Marketing

Oak Brook. Ill. - Retail Properties of America Inc. has signed two new leases at its Gateway Plaza shopping center located in Southlake, Texas. Buybuy Baby and Cost Plus World Market, at Gateway Plaza located in Southlake, Texas. Buybuy Baby and Cost Plus World Market are both expected to open in fourth quarter 2015.

The 365,200-sq.-ft. power center is anchored by Kohl's, T.J. Maxx, Old Navy, Ulta Beauty and Bed Bath & Beyond, as well as many other prominent national retailers and restaurants.
 

Brisbane, Calif. – Bebe Stores Inc. continues to expand its global presence.

Bebe announced it has signed a five-year strategic cooperation agreement with Shanghai-based brand agency Longgoal LLC to open between 60 and 150 Bebe stores, shop-in-shops and third-party retailers in Greater China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. The first store is expected to open in the summer of 2016.

Birmingham, Ala. – Books-A-Million needs more best-sellers.

A lack of hit books hit fiscal results of Books-A-Million Inc. during the second quarter of fiscal 2015. Net loss grew to $5.8 million from $3 million the same quarter a year earlier, with costs and expenses rising or staying flat in the face of slipping revenues.

Net sales dipped to $107.9 million, from $108.3 million. Same-store sales dropped 0.3%.

Columbus, Ohio – Big Lots on Friday reported second-quarter profit and revenue that beat analysts' estimates. The retailer also announced several promotions as part of a realignment of its supply chain management.

Big Lots’ net income dropped 13% to a better-than-expected $17.63 million from $19.94 million, with loss from discontinued operations cutting otherwise flat profit.

Net sales for the quarter increased 1% to $1.21 billion, from $1.19 billion. Same-store sales rose 2.8%.

The turnaround plan at Big Lots, which is helping the retailer grow profit and same store sales, is also prompting some management changes.

For the second quarter ended Aug. 1,  same store sales increased 2.8%. Net sales increased 1.2% to $1,209.7 million. Big Lots reported a profit of $17.6 million, or 34 cents a share, down from $19.9 million, or 36 cents, a year earlier. Excluding certain items, per-share profit rose to 40 cents from 31 cents. Revenue edged 1.2% higher to $1.21 billion.

Workwear brand Carhartt has opened a flagship in the city where it was founded in 1889.  

Books-A-Million needs a lot more best-sellers.

New York — It was tough sledding for J. Crew Group in the second quarter as its namesake brand continued to decline.   The retailer swung to a net loss of $13.6 million for the quarter, ended Aug. 1,  compared with earnings of $10.8 million in the year-ago period.    Revenue fell 5% to $593.6 million.  

Washington — The National Retail Federation wasted no time responding to a ruling by the National Labor Relations board concerning the redefinition of the concept of joint employees.

NRF and other business groups are concerned that the redefinition  could be used to make large businesses and franchisors responsible for the actions of subcontractors or local franchisees even when they do not exercise direct control over those companies’ employees.

Burlington, N.J. — Burlington Stores Inc. is in the black.

The company swung to a net income of $10.9 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2015 from a net loss of $6.47 million the same quarter of last year. Decreases in stock option and interest expenses, as well as some impairment charges, helped bring Burlington to profitability.

Net sales rose 10% to $1.14 billion from $1.04 billion, while same-store sales grew 5.6%.