Marketing

Kohl’s has donated more than $2.1 million over three years to Susan G. Komen Southeast Wisconsin as part of its efforts to support families in the retailer’s hometown.

New York -- Investment firm TowerBrook Capital Partners is acquiring women’s apparel retailer J. Jill, which operates some 250 stores nationwide. TowerBrook is buying the company from Investment firm Arcapita and private equity firm Golden Gate Capital.  

In a statement, J. Jill CEO Paula Bennett noted that the retailer has just completed its best sales year in history and 12 quarters of consecutive growth.

Oak Brook, Ill. -- C.B. Kuzlik, a 20-year veteran of the paving industry, has founded Let’s Pave, which is focused on buyers of commercial and industrial pavement services and solutions nationwide. The company is different from other national service providers, according to Kuzlik, in that it treats paving services and pavement management as separate specialties — offering one or the other, but never both to the same client.  

New York -- There’s been a change at the top at Saks Fifth Avenue. On Thursday, Saks parent company Hudson’s Bay Company announced that company veteran Marc Metrick, 41, is replacing Marigay McKee as president of Saks Fifth Avenue, effective April 2, 2015. It’s a return of sorts for Metrick, who is HBC’s executive VP and chief administrative officer. He spent the first 15 years of his career at Saks Fifth Avenue, ultimately becoming its chief strategy officer, before joining the leadership team of HBC in 2012 as chief marketing officer.

Toano, Va. – Despite bad publicity from a March 2015 “60 Minutes” report alleging carcinogenic materials in the laminate of some Chinese hardwood it sells, Lumber Liquidators beat Wall Street sales estimates in first quarter 2015. In a sales update, Lumber Liquidators said sales were $260 million, an increase of 6% from first quarter 2014.

Oak Brook, Ill. - McDonald’s USA has decided to give employees a break, in the form of higher pay, paid time off and educational assistance. McDonald’s is raising starting wages at company-owned restaurants in the U.S. one dollar more than the locally-mandated minimum wage, as of July 1.

Seattle - Nordstrom Inc. has completed a new five-year, $800 million senior unsecured revolving credit facility. The new facility replaces an $800 million senior unsecured revolving credit facility that was scheduled to mature in March 2018.

The revolving credit facility may be used for general corporate purposes and is scheduled to mature in April 2020. At present, there are no outstanding borrowings under the revolver.

Hingham, Mass. – Talbots Inc. has signed an extension to a long-term agreement to continue receiving private label credit card services from Alliance Data Systems Corp. Talbots operates nearly 500 stores throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Framingham, Mass. - Staples has signed onto “100% Talent: The Boston Women’s Compact,” an effort to end the gender-based wage gap and advance women in the workforce. Staples has pledged to work with Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh in a public-private partnership to make Boston the best city in the country for working women.

Emeryville, Calif. - Jamba, Inc. has entered into an asset purchase agreement with Vitaligent LLC to refranchise 100 company-owned restaurants in the San Francisco, Sacramento and San Diego markets. Under the terms of the agreement, Jamba will receive a purchase price of $36.0 million in cash.