Strategy

Chicago -- Claire's Stores announced the appointment of Jay Friedman as president of the North American Division, reporting to Gene Kahn, CEO effective immediately.

Friedman joins Claire's from Jones Apparel Group where he was most recently president, and CEO, Jones Retail Corp., Nine West Group.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Holdings Corp. said Tuesday that it has named Lana Cain Krauter as senior VP and president of its Sears Apparel division. Effective Feb. 1, she will lead the charge in growing the division both in-store and online.

Krauter was previously president and chief merchandising officer for Bealls Department Stores.

She will be based in San Francisco.

Princeton, N.J. -- A report released Tuesday by NAI Global said that real estate conditions worldwide had stabilized and were beginning to improve.

According to NAI Global’s 25th annual Global Market Report, after a prolonged, challenging period marked by frozen credit, sidelined investors, stalled development, rising vacancy rates and declining rental rates and property values, modest improvement is expected in just about every market sector and geography in 2011.

Columbia, Md. -- Boardwalk Fresh Burgers & Fries said Tuesday it has signed a master franchise agreement with multi-unit restaurant developer Manu Patel to develop 40+ Boardwalk Fresh Burgers & Fries restaurants in Delaware, New Jersey, and the Philadelphia metro area.

New York City -- Private equity firm Irving Place Capital announced Tuesday that it acquired value-oriented women’s apparel and accessory retailer Dots. Terms of the transaction, which closed on Jan. 3, were not disclosed.

Retail executives are invited to introduce their rising stars to the industry’s leading store development and facilities event -- SPECS, which will be held March 13-16, 2011, at the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine, Texas. Qualified senior executives and their future leaders will receive FREE registration to this year’s show.

By Richard P. Edwards, [email protected]

Real estate portfolio optimization has become standard practice for retailers and, in the current environment, store closings often outnumber openings. In many cases, closing stores is a proactive move. For instance, healthy retailers strengthen their positions by closing under-performing stores and relocating stores within a market is an ongoing process when retailers review leases up for renewal or look to improve their position in the area.

New York City -- Macy’s said Tuesday that it plans to expand its website offerings and would add about 725 new positions over the next two years to implement the e-commerce expansion plan.

New York City -- A report released Tuesday by the International Council of Shopping Centers and Goldman Sachs Group said that U.S. retail sales are up 3.6% on a year-over-year basis.

Same-store sales at a selection of U.S. retailers rose 0.4% from the week ended Jan. 1 from the prior week, the groups also said.

New York City -- On the heels of Monday’s announcement that Borders Group is delaying payments to some of its vendors, the bookseller said Tuesday that two senior-level executives have departed.

Thomas Carney, general counsel, and D. Scott Laverty, chief information officer, both resigned from their posts Monday evening.

The news was disclosed in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing Monday. Borders told the Wall Street Journal that the departures were part of its previously disclosed efforts to improve liquidity.