Strategy

The combination of an unspecified number of new stores, e-commerce and same store sales growth will enable Guess Inc., to surpass annual sales of $3 billion in three years, according to new CEO Victor Herrero.

Guess ended its most recent fiscal year with total sales of roughly $2.2 billion, but CEO Victor Herrero, who joined the company last July from Inditex, believes the company can add $800 million in worldwide volume in the next three years, despite sales and profit declines last year.

Ulta Beauty is on fire — offline and on.

The specialty beauty retailer plans to open 100 new stores in 2016 while also pursuing new merchandising initiative to enhance the productivity of existing locations.

New store expansion and expectations for same-store sales growth are in store for Michaels Companies in 2016, according to CEO Chuck Rubin.

Rubin sounded an optimistic tone about Michaels’ future following the release of fourth quarter results he characterized as “strong” and attributed to an improved shopping experience, increased customer communications and trend right holiday assortments.

More powerful than a smartphone and more portable than a laptop, tablet computers offer retail design and construction professionals some unique opportunities.

In a session at Chain Store Age’s SPECS 2016 conference at Hilton Anatole in Dallas, March 13-15, “Tablets Unlocked,” Bart Waldeck, CMO and senior VP of product strategy for Tango, identified the top five opportunities tablets offer the store development process.

Leading off-price apparel retailer Ross Stores has named long time merchant Bernie Brautigan to the role of president of merchandising.

Brautigan previously served as Ross Stores’ group executive vice president of merchandising since 2014. He will continue to report to Ross CEO Barbara Rentler in his new role and be responsible for the ladies apparel businesses, children's, shoes, and accessories.

March promises to be a busy month for Shopko.

The retailer will open 10 Shopko Hometown stores in late March, bringing its total number of stores opened this year so far to 12.

The company plans to continue to accelerate the expansion of its Hometown format with additional locations through 2017. Developed over the past five years to augment Shopko’s larger store model, the concept is focused on serving the needs of smaller rural communities. Stores average 15,000 sq. ft. to 35,000 sq. ft.

Finish Line has hired a high power technology executive to make sure it avoids recent technology implementation challenges in the future while keeping pace with athletic footwear consumers’ desire for an omnichannel experience.

Leading online jeweler Blue Nile is set to open its first physical location outside of New York City in an ongoing effort to reimagine the jewelry buying experience.

Ross Dress for Less on March 5 opened two new stores in the Chicago area.

The retailer opened a 27,000-sq.-ft. location in Berwyn, in Cermak Plaza, nine miles west of downtown Chicago at the southeast corner of West Cermak Road and Harlem Avenue.

It also opened an Archer Heights location, a 25,000-sq.-ft. store in the Pulaski Promenade, nine miles southwest of downtown Chicago at the northwest corner of 42nd Place and Pulaski Road.