Strategy

Men’s grooming is one of the fastest-growing segments in beauty, and Hammer & Nails Grooming Shop for Guys is looking to tap into the rising consumer demand. The company, which provides hand and foot care, haircuts and shaves in what it bills as a "man cave nirvana,” plans to open 50 locations in Texas during the next five years.

Asda is making its workforce an enticing offer.   The British supermarket owned by Walmart is offering staff in its stores a 14% increase in their hourly pay if they sign a contract requiring more flexible working, according to Reuters.   The deal requires Asda staff to work in different parts of stores and dif-ferent days or hours, including public holidays. All breaks will be un-paid.  

Gander Mountain has filed for bankruptcy, but it is proactively seeking a buyer.    The sporting goods retailer, which announced Friday, March 10 that it has filed for Chapter 11 protection, said it will pursue a “going concerns sale,” enabling it to function without the threat of liquidation for the foreseeable future.   

An increase in revenue and comparable store sales helped Tilly’s beat analyst expectations for the fourth quarter.   For the period ended January 28, 2017, Tilly’s revenue was $160.2 million, an increase from $159.1 million last year. Net sales also topped Wall Street forecasts of $159.9 million. The chain also beat analyst predictions of earnings hitting 21 cents per share. Tilly’s posted a profit of 22 cents per share.  

Data and analytics is more than a business foundation — it is a key differentiator in an increasingly competitive marketplace, according to Target’s senior VP Paritosh Desai.   As a result, Target is making a big push to add top tech talent, from software engineers to data scientists — a move that pushed the chain to “acquihire” tech companies. In this practice, larger companies acquire smaller ones to obtain their technology and, essentially, hire their leadership and teams.  

Albertsons on Friday appointed Jonathan Mayes to the post of senior VP external affairs and chief diversity officer. In his new role, he will head up the company’s diversity and inclusion efforts, as well as its government relationships, philanthropy and sustainability departments.   

Shoptalk has announced a partnership with the Retail Industry Leaders Association focused on RILA’s newly launched (R)Tech Center for Innovation.   Through the partnership, Shoptalk will support the (R)Tech Center for Innovation as a member of the (R)Tech Innovators Network.   

Diane K. Lettelleir, senior managing counsel of JCPenney Corp., discusses why retailers can’t wait for the government to solve the patent troll problem in the commentary below:    JCPenney and numerous other retailers have been hunted for the last decade by patent trolls that aggressively file suits based on overly broad claims in patents against related but distinct technologies. JCPenney alone has endured dozens of patent troll lawsuits over this period.   

Vow To Be Chic is giving shoppers access to a new line of designer bridesmaids' dresses.   The two-year-old start-up, which allows women to shop for bridesmaids’ gowns via their desktop, laptop or smartphone, will add six of the best-selling gowns from Amsale's Nouvelle Amsale line. The partnership marks the designer’s debut in the gown rental segment.   

Malls and shopping centers are not endangered, but evolving species, International Council of Shopping Centers CEO Thomas McGee told the Miami Herald this week.   “There is stress in the department store segment and closures. When you look at those stores as a percentage of retail square footage, it’s small,” McGee said in a wide-ranging interview with the paper. “But those spaces are big and prominent and they need to be handled in a systematic way.”