Marketing

Menomonee Falls, Wis. — Kohl’s on Thursday announced a series of organizational changes, including the promotion of Michelle Gass to the newly created principal officer position of chief merchandising and customer officer. Gass joined Kohl’s in 2013 as chief customer officer from Starbucks, where she is credited with playing a key role in the coffee giant’s turnaround  several years back.    

Austin, Texas — Whole Foods Market unveiled the name of its new banner of smaller, value-focused and millenial-targeted stores:  “365 by Whole Foods Market.”

New York — The formerly high-flying J.Crew Group has come down to earth, a victim of fashion miscues and the new competitive landscape. What’s more, the retailer has $1.5 billion in debt on its books, the New York Times reported. Click here for the story.

Troubled specialty retailer J.Crew Group Inc. says it has laid off 175 staff members and fired its chief women’s designer.

The company says the changes and business improvement initiatives will "better align with the current and future retail environment."

Oak Brook, Ill. — Retail Properties of America, Inc. (RPAI) has closed on the acquisition of Woodinville Plaza located in the Seattle Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). The property was acquired on an unencumbered basis for a gross purchase price of $35.3 million.   

Low-price grocery chain Aldi is coming to Southern California, as the retailer hastens plans to open at least 45 stores in that state by the end of 2016.

The retailer says it plans to hire more than 1,100 people to work in its Southern California stores, as well as at the company's regional headquarters and warehouse in Moreno Valley, Calif. 

EVANSVILLE, Indiana — Shoe Carnival plans to launch a complementary, small-market store concept. The new format will be approximately 5,000 sq.ft. or half the size of a current Shoe Carnival store.  

The name for Whole Foods Market's new "streamlined and value-focused brand" is not exactly streamlined.

Slated to begin opening in 2016, the new stores, called "365 by Whole Foods Market," will offer "convenience and everyday low prices on natural and organic products that meet the company's industry-leading quality standards," the company announced Thursday.