Marketing

Whole Foods Market is upping its game.   In the face of growing competition, the supermarket chain has been adding restaurants, bars and tap rooms to its stores, reported The Orange County Register.    In select locations in California, Whole Foods is adding in-store outposts of a popular fast-casual eatery, Mendocino Farms, to its stores.   

Kenneth Cole is closing all its stores in outlet centers.   The company plans to shutter its 63 outlet stores within the next six months, Bloomberg reported. The move will leave the brand with two brick-and-mortar stores, both full priced, with one in downtown Manhattan and the other in Arlington, Va.  

Shopko, in partnership with First Bankcards, is launching its first private label credit card program.   The new Shopko Credit Card, which can be used at any Shopko throughout the United States, will offer discounts, periodic deferred interest promotional financing offers and automatic gift card rewards, in addition to in-store instant approval.   

Lord & Taylor takes customers on a whimsical winter journey in the 79th annual holiday window display at its Manhattan flagship on Fifth Avenue.    With an Enchanted Forest theme, the five windows portray scenes of a winter wonderland and are filled with 34 hand-sculpted holiday animals. Each vignette is enhanced with over 350 square feet of LED walls. The store’s façade features more than 9,000 ft. of mixed garland, foliage, twinkling lights and holiday music      

Nordstrom delivered a strong performance in its fiscal third quarter even as a hefty charge related to its Trunk Club business ate into its profit.   Total net sales rose 7.2% to a better-than-expected $3.5 billion from $3.2 billion a year ago, fueled by the shift of the company’s popular anniversary sale to the quarter. Same-store sales increased 2.4%, also more than expected. As it has done in recent past quarters, Nordstrom Rack outpaced the full-priced division, Net sales were up more than 10%, and same-store sales rose nearly 4%.

Weakness in apparel helped make for a disappointing third quarter for J.C. Penney Co. as the retailer cuts its forecast amid sliding sales.   On the positive side, Penney said sales trends improved in October, fueled by increasing momentum behind its new appliance business.  

Alex and Ani has promoted Cindy DiPietrantonio to president of the company.           DiPietrantonio joined the jewelry and lifestyle brand in July 2016 as interim COO, and her transition to president has happened in “a very natural, organic way,” the company said.  

Starbucks Corp. stirred up a controversy last year when people complained that its all-red holiday cups were too plain. It’s unlikely there will be any complaints this go around.        This year, for the first time ever, Starbucks has 13 different holiday cups, all of them red but each with its own distinct design. And in another twist, the designs were created by customers.  

Lumber Liquidators has not had much luck getting its top executives to stick around as of late.   The company's chief compliance officer, Ray Cotton, quietly resigned in May of 2015.   Then, in November, it elected John Presley as chief executive -- the second time that year it had to change CEOs.