Events

Mike Duke presented at the Barclay’s conference Tuesday, and, as we predicted in last week’s WNN, he did not speak about first-quarter sales, which the company will report on May 17. Instead Duke focused on such broad goals as growth, leverage, but offered little detail on how the company plans to achieve them.

Plano, Texas -- The Foundry Big & Tall Supply Co., a new specialty retail concept for big and tall men from J.C. Penney, on Thursday made its retail debut in the Dallas area. Approximately 10 stores are expected to open in the Dallas and Kansas City, Mo., markets by the end of May. The company plans to expand the concept nationwide to 100 stores by 2013, reaching a total of 300 stores over the next five years.

Seattle -- REI (Recreational Equipment, Inc.), announced plans to open a new store in Greenville, S.C., this fall. It will be the company’s first location in Asheville, N.C.

The one-story, approximately 22,000-sq.-ft. store will include a bike shop for quick assemblies and repairs, and a seasonal gear rental department for customers looking to test new activities. It will also feature a community space for REI and its local partners to hold outdoor-related classes, presentations and events.

Indianapolis -- Simon Property Group announced that it will assume leasing, management, and marketing duties of the Fox Run Mall in Newington, N.H. Simon will commence this new role at Fox Run on May 15.

Austin, Texas -- T. Stacy & Associates, who has been involved with some of Austin’s most iconic buildings, announced that it will reconfigure street-level space in its headquarters building at 823 Congress Avenue to a size and quality sufficient to attract a major retailer and that it has begun an aggressive search to find the “perfect tenant.”

New York City -- Darden Restaurants plans to roughly double the size of LongHorn Steakhouse during the next 10 years. 

Speaking at Barclay’s Retail & Restaurants Conference in New York City, Darden president and COO Drew Madsen said LongHorn Steakhouse, