Strategy

Middletown, Wis. -- American Girl, a division of Mattel, announced its first expansion outside the United States, with plans to open two experiential in-store boutiques in partnership with Indigo Books & Music Inc., Canada’s largest book, gift, and specialty retailer.

Opening in spring 2014, the new American Girl retail stores will be located in Indigo’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre, Toronto, and Robson Street, Vancouver.

Fortune Brands Home & Security, a leading home and security products company, has named Jason Baab as VP of mergers and acquisitions. His role will support the company’s growth strategy that includes expanding its portfolio.

The company also promoted Elif Sagsen-Ercel to VP of strategy. Baab and Sagsen-Ercel will report to Chuck Elias who was elected by FBHS earlier this year as SVP of strategy and corporate development.

Pittsburgh — Golf Galaxy has announced the opening of two interactive retail locations. The new stores include the second Golf Galaxy in Missouri and the chain’s second location in Nevada.

A 32,000-sq.-ft. interactive store will open November 1 at the Chesterfield Commons in Chesterfield, Mo.

A 29,000-sq.-ft. interactive Golf Galaxy will open Nov. 1 in the Stephanie Street Power Center in Henderson, Nev.

As of Aug. 3, the retailer operated 81 Golf Galaxy stores in 30 states and e-commerce websites.

By Nate Dwyer, Red Peak Branding

New York -- Looking ahead, there is a sense of pessimism on the economy in the next few months among U.S. consumers. In September 2013, Harris Poll results showed that almost half of U.S. adults (46%) said, in the coming year, that they expect the economy to stay the same, while less than one-quarter (22%) expected it to improve and one-third (32%) expected it to get worse.

Waldorf, Germany – Retailers see a need for functional competencies leaning toward technology and data skills, even more than general business and people management. But a new survey of 76 retail managers from top retailers conducted by SAP during the recent SAP Retail Forum North America in Dallas, Texas revealed that 84% of retailers are worried that it will be challenging to find employees with these skills.

RadioShack is taking its new concept store to Philadelphia, Detroit and Fort Worth, but the specialty retailer is going retro for its hometown location in downtown Fort Worth’s Sundance Square.

The Philly location can be found in Bakers Square Shopping Center at 2920 Roberts Ave., and the Detroit location in Gateway Marketplace at 1347 W. Eight Mile. And set to open Oct. 30, the Fort Worth location will be the first new concept store to feature a custom design.

New York -- Consumer confidence fell sharply in October, according to The Conference Board, whose monthly consumer confidence measure dropped to 71.2 in October, down from 80.2 in September. Economists had expected a reading of 75.0 in October.

The Present Situation Index decreased to 70.7 from 73.5.The Expectations Index fell to 71.5 from 84.7 last month.