Strategy

Brisbane, Calif. — It’s been a little while since the last report of a major retail data breach, but that period of tranquility is over. Bebe Stores Inc. has confirmed that a cyberattack “focused on and limited to” data from payment cards swiped in its U.S., Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands stores occured between Nov. 8-26, 2014.   

A former Walmart and Sears financial executive and a former Federal Reserve bank executive are the newest members of the board at gift card and financial services provider Blackhawk Network Holdings.

Blackhawk announced on Dec. 5 that Jane J. Thompson and Richard H. Bard were elected to its board of directors effective Oct. 6.

Nashville, Tenn. — Genesco Inc. announced that James S. Gulmi, senior VP and CFO, will retire at the end of its current fiscal year.  He will be succeeded as CFO by Mimi E. Vaughn, the company's current senior VP —strategy and shared services.   Gulmi, who has served as Genesco's CFO since 1986, will continue as senior advisor to the company for at least the  next year.    

Genesco detailed succession plans for its CFO on a day that the company also reported weaker-than-expected earnings for the fiscal third quarter and lowered its outlook for the full year.

Framingham, Mass. — Staples Inc. has long prided itself on making things for customers. Now the retailer is trying to do the same for suppliers with Staples Exchange, a unified platform that allows vendors to sell through all of Staples’ e-commerce channels, with multiple integration options. Staples does not require vendors to use a third party that charges integration fees, instead giving them a single portal to enroll with all of Staples’ sites.
 

Laguna Hills, Calif. — Heslin Holdings, Inc., a privately owned commercial real estate investment and development firm, has purchased 1640 Rio Rancho Blvd., aretail property located in Rio Rancho, a city within the major metropolitanregion of Albuquerque, N.M. The firm will redevelop and re-tenant the property as part of a value-add investment strategy. Additionally, the firm has announced plans to invest up to $100 million in commercial properties in 2015.

Goodlettsville, Tenn. — Dollar General Corp. and Dollar Tree engaged in a verbal war on Friday as they both seek to acquire Family Dollar.    In a news release, Dollar Tree said Dollar General's bid "may ultimately fail" because the Federal Trade Commission may require it to sell more than the 1,500 stores the retailer has said it is willing to let go of.  

Big Lots hypothetical core customer Jennifer isn’t feeling so cheerful this holiday season as the nation’s leading closeout retailer is eyeing a low single digit fourth quarter comp increase.