Chain Store Age Executive Fax articles from October 2003

Chain Store Age Executive Fax archives from October 2003

New stores, new markets.(retail industry news briefs)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2003... Jos. A. Bank recently opened a dozen stores in an equal number of states. Among the new openings are locations at Village Shoppes in Canton, Mass.; Mt. Pleasant (S.C.) Town Center; Ross Park Mall in Pittsburgh; English Village in...

Compusa acquiring good guys, chain will retain its own image.(CompUSA will acquire Good Guys)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2003... Not one to take rejection lightly, Mexican businessman Carlos Helu brushed off one failed acquisition of a consumer electronics chain by completing another. CompUSA, which is owned by Helu, is spending roughly $55 million in cash to acquire...

Survey outlines holiday shopping.(Brief Article)
October 3, 2003... Consumers intend to spend more money this year on holiday goods, but there's a catch: They want to be perceived as smart shoppers. A new study by Brand Keys discovered that consumers will spend time snuffing out the best deals this holiday...

Marketing dollars hard at work?(Survey discovers that most advertising slogans don't work)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2003... Think consumers can recognize your ad tag line? Think again. A recent consumer survey by brand consultancy Emergence discovered that most advertising slogans don't work. An article in USA Today this week reported that among tag lines for 22 of...

J. Crew Group.(People in the News)(Named Roxane Al-Fayez executive VP of catalog and e-commerce)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2003... J. Crew Group named Roxane Al-Fayez executive VP of catalog and e-commerce, effective Oct. 20. Al-Fayez most recently was VP of operations for Gap Direct....

Dollar Tree.(People in the News)(Named Bob Sasser as CEO)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2003... Dollar Tree named Bob Sasser as CEO, effective Jan. 1. Sasser, who will retain his title of president, replaces Macon Brock, a founder of the company. Brock will remain chairman of the board....

Sears.(People in the News)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2003... Sears named Beryl Buley senior VP, general manager of home stores. She replaces Dan Laughlin, who was promoted to senior VP, general merchandise manager of appliances and electronics. Buley most recently served as executive VP of stores at...

Office Depot's.(People in the News)(Robert Keller is stepping down as president of business services group)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2003... Robert Keller is stepping down as president of Office Depot's business services group....

J.C. Penney.(People in the News)(Elects Maxine Clark to its board of directors)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2003... J.C. Penney elected Maxine Clark, founder and CEO of Build-A-Bear, to its board of directors....

Smart & Final.(People in the News)(Hired Etienne Snollaerts as president and COO)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2003... Smart & Final hired Etienne Snollaerts as president and COO. She comes from French retailer Casino Guichard-Perrachon.

Kiosks boost sales at Royal Farms.(Brief Article)
October 3, 2003... Foodservice sales rose 20% at Royal Farm Stores after the company installed kioskbased ordering systems at its 101 stores in Delaware, Maryland and Virginia. The systems also improved labor productivity, order accuracy, food consistency and...

BJ'S tests smaller perishable packages.(BJ's Wholesale Club)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2003... Looking to compete more effectively with supermarkets, BJ's Wholesale is testing out smaller packages of perishable merchandise such as meats, vegetables and dairy products. The retailer hopes its new "life sizes" will bring more noncommercial...

Wal-Mart details major growth plan.(Is expected to spend over $12 billion on new-store construction in fiscal 2004)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2003... Wal-Mart is expected to spend more than $12 billion on new-store construction in fiscal 2004, which begins in February. The retailer will open roughly 195 new stores in the United States and between 100 to 110 new stores in existing markets...

TJX may bring Bob's Stores into its mix.(Brief Article)
October 3, 2003... Rumors circulated this week that TJX Cos. was looking to buy Bob's Stores, a privately held chain that operates 36 casual clothing stores in New York, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Connecticut. Dow Jones reported...

This week's retail news nuggets.(Fashion miscues on women's apparel and supply chain woes for teen clothing business will impact J.C. Penney's September samestore sales; notes Safeway news)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2003... Fashion miscues on women's apparel and supply chain woes for its teen clothing business will negatively affect J.C. Penney's September samestore sales results. However, the retailer's direct division is reporting strong sales "well above plan."...

