Corporate Governance

HOUSTON — Fashion accessories retailer Charming Charlie announced that Tom Fitzgerald has joined the company as EVP, CAO and CFO.

"We are confident that Tom's vision and specialty retail experience will bring tremendous value to our company as we continue to be the leading fashion accessories destination," said Charlie Chanaratsopon, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of charming charlie. "Tom is not only a leader in finance; he is a balanced and strategic business executive whose background will complement us well."

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — HSN has named two key executives to its corporate leadership team. Bill Brand, formerly EVP programming, marketing and business Development at HSN, was promoted to chief marketing and business development officer for HSNi, and Andy Sheldon, formerly EVP of TV, live events and creative at HSN, was named chief creative officer for HSNi, and General Manager of HSN Productions.

Philadelphia -- Urban Outfitters reported net income of $83 million for the fourth quarter ended January 31, 2013, up from $39.26 million in the year-ago period, on strong same-store sales and higher revenue.

Total company net sales for the quarter increased 17% to $857 million. Comparable retail segment net sales, which include comparable direct-to-consumer channel, increased 11% for the quarter, while comparable store net sales were flat.

New York -- Target Corp. is shuttering — at least for now — its “The Shops at Target” concept, which showcased exclusive goods from select independent boutique retailers within in-store shops in Target stores, the Star Tribune reported.

“At this time, we don’t have plans for a future ‘flight’ of the Shops at Target, but we do have a number of collaborations planned for 2013 and beyond,” spokeswoman Katie Boylan said in the report.

New York -- Uniqlo, a division of Japan's Fast Retailing Co., will open its second U.S. mall location, at Palisades Center in West Nyack, N.Y., on March 15.
 
The 24,000-sq.-ft. store will showcase Uniqlo's complete offering of products for men and women, as well as its spring kids collection.
 

Rockville, Md. -- Mom's Organic Market announced the activation of rooftop solar panels on its store in Waldorf, Md. The store, opened in November 2012, features energy-efficient design, including closed-door coolers, LED lighting and electric car charging stations. The photovoltaic system, installed by SolarCity, is expected to offset the store's energy needs by at least 15%.

New York -- Network with peers from leading retail and restaurant companies at SPECS, the industry’s premier store development and facilities event.

Produced by Chain Store Age, the 49th annual SPECS conference will be held March 17-20, at the Hilton Anatole Hotel, Dallas. 

Click here to register. 

By Denise Lee Yohn, Deniseleeyohn.com

Apple has once again rewritten the rules of business.  Its request to trademark the “Distinctive Design & Layout” of its stores has been granted by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. And so, as unconventional as it may seem, the Apple store’s distinctive minimalist design and Genius Bar service are now as protected as the rounded corners and user interface of the company’s mobile devices.  

New York -- Barnes & Noble Inc. signed an employment agreement with CEO William Lynch to remain in his post for another two years, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Lynch will receive the same compensation and benefits as before, but get an additional cash bonus of $1.8 million for his role in attracting investments from Microsoft Corp. and Pearson PLC in forming Nook Media LLC, according to a Reuters report.

Houston -- Charming Charlie announced that Tom Fitzgerald has joined the company as EVP, chief administrative officer and CFO.

Tom most recently was the chief administrative officer of Sears Canada, where he was responsible for store operations, IT, merchandise planning and allocation, logistics, sourcing, and store innovation.

Prior to his role at Sears Canada, Tom held several leadership positions at Liz Claiborne, and Bath & Body Works.