Strategy

Guess? may be a global brand, but worldwide diversification wasn’t enough to help the company avoid a fourth quarter sales decline and weakness at North American retail locations.

Unlike other retailers, Guess? made no mention of horrible winter weather when it reported a decline in fourth quarter sales and profits that were especially evident in North America.

New York -- Express Inc. is opening its largest location in Times Square, N.Y. on March 25. The Times Square store is located in the landmark I. Miller building distinguished by its marbled frame and statues of iconic actresses including Marilyn Miller and Mary Pickford.

With more than 28,000 sq. ft., the location features imagery boxes, LED walls and screens, interactive iPads, mobile points-of-sale, and on-site charging stations to enhance the shopping experience.

Hearthside Food Solutions sold its 20 manufacturing plants and 150 brands to Wall Street investment bank Goldman Sachs and the private equity firm Vestar Capital Partners.

Canton, Mass. -- Dunkin' Donuts has signed an agreement with OLH Group to begin developing Dunkin' Donuts restaurants in the Brasilia and Goias regions of Brazil. The agreement calls for the development of 65 Dunkin' Donuts restaurants in the Brasilia and Goias areas during the next several years.

Shreveport, La. – Houston-based developer NewQuest Properties is reportedly planning to build a roughly 22-acre shopping center in southwest Shreveport, La. According to the Shreveport Times, the center will be known as Camp Forbing Town Center and be located on a 47-acre parcel owned by the YMCA.

Columbus, Ohio – DSW Inc. plans to open two new stores in Corpus Christi, Texas, and Mentor, Ohio. Both stores are scheduled to open March 27.

DSW Rewards is a free loyalty program in which customers earn certificates toward future DSW purchases and receive special member-only offers. Customers can also participate in a Shoe Lover community on Facebook to receive exclusive offers and giveaways.

Deerfield Park, Ill. -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office for Civil Rights is reportedly investigating privacy practices at the new Well Experience stores run by Walgreens. According to the Wall Street Journal, the investigation is focusing on whether pharmacist consultations with customers at Well Experience Stores violate the privacy of patient medical data.

Playing in the value priced fashion space is a challenging proposition and one of the leaders in the segment doesn’t expect conditions to get easier this year.

The Cato Corporation, operator of 1,320 stores focused on value conscious shoppers, had a challenging fourth quarter like a lot of retailers and chairman, ceo and president John Cato expects the pain could linger this year.