New stores, new markets.(includes multiple new store openings)(Brief Article)
October 10, 2003... REI opened in San Francisco's South of Market neighborhood, its first store in the city and eighth location in the Bay area.... Westfield Shoppingtown Oakridge reopened in San Jose, Calif., following a 16-month, $141 million renovation that...

September tops August sales results as comps increase 5.9%.
October 10, 2003... Retail sales recovery continued into the month of September, but some analysts are cautioning that the 5.9% increase in comparable-store sales that month may compromise October's figures. In all, retailers reported an industrywide gain of 5.9%...

The Bombay Co.(People In The News)(promotes Lucretia Dobaldo)(Brief Article)
October 10, 2003... The Bombay Co. appointed Lucretia Doblado to senior VP, CIO....

Gottschalks.(People In The News)(announces resignation of CFO Michael Geele)(Brief Article)
October 10, 2003... Michael Geele resigned as CFO of Gottschalks. Until a permanent replacement is found, Kevin Bradshaw, VP of finance, will assume all financial responsibilities....

Patricia McKay was appointed CFO of Restoration Hardware.(People In The News)(Brief Article)
October 10, 2003... Patricia McKay was appointed CFO of Restoration Hardware. She most recently served as senior VP of finance of AutoNation. McKay replaces Kevin Shahan, who will assume the role of VP of financial planning, analysis.

Simon-Taubman tete-a-tete ends.(Simon Property Group withdraws offer for Taubman Centers)(Brief Article)
October 10, 2003... Simon Property Group has withdrawn its hostile takeover offer for Taubman Centers, an action that began last October. The last round of bidding saw Simon offer Taubman shareholders $20 per share, a deal that totaled roughly $1.74 billion....

Musicland plans 150 store closings.(Brief Article)
October 10, 2003... Musicland Group will close 150 Sam Goody and Suncoast Motion Picture Co. stores by yearend. The move will cut 900 jobs and affect 13% of the company's stores, which number about 1,120. Changes in Musicland's operating structure, and a return to...

Stage stores, Couche-Tard buy chains.(Stage Stores Inc. acquires Peebles Inc., Couch-Tard acquires Circle K Stores Inc.)(Brief Article)
October 10, 2003... Stage Stores is spending roughly $167 million in cash to acquire Peebles, a privately held retailer that operates 136 stores throughout 17 mid-Atlantic, Southeastern and Midwestern states. Stage also will buy Peebles' private-label credit-card...

Slow growth for top 100 retailers.(Brief Article)
October 10, 2003... The average growth rate for the top 100 retailers slowed to less than 4% from 2001 to 2002, according to a recent report from Retail Forward. Department stores and general merchandise stores that sell food realized the smallest average sales...

Wholesale entrance, exit for two cos.(Western Auto Supply Co.)(Brief Article)
October 10, 2003... Western Auto Supply Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of Advance Auto Parts, will end sales of merchandise and services to its wholesale distribution network of 304 independent Western Auto dealers. Forty-four independent retailers also will be...

This week's retail news nuggets.(includes multiple news briefs)(Brief Article)
October 10, 2003... Value City Department Stores, Inc. is changing into a holding company that will operate under the Retail Ventures name.... Sears and KB Toys extended the KB Toys at Sears concept to a total of 600 Sears stores in time for the holidays. The...

New stores, new markets.(includes multiple store openings)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2003... Filene's will expand its store at the Shoppes at Buckland Hills, Manchester, Conn., into the space currently occupied by its sister chain Lord & Taylor, which is expected to close its store on Nov. 15.... Publix will open in January at Sun...

Holiday shopping seen as 'chore,' purchase intent similar to 2002.(Brief Article)
October 17, 2003... Consumers say that value, a convenient store location and quality of products are the top factors that will influence their holiday shopping purchases this year. That's the finding from market research firm NPD Group, which said in its latest...

