Consumer Affairs & Relations

Sport Chalet has elected Miki R. Berardelli, CMO for Tory Burch, a women's fashion clothing and accessories company, to the company's board of directors.

Los Angeles -- Faced with an uncertain economic and political environment and the first government shutdown in nearly two decades, Americans are expected to tighten their holiday budgets this year, beginning with Halloween, according to market research firm IBISWorld. Total spending on the holiday is anticipated to grow only 3% to $7.63 billion in 2013, compared to a strong 17.8% increase in 2012.
 

Dhaka, Bangladesh – Another deadly fire has reportedly hit a garment factory in Bangladesh. According to Bloomberg, an Oct. 8 blaze at a garment factory near the Bangladesh capital city of Dhaka killed 10 workers and injured more than 50.

Lumber Liquidators spokesman Clint Roberts responded to sister publication HCN's requests for comment regarding the ongoing federal investigation into its sourcing practices. Multiple reports have suggested that the investigation is linked to the Environmental Investigation Agency, which claims the retailer is purchasing wood illegally in protected forests in Far East Russia.

Monroe, Mich. – La-Z-Boy Inc. intends to acquire two La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries stores located in the Youngstown, Ohio, market, with combined revenue of approximately $6.5 million. The stores are located in Boardman and Howland, Ohio, and are owned and operated by independent dealers who are retiring.  

Walgreens has fine-tuned its management structure, most notably elevating Jim Jensen to VP daily living implementation and space planning, where he will be looking at maximizing merchandising initiatives against space optimization in the stores.

Moe Alkemade will assume the role of general merchandise manager handling seasonal, sundries and consumables. Beth Stiller has been named group VP retail brands and global sourcing.

All appointments are effective Nov. 4.

Columbus, Ohio - The previously announced offering of $500 million aggregate principal amount of unsecured senior notes due 2023 from L Brands (formerly knows as Limited Brands) has priced at 100% of the aggregate principal amount with a coupon of 5.625%. The sale of the 2023 notes was underwritten by BofA Merrill Lynch, Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC as joint book-running managers.

Del Monte Foods has announced plans to sell its consumer products business to Del Monte Pacific Limited for $1.675 billion so the company can focus on the pet products market.