Events

The retail industry and many of those who work at Walmart are going to get a double shot of Greg Foran next week. The former international executive assumes his new role as CEO of the Walmart U.S. division as the retailer prepares to release second quarter results and host a major U.S. manufacturing summit.

The summer has brought with it a flurry of new store openings, from both established players and emerging online-offline stars. Check out the five below … and don’t miss the bonus at the end!

Atlanta - Another retailer is looking for a chief executive: Aaron’s Inc. announced that Ronald W. Allen, 72, will retire as CEO and as a member of the board of directors of Aaron’s, effective Aug. 31. Allen has served on the board since 1997 and as CEO since February 2012.

The board has retained Spencer Stuart, an executive recruiting firm, to assist in the process of identifying Allen's successor. The search process will include a full review of both internal and external candidates.

New York – Macy’s is launching an online wedding promotion in partnership with TV host and fashion consultant Clinton Kelly. Known as “Weddings with Clinton Kelly,” the promotion will include an online wedding hub with a collection of articles and videos to help build the perfect registry, as well as advice from Kelly.

Atlanta — Participating JLL-managed centers across the country will be hosting back-to-school events in August, as part of a partnership with Teen Vogue.
Teen Vogue Back-To-School Saturdays (BTSS) feature teen-oriented retailer sales promotions, entertainment, fashion shows, music, food and giveaways. The multi-platform initiative involves all of Teen Vogue’s assets in print, digital, social, mobile and event marketing.

Just under two weeks after Aaron’s posted disappointing second-quarter results, the company is seeking a new CEO. Ronald W. Allen, 72, plans to retire as the company’s CEO and will be stepping down from the board of directors, effective August 31, 2014.

New York - Barbara Messing, chief marketing officer of TripAdvisor, has been appointed to the XO Group board of directors and will serve as an independent director on the board's Compensation Committee. XO Group is parent company of wedding and pregnancy sites including The Bump, The Nest and The Knot.

J. C. Penney is expanding its New York footprint with the opening of its first-ever store in Brooklyn. The store will have design elements and innovative features not found in any of its other stores, according to the retailer.

Recent enhancements to Walmart’s website ensure that Andy Murray, the company’s SVP of creative, will have plenty to talk about later this year when he addresses the topic of “Evolving with the omnichannel shopper,” at the Shopper Marketing Conference & Expo.
 

San Francisco – Specialty cosmetics retailer BareMinerals is opening a pop-up “Shade Shop” in the SoHo neighborhood of New York, Aug. 1 to Aug. 2. The assortment is merchandised by shade family – light, medium, tan, dark and deep – in a streamlined, easy-to-navigate environment.

The store will also feature a rotating color bar. Designed as a playground to test new concepts, BareMinerals will refresh the shop seasonally, with the first transformation taking place in November.