Labor strike disrupts Calif. grocers.(Brief Article)
October 17, 2003... One for all, and all for one. A strike by Vons employees in Southern California led Albertson's and Kroger's Ralphs division to lock out their own union workers. The three grocers have an agreement that a strike against one company is a strike...

Penn Traffic looks to close 16 stores.(Brief Article)
October 17, 2003... Penn Traffic Co. asked the bankruptcy courts for permission to shutter 16 supermarkets in four states, a move that would affect 1,035 workers. Penn Traffic says the stores were unprofitable or among its least profitable stores and showed little...

Value City Department Stores.(People In The News)(appoints Stuart Glasser CEO, president)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2003... Stuart Glasser was named CEO and president of Value City Department Stores, a division of Retail Ventures, Inc. He** joined Value City as head of its soft lines merchandising operations in September 2002.

Gap, Inc.(People In The News)(announces resignation of CIO Ken Harris)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2003... Ken Harris is resigning as CIO of Gap, Inc. Taking over as executive VP and CIO will be Michael Tasooji, who served in a similar role at Walt Disney Co. Also, Gap named Nick Cullen executive VP, chief supply chain officer....

Wet Seal, Inc.(People In The News)(announces resignation of Walter Parks)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2003... Walter Parks has resigned as executive VP, chief administrative officer of Wet Seal, Inc. While Parks will not be replaced, his duties will be divided between senior VP and CFO Bill Landsdorf, and Joseph Deckop, executive VP of central planning...

NutraSweet Co.(People In The News)(company's former CEO Lawrence Benjamin joins U.S. Foodservice)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2003... Lawrence Benjamin, the former CEO of NutraSweet Co., has been appointed CEO of U.S. Foodservice, effective Nov. 1.

Michaels to expand recollections biz.(Michaels Stores Inc. will add more scrapbooking stores)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2003... Michaels Stores, Inc. plans to increase the overall number of ReCollections stores in 2004. The new scrapbooking format just opened its second store at the Old Town Shopping Center in Dallas. Michaels plans to expand the ReCollections concept...

Supervalu pulls out of Denver market.(Kroger is buying four Cub Foods stores in the Denver area from SuperValu)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2003... Kroger is spending an undisclosed sum to acquire four Cub Foods stores in the Denver area from SuperValu, which is pulling out of the market altogether. The stores, which average 66,000 sq. ft., will become part of Kroger's King Soopers...

Eckerd gets nibble from Jean Coutu.(J.C. Penney says it won't make decision on selling its Eckerd division until year-end)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2003... J.C. Penney continues to say it won't make a decision on selling its Eckerd division until yearend, but that didn't stop Montreal-based drug store chain Jean Coutu Group from dropping hints that it is interested in buying part of Eckerd. In a...

Jos. A. Bank is California dreaming.(Is bulking up bricks-and-mortar presence )(Brief Article)
October 17, 2003... Men's apparel retailer Jos. A. Bank is bulking up its bricks-and-mortar presence in the Golden State. While the company already operates stores in Sacramento, Fresno and Fairfield, Calif., Jos. A. Bank plans to have a total of 50 stores in the...

This week's retail news nuggets.(General Growth Properties is buying three shopping centers in Texas, Maine and Indiana; Kmart has new ad campaign)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2003... General Growth Properties is spending roughly $550 million to buy three shopping centers in Texas, Maine and Indiana.... Kmart's new ad campaign--"Kmart. Right Here. Right Now."--will launch on Oct. 19. The commercials will highlight each of...

New stores, new markets.(Brief Article)
October 24, 2003... Food Lion will open in a former Winn-Dixie site in Morehead, N.C., in late 2004.... Elder-Beerman cut the ribbon on a store this week at Muscatine (Iowa) Mall.... Eckerd has begun building a pair of stores in Colorado Springs, Colo....

Wexner optimistic about Limited, Express showing biggest change.(Leslie Wexner, chief executive of Limited Brands, addresses investors)(Brief Article)
October 24, 2003... Leslie Wexner, chief executive of Limited Brands, was calm, cool and collected at an investor update meeting this week. He has every reason to be. Wexner said he was optimistic about the economic outlook and, even more so, about the internal...

