Labor & Employment

Edina, Minn. – Payment systems at 395 Dairy Queen stores and one Orange Julius store across the U.S. have been hit by a cyber attack that exposed payment card customer names, numbers and expiration dates. The company has no evidence that other customer personal information, such as Social Security numbers, PINs or email addresses, was compromised as a result of this malware infection.   

Washington, D.C. - Import cargo volume at the nation’s major retail container ports is expected to see a final surge and set a new monthly record in October as the holiday season approaches. According to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Hackett Associates, import volume at U.S. ports covered by the Global Port Tracker report is expected to total 1.53 million containers in October, topping the 1.52 million monthly record set in August.   

While merchants have spent the past nine months developing plans to drive holiday sales, another group of retail executives has been preparing to deal with the dark side of Christmas.

Import cargo volume at the nation’s major retail container ports is expected to see a final surge and set a new monthly record in October as the holiday season approaches, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released late this week by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

Wayne, N.J. – Toys “R” Us has appointed Michael Melzer as managing director, Central Europe, responsible for the company’s operations throughout Germany, Austria and Switzerland, including 91 stores and four e-commerce sites.

Melzer previously served as managing director of Staples in Germany, overseeing both its retail stores and online business. Before that, he spent five years with the department store chain Karstadt, first as director, corporate development and later as managing director of its e-commerce business.

Philadelphia – Net sales at Destination Maternity Corp. dropped 5% to $122 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2014, from $128.3 million the same quarter a year earlier. Same-store sales, including Internet sales, declined 5%.

Net sales declined primarily from the decrease in same-store sales and decreased sales related to the company's continued efforts to close underperforming stores. Sales results were below previously released guidance.

Hauppauge, N.Y. - Premier Store Fixtures, a provider of interior fixtures for the retail industry, has appointed Richard Winter as CEO and a member of the board of directors. Winter has more than 25 years of senior executive experience in the store fixtures industry, including serving as the sector president of The Marmon Group’s retail services division.

Toys“R”Us has appointed Michael Melzer as managing director, Central Europe. He will be responsible for the company’s business operations throughout Germany, Austria and Switzerland, including 91 stores and four e-commerce sites, as well as the approximately 2,200 employees in these countries, and report to Wolfgang Link, president, Europe.

A decrease in same-store sales and losses resulting from Destination Maternity’s continued efforts to close underperforming stores fueled a net sales decline in the fourth quarter — just two months after Anthony Romano came on board as CEO.

Net sales at Destination Maternity dropped 5% to $122 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2014, from $128.3 million the same quarter a year earlier. Same-store sales, including Internet sales, declined 5%. Sales results were below previously released guidance.

Campbell Soup Company has designated Brandywine Realty Trust as the developer of the mixed use development for Camden’s Gateway District. Campbell, the State of New Jersey, the County and City of Camden announced plans to develop the area adjacent to the company’s world headquarters in February 2007 with Campbell designated as the master redeveloper of the project.

The 13 acres earmarked for development are located off Newton Ave., between Admiral Wilson Blvd. and 11th Street.