Finance & Capital Management

Fresh & Easy, which opened its first store in 2007 and was U.K. giant Tesco’s first U.S. venture, is closing its stores, the Los Angeles Times reported. The chain, which was never able to gain a foothold in the competitive U.S. grocery market, filed Chapter 11 in 2013, and was acquired by grocery billionaire Ron Burkle's Yucaipa Cos. with a loan from Tesco. [Los Angeles Times]

Amazon.com’s third quarter sales increased 23% to $25.4 billion and the online retailer and tech giant posted a huge improvement in profitability.

The company said operating income increased to $406 million in the third quarter ended Sept. 30, compared to an operating loss of $544 million in third quarter 2014. Net income increased to $79 million, or 17 cents a share, compared with net loss of $437 million, or 95 cents a share, the prior year.

Century 21 Department Store will bring its high-fashions and low prices to a new location in the suburbs.

The company will open an approximately 70,000-sq.-ft., two-level store at Green Acres Mall in Valley Stream, New York, on the South Shore of Long Island. The location will be the company’s tenth location.

Costco Wholesale has sold an airplane hanger to Poplar Glen, the limited liability company owned by Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, the Puget Sound Business Journal reported. Bezos owns two airplanes, including a recently acquired Gulfstream, according to the report. [Puget Sound Business Journal]

Five Below is looking to generate brand awareness and traffic after selecting a new advertising agency to handle creative and media duties.

The teen and pre-teen retailer known for selling products for $5 or less chose Zimmerman Advertising, a division of Omnicon, as its agency of record and Five Below CEO Joel Anderson couldn’t be happier.

Cabela’s smaller stores are not as productive as the company would like, so the outdoor retailer is putting the brakes on new store growth while it focuses on productivity.

Dunkin’ Donuts isn’t letting lackluster sales in its most recent quarter stand in the way of store expansion.

The coffee chain, a division of Dunkin’ Brands Group Inc., on Thursday said it is on track to add between 410 and 440 net new U.S. stores this year. The expansion represents greater than 5% net new locations.

Globally, the company -- which also owns Baskin-Robbins -- expects to open between 615 and 750 net new restaurants across the two brands.

One of the shopping center industry's early stars—and a man who endured many hardships, including internment in a Nazi labor came, has died.

Lululemon Athletica’s chief product officer has left the company and other key executives are in new roles as the company looks to increase innovation and execute a 10 year vision.

The operator of 336 stores named expanded the responsibilities of CFO Stuart Haselden and he now adds the title of executive VP of operations. Haselden joined the company early this year after serving as CFO of J. Crew. The company has also initiated a search to fill the newly created position of chief supply chain officer.

Veteran apparel retailer Tracy Gardner will join the Gap Inc. board, effective Nov. 11.

Gap has relied on Gardner on multiple occasions the past 25 years as an employee and advisor. Gardner worked at the company from 1991 to 1994 in various creative roles and from 1998 to 2004 in senior leadership positions, including head of Gap adult merchandising. This past year she served as an advisor to the Gap brand and functioned in a similar role in 2012.