FAO says finances are not in jeopardy.
October 24, 2003... Refuting an article in the New York Post last week that reported that FAO, Inc. was in a cash crunch, the retailer says its suppliers had not been tightening merchandise credit limits and that it is paying its bills and funding operations in...

Kmart shows off Martha in new ad spot.(Brief Article)
October 24, 2003... World Series fans caught a glimpse of Martha Stewart in Kmart's new ad campaign this past weekend. In a television commercial that debuted Sunday night, Stewart appeared in the new campaign that promoted the new company line: "Kmart. Right...

Wild Oats Markets, Inc. has named Donald Harris VP of produce for its name-brand stores.(People In The News)
October 24, 2003... Wild Oats Markets, Inc. has named Donald Harris VP of produce for its name-brand stores. He replaces Doug Ranno, who left the company in July. Harris most recently served with Safeway, Inc....

Talbots, Inc.(People In The News)(named Peter Delahunt VP of financial planning and analysis)
October 24, 2003... Talbots, Inc. has named Peter Delahunt VP of financial planning and analysis....

Royal Ahold named Jim Lawler as its new chief human resources officer.(People In The News)
October 24, 2003... Royal Ahold named Jim Lawler as its new chief human resources officer. He succeeds Arthur Brouwer, who was named chief business support officer. Lawler recently served as chief human resources officer of Ahold USA....

J. Jill Group.(People In The News)(appointed John Pletzke VP of product management and sourcing)
October 24, 2003... J. Jill Group appointed John Pletzke VP of product management and sourcing. He most recently held the position of VP of production and global sourcing of Banana Republic....

Saks Fifth Avenue Enterprises.(People In The News)(Tina Johnson resigns as CEO)
October 24, 2003... Tina Johnson has stepped down as CEO of Saks Fifth Avenue Enterprises. A successor has been selected and will be announced in December. In the interim, vice chairman Steve Sadove will assume the role of CEO....

FreshDirect.(People In The News)(appointed Dean Furbush COO)
October 24, 2003... Dean Furbush, a former VP with stock firm Nasdaq, was appointed COO of e-grocer FreshDirect.

City of Oakland nixes big-box stores.(Brief Article)
October 24, 2003... Retailers that operate stores with more than 10,000 sq. ft. of nontaxable goods are persona non grata in the city of Oakland, Calif., as the city council has banned retailers like Wal-Mart from opening supercenters in the city. The reason:...

Firm predicts stellar holiday season.(Brief Article)
October 24, 2003... Keeping in line with the rash of optimistic holiday sales forecasts, economists from Merrill Lynch this week predicted that 2003 will mark the second best holiday season of the decade. The firm's retailing division forecast an 8.7% overall...

Numico sells GNC to investment firm.(General Nutrition Co. sold to Apollo Management)(Brief Article)
October 24, 2003... General Nutrition Co. (GNC) has a new corporate owner. Dutch food company Numico is selling GNC to Apollo Management, a private investment firm, for $750 million. That's far below the $1.8 billion price tag Numico spent to acquire GNC in 1999....

Former rite aid counsel found guilty.(Franklin Brown is convicted of conspiracy, obstruction, witness tampering, lying)(Brief Article)
October 24, 2003... In the first jury conviction of someone connected to a major U.S. business scandal of the past two years, Franklin Brown, former Rite Aid chief counsel, was convicted last week of taking part in a conspiracy to falsely inflate the chain's...

This week's retail news nuggets.(includes multiple news briefs)(Brief Article)
October 24, 2003... A&P sold its Eight O' Clock coffee division to Gryphon Investors, a private-equity firm, for $107.5 million.... More than 300 illegal workers at 61 Wal-Mart stores in 21 states were arrested by federal authorities as part of an investigation...

