Strategy

Headquarters layoffs are spreading throughout the retail industry with J.C. Penney joining Walmart and Dollar General in making deep cuts to its non-store workforce.

The department store retailer on Thursday said it planned to cut 300 of its 3,400 home office positions to reduce expenses and achieve financial targets.

Dunkin’ Donuts isn’t letting lackluster sales in its most recent quarter stand in the way of store expansion.

The coffee chain, a division of Dunkin’ Brands Group Inc., on Thursday said it is on track to add between 410 and 440 net new U.S. stores this year. The expansion represents greater than 5% net new locations.

Globally, the company -- which also owns Baskin-Robbins -- expects to open between 615 and 750 net new restaurants across the two brands.

Five Below is looking to generate brand awareness and traffic after selecting a new advertising agency to handle creative and media duties.

The teen and pre-teen retailer known for selling products for $5 or less chose Zimmerman Advertising, a division of Omnicon, as its agency of record and Five Below CEO Joel Anderson couldn’t be happier.

Fresh & Easy, which opened its first store in 2007 and was U.K. giant Tesco’s first U.S. venture, is closing its stores, the Los Angeles Times reported. The chain, which was never able to gain a foothold in the competitive U.S. grocery market, filed Chapter 11 in 2013, and was acquired by grocery billionaire Ron Burkle's Yucaipa Cos. with a loan from Tesco. [Los Angeles Times]

Veteran apparel retailer Tracy Gardner will join the Gap Inc. board, effective Nov. 11.

Gap has relied on Gardner on multiple occasions the past 25 years as an employee and advisor. Gardner worked at the company from 1991 to 1994 in various creative roles and from 1998 to 2004 in senior leadership positions, including head of Gap adult merchandising. This past year she served as an advisor to the Gap brand and functioned in a similar role in 2012.

One of the shopping center industry's early stars—and a man who endured many hardships, including internment in a Nazi labor came, has died.

Cabela’s smaller stores are not as productive as the company would like, so the outdoor retailer is putting the brakes on new store growth while it focuses on productivity.

Cabela’s smaller stores are not as productive as the company would like so the outdoor retailer is tapping the brakes on growth while it focuses on productivity.
 
In conjunction with the release of disappointing third quarter results and a reduced full year profit forecast, Cabela’s said it was evaluating it store expansion schedule and currently expects to open seven stores next year and no more than that in 2017.