Corporate Governance

Five dynamic retail and restaurant brands — Altar’d State, Bentley’s Pet Stuff, MOD Pizza, Sugarfina and Warby Parker — took home the honors as the winners of Chain Store Age’s annual Breakout Retailer Awards.

The awards, selected by CSA’s editorial board and sponsored by Paint Folks, recognize innovative retail and restaurant concepts that are on their way up —brands that have crossed the “newbie” line, and are well positioned for growth, in store, online, or both.

Photos by Kate Berry

Editor’s Note: The 27th annual Chain Store Age survey of Fastest-Growing Acquirers surveyed retail square footage purchased during the 2015 calendar year.

They come to the list with different philosophies and experiences, but this year’s Fastest-Growing Acquirers share a dedication to preparation and long-term strategies.

April marked the six-month anniversary of the EMV liability shift. After years of discussion and anticipation, that changeover has technically “happened,” but unfortunately, not much good has happened as a result. Even with all the preparation and hype, the payments industry is still playing catch up. Why? Well, it’s a complex picture that requires a bit of history.

May in Las Vegas is when the dealmakers come out to, well, make deals, as the International Council of Shopping Centers hosts its annual RECon event at the Las Vegas Convention Center and Westgate Las Vegas Hotel. Held May 22-25 and attended by retailers and shopping center owners from around the globe, RECon will display such project wares as mixed-use destinations, outlet centers, and strip and lifestyle projects — and everything in between.

Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) will open a new omnichannel fulfillment center in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, that includes assistance from robots.

The center, opening in July, will run robotic retail technology that HBC says is approximately three-times faster than the typical technology utilized in e-commerce DCs The retailer plans to open the 450,000-sq.-ft. facility through a phased approach, expanding to 617,500 sq. ft. by January 2017.

ADA lawsuits against retailers are on the rise — and even though many suits may be without merit, a retailer still has to defend/answer the allegations.

That was the message Joan Stein, one of the nation’s leading authorities on ADA, brought to the SPECS session, “ADA Non-Compliance: Can You Afford It?” at SPECS.

The Pembroke Mall in Virginia Beach is home to the newest DSW footwear and accessories store.

The retailers said it opened a 16,000-sq.-ft. store at the Pembroke Mall and characterized the location as “the greatest shoe shopping destination in Virginia Beach,” offering more than 21,000 pairs of shoes.