New stores, new markets.(retail industry news briefs)(Brief Article)
October 31, 2003... Conn's Appliances debuted in Dallas last month and has plans to open two more stores there in November. All three sites are in former Service Merchandise locations.... Kaufmann's has opened in Pittsburgh at the Waterfront.... Lowe's took over...

Grocer remodels surpass new store growth for third year.(the typical new supermarket is increasing in overall size, having reached 47,500 sq ft in 2002)(Brief Article)
October 31, 2003... After reaching a five-year low in 2000, the typical new supermarket is again increasing in overall size, having reached 47,500 sq. ft. last year, according to a new study by the Food Marketing Institute (FMI). The selling area for a typical new...

CVS expresses interest in Eckerd parts.(Brief Article)
October 31, 2003... When CVS opens its new 350,000-sq.-ft. distribution center in late 2004 in Ennis, Texas, south of Dallas, it will mark its first warehouse located west of the Mississippi River. It could also be a catalyst for growth for the drug store chain in...

Wal-Mart to crack down on worker IDS.(Brief Article)
October 31, 2003... Following the arrests last week of 245 workers who are alleged to be illegally employed, Wal-Mart said this week that it will review all 1.1 million of its domestic employees and fire any of those who are illegally employed. The retailer, the...

Dick's Sporting Goods.(People In The News)(names Denny Feldmann as a VP and general merchandise manager)(Brief Article)
October 31, 2003... Dick's Sporting Goods named Denny Feldmann as a VP and general merchandise manager for outdoor gear. He comes from Galyan's Trading Co., where he served in a similar capacity....

ShopKo Stores, Inc.(People In The News)(promotes Matt Lynch to senior VP, CIO)(Brief Article)
October 31, 2003... ShopKo Stores, Inc. has promoted Matt Lynch to senior VP, CIO....

Urban Outfitters, Inc.(People In The News)(appoints John Kyees as its new CFO)(Brief Article)
October 31, 2003... Urban Outfitters, Inc. appointed John Kyees as its new CFO, effective Nov. 21. He currently serves in a similar role at bebe stores. Urban Outfitters also announced that David Frankel, president of its Free People wholesale brand, has resigned....

Co-chairman of King Kullen dies.(People In The News)(King Kullen Grocery Co.'s John Cullen dies at 83 years)(Brief Article)(Obituary)
October 31, 2003... John Cullen, co-chairman and son of King Kullen Grocery Co.'s founder, died last week. He was 83. Cullen, who joined the 47-store chain in 1936 as a clerk, was named chairman and CEO in 1988.

Amazon.com: full book sneak peak.(People In The News)(Amazon.com allows customers to search for text on electronic copies of its books)(Brief Article)
October 31, 2003... Amazon.com is allowing customers to search for text on electronic copies of books over its Web site. The Internet merchant already had received permission from more than 190 publishers before the service, called Search Inside the Book, was...

Kohl's makes room for BeautyBank.(its new cosmetics department)(Brief Article)
October 31, 2003... For years, Kohl's has been beating traditional department stores at their own game with its lower prices and racetrack design. Now, it is copying a page out of the Department Store Operations 101 handbook. Kohl's partnered with Estee Lauder to...

Two former Kmart execs set for trial.(for alleged securities fraud)(Brief Article)
October 31, 2003... Two former Kmart executives who are accused of securities fraud, conspiracy and making false statements to the Securities and Exchange Commission will begin their trial soon. If convicted, the two could each serve a maximum sentence of 10 years...

Wal-Mart Canada bullish on Sam's Club.(Brief Article)
October 31, 2003... Wal-Mart Canada isn't waiting for customer feedback on the first Sam's Clubs that opened this week. The company is already bullish on the prospect of blanketing Canada with the warehouse club's banner. Sam's Club opened in four locations in the...

This week's retail news nuggets.(retail industry news briefs)
October 31, 2003... J.C. Penney will take a charge of roughly $40 million to cover the sale of its six department stores in Mexico to Grupo Sanborns. The stores are located in Monterrey, Leon, Mexico City, Chihuahua, Cancun and Merida. Penney first opened in...