article)
November 7, 2003... Coldwater Creek named James Brownell as senior VP, CIO. He comes from Williams-Sonoma, where he served in a similar role....

Foodarama Supermarkets.(People In The News)(supermarket chain names Richard Saker CEO)(Brief Article)
November 7, 2003... Richard Saker replaced his father, Joseph Saker, as CEO of Foodarama Supermarkets. The elder Saker will continue to serve as executive chairman for two years. Richard Saker most recently was president and COO....

KB Toys.(People In The News)(appoints William McMahon COO)(Brief Article)
November 7, 2003... KB Toys named William McMahon as COO....

American Eagle Outfitters, Inc.(People In The News)(retailer names Jim O'Donnell CEO)(Brief Article)
November 7, 2003... Jim O'Donnell was named CEO of American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. He previously shared the position with Roger Markfield, who assumed the role of vice chairman and president of the American Eagle division....

Chico's.(People In The News)(promotes Charles Kleman)(Brief Article)
November 7, 2003... Chico's gave its CFO, Charles Kleman, the added title of COO.

More new stores at Sharper Image.(Brief Article)
November 7, 2003... Sharper Image will open at least 25 new stores in its current fiscal year, exceeding its original target of 20% growth. The 25 new store openings in 2003 will bring the chain's total store count to 149.

Judge: Mervyn's stores can stay as is.(department store chain will not have to widen store aisles for disabled shoppers)(Brief Article)
November 7, 2003... Proclaiming that Mervyn's provided "adequate physical access" to its merchandise "80% to 85% of the time," a superior court judge ruled this week that the retailer will not have to widen its aisles to accommodate disabled shoppers. The ruling...

Safeway: Dominick's off selling block.(Randall Onstead is appointed president of Dominick's)(Brief Article)
November 7, 2003... Safeway is no longer looking to sell Dominick's, which was placed on the selling block last November. The decision is based in part on the failure to reach an acceptable labor contract with the unions and winning bidder of the Chicago-based...

This week's retail news nuggets.(includes multiple news briefs)(Brief Article)
November 7, 2003... Spartan Stores cut some 70 administrative positions at its headquarters in a move designed to lower operating costs by some $4 million a year. It will record a charge of about $2 million for severance and pension benefits during the second...

Correction: Wild Oats, Sunflower news.(Correction Notice)
November 7, 2003... An article in the Oct. 24 issue of Executive Fax mistakenly reported that Wild Oats Markets, Inc. was bringing its Sunflower Market concept to Colorado. There is no legal connection between the two companies. However, the founder of Sunflower...