Labor & Employment

From dazzling LCD/LED video displays to rotating mannequins to staircases with color-changing LED lights, Uniqlo’s Manhattan flagship is massive in scope and bold in design.

The three-level, 89,000-sq.-ft. store is the largest Uniqlo outlet in the world. It’s a big store for a company with big ambitions: Uniqlo parent Fast Retailing Co., the world’s fourth-largest apparel retailer, is targeting $50 billion in global sales by 2020.

El Segundo, Calif. -- Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market announced it is hiring for more than 20 stores that are set to open early next year.

The company expects to hire more than 600 employees for the new stores, which will be opening in California and Nevada.
 

New York City -- New York & Co. reported Thursday that its loss widened in the third quarter to $6 million, from $4 million last year.

Sales dropped to $216.7 million, compared with $238.2 million a year earlier. Same-store sales decreased 5.2%.

HUDSON, Ohio — While many retailers are boasting about opening on Thanksgiving Day night to give shoppers an early start on the Black Friday weekend, Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores is going in a different direction and will stay closed for the holiday. 

Secaucus, N.J. -- The Children's Place Retail Stores reported Thursday that net income increased to $33.7 million for the quarter ended Oct. 29, up from $31.2 million a year earlier.

Sales rose 7% to $484.1 million from $453.4 million. Same-store sales edged up 0.9%.

Dallas -- SRS Real Estate Partners announced it has hired Kyle Stonis as a senior VP in the Atlanta office.

Stonis will focus on strengthening the investment sales platform for SRS in Atlanta and throughout the Southeast.

Previous to SRS, Stonis worked for Bull Realty in Atlanta as a retail investment broker and senior VP.

PITTSBURGH — Giant Eagle has named Laura Shapira Karet CEO and John Lucot president and COO. Both appointments are effective Jan. 9, 2012. 

Karet, 42, is taking over the position from her father David Shapira, who will assume the position of executive chairman of Giant Eagle's board of directors. Shapira has served as CEO 1980.

SALISBURY, N.C. — Discount grocer Bottom Dollar Food is hiring more than 800 associates over the next several months to begin to prepare for store openings next year, the company announced Wednesday.

"We look forward to expanding in Pittsburgh and Youngstown, Ohio, next year, and bringing new jobs to these areas," stated Bottom Dollar Food president Meg Ham. Bottom Dollar Food is expected to open 14 stores in early 2012. 

Pittsburgh -- Giant Eagle announced that its Board of Directors has named Laura Shapira Karet to serve as the company's CEO, and John Lucot to serve as the company's president and COO, effective January 9, 2012.

Karet, 42, will succeed her father David Shapira, who will assume the position of executive chairman of Giant Eagle's Board of Directors.  Shapira has served the privately-held, family-owned company for 41 of its 80 year-history, and has been CEO since 1980.

New York City -- Off-price retailer Daffy's on Wednesday is opening a nineteenth location, in New York City’s Times Square.

The new 17,000-sq.-ft. store, located at 218 West 44th Street in the former New York Times building.