Finance & Capital Management

A British lifestyle brand will open its first store in the United States this summer.   The White Company will open a 3,000-sq.-ft. flagship in the Flatiron section of Manhattan. Described as the first international flagship of the brand, the store will stock a curated selection of lifestyle, homeware and fashion products. A selection of The Little White Company products featuring white baby clothes and nursery equipment will also be housed in the space.  

A former executive at Sears Holdings Corp. has has been named president and CEO of Pier I Imports.     Alasdair James, 46, will take the reins of the home décor chain on May 1, 2017. He replaces Alex Smith, who was ousted from the company at the end of last year amid slumping sales.   

Canadian discounter Dollarama is upping its store growth plans—and by a considerable number.   The chain, which operates some 1,000 stores across Canada, has revised its long-term target from 1,400 locations to 1,700.   “This provides Dollarama with several years of additional footprint growth,” stated Neil Rossy, president and CEO, Dollarama, which sells a variety of merchandise at fixed price points up to C$4.00.   

Walmart is looking to expand its logistics capabilities.   The discounter  recently submitted plans to city planners In Bentonville, Ark,  for a 1.27 million-sq.-ft. distribution center, according to a report by Talk Business & Politics-Northwest Arkansas Business Journal.  

As German discount giant Lidl prepares to enter the U.S. market, Save-A-Lot is bringing in a new chief executive officer whose resume includes a 13-year stint at the European chain.      The discount supermarket chain has appointed Kenneth McGrath as CEO, effective April 21, 2017. He succeeds Eric Claus, whose departure was described as a “mutually agreed” parting of the ways.   

Is Staples looking to go private?   Less than a year after its deal to acquire Office Depot Inc. fell through due to antitrust concerns, Staples is in early discussions with private-equity bidders, according to The Wall Street Journal.   Staples had no comment on the report, which said that based on typical takeover premiums, the office supply chain could be valued at roughly $7 billion or more. But the news sent its stock soaring to a four-year high on Tuesday morning   

Dollar General is set to grow its already considerable footprint through an acquisition.   The discounter will acquire all 323 stores from Dollar Express, according to the Charlotte Observer.    

Forman Mills is on a growth spurt — now it needs its point-of-sale (POS) to grow with it.   The off-price retailer has grown from a single store to a 36-store chain of “big box” warehouse-style stores across multiple states. As the retailer enters its next stage of expansion in connection with a recent investment from New York-based Goode Partners LLC, Forman Mills needed a front end solution that could support its growth, and drive more efficient checkout processes.