International Business

Specialty retailer Brookstone has hired Stephen Bebis as its new president and CEO, effective immediately.

Prior to joining Brookstone, Bebis spent 14 years as founder, president and CEO of Golf Town, the largest specialty golf retailer in Canada. Starting the business from scratch, Bebis grew Golf Town to 57 locations across Canada and led the expansion of the company into the Boston market last year with seven stores.

CINCINNATI — Macy's is offering customers in China access to an assortment of its highly regarded private brand merchandise through a Macy's section on Omei.com, a newly established China-based online retailer of in-season luxury and fashion brands operated by VIPStore Co., Ltd.

New York -- 7-Eleven Inc. said that it plans to add 630 new stores in the United States and Canada by yearend. In 2011, the chain added some 600 locations, with the stores either built, acquired or transitioned from another business to the 7-Eleven banner

Dallas -- Davaco announced that the company has set up an operational division in Canada that can support global consumer brands with multi-unit programs in every province throughout Canada.

Davaco established its office near Toronto in 2011 to service immediate client needs, and is now available to provide services for additional clients in the growing Canadian marketplace.

Cincinnati -- Macy's Inc. will start selling some of its private brand merchandise directly to shoppers in China through a deal with an online retailer there.

The chain said it will the goods through a Macy’s section on Omei.com, a newly established China-based online retailer of in-season luxury and fashion brands operated by VIPStore Co., a Chinese e-commerce firm and parent company of Omei.com

The California State Teachers' Retirement System (CalSTRS) intends to use its 5.3 million shares to block the reelection of the entire board of directors of Wal-Mart Stores. You may recall this is the same group that filed suit against Walmart and its executives over their alleged actions in Mexico.

Toronto — Sears Canada has named Don Ross to its board of directors, effective immediately.  Ross is a partner at a prominent law firm in Toronto and is a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada, the New York State Bar Association, and the Canadian, American and International Bar Associations.

Sears Canada also announced today the resignation from the board of Deidra Merriwether, SVP and president retail services of Sears Holdings.

Las Vegas -- On Monday morning, RECon 2012, the International Council of Shopping Centers’ annual retail real estate convention in Las Vegas, kicks off with an expected 31,000+ attendees from around the globe.

Running through Wednesday, May 23, RECon will encompass three halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center – or over 1 million sq. ft. – with more than 1,000 companies exhibiting and highlights such as The Cities of the World Pavilion and a keynote presentation by Leslie H. Wexner, founder of Limited Brands.
 

Sam's Club shoppers in Mexico who have a hankering for deep dish pizza will soon be able to satisfy their craving thanks to a new deal with Uno Foods and Sam's Club. Uno's deep dish pizza, artisan thin crust varieties and other items will be distributed at Sam's Clubs throughout Mexico.

Sam Club president and CEO Ros Brewer on Thursday named Charles Redfield as Sam’s newest EVP merchandising to replace Linda Hefner who will relocate to Chicago, according to an internal announcement.