Corporate Governance

Denver — Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage plans to open freestanding locations in Beaverton and Bend, Oregon in August.

New York — Kite Realty Group has leased a 4,053-sq.-ft. space to Core Mind and Body at Rangeline Crossing in Carmel, Ind.

Kite represented the landlord KRG Centre, and the tenant represented itself.

New York -- The Jones Group Inc. swung to a loss in the second quarter as the company was challenged with lower sales, weaker margins and higher costs.

Jones Group reported a loss of $3.4 million for the second quarter, compared to a profit of $8.1 million in the year-ago period.

Revenue decreased 1.1% to $845.6 million from $855 million for the second quarter of 2012. Analysts estimated revenues of $832.06 million for the quarter. One bright spot for Jones Group was an almost 21% year-over-year increase in wholesale jeanswear sales.

Philadelphia -- Five Below will make its Texas debut, opening four locations in Austin. The stores, slated to open Aug. 2, are the first of more than a dozen stores Five Below plans to open in the Lone Star state this year.

Targeted at pre-teens and teens, Five Below offers a variety of merchandise across a number of retail categories, with every item priced $1 to $5

El Segundo, Calif. -- Big 5 Sporting Goods reported that its second-quarter profit more than doubled from a year ago on higher sales and expanding margins, but its revenue fell short of expectations.

The sporting goods’ retailer said its net income increased to $6.1 million for the period ended June 30, up from $2.6 million in the year ago period. Net sales climbed 5.9%, to $239.9 million, below the $244 million expected by analysts.

The Woodlands, Texas – Conn’s Inc. is opening a Conn’s HomePlus store in Phoenix. The location marks the specialty chain’s second store in the Phoenix metro market and third store in Arizona.

Conn’s operates 72 retail locations, with 58 in Texas, six in Louisiana, three in each Arizona and Oklahoma, and two in New Mexico.

Fremont, Calif. -- Allen I. Questrom, who has held CEO and other senior executive positions at several major retailers in the past 40 years, has joined the board of directors of The Men’s Wearhouse. With the addition of Questrom, currently a member of the boards of directors of Sotheby's and the Glazer family of companies, Men’s Wearhouse has nine directors, seven of whom are independent.

Boca Raton, Fla. – Private home builder David Weekley Homes has presented Office Depot with its Partners of Choice Award. The award is presented to companies that receive the highest marks from approximately 600 David Weekley Homes employees from all levels of the organization.

The focus of retail analysts will be squarely on Target later this year when the company hosts an investor conference in Toronto on October 30. It will be the company’s first such event since entering the market and by the fall the company should have all of its 124 planned stores open and ready to roll for Christmas. For more details and to add to your calendar, click here.

FREMONT, Calif. — The Men's Wearhouse has appointed retail industry veteran Allen I. Questrom to its board of directors.

Questrom’s addition brings the Men's Wearhouse board to a total of nine directors, seven of whom are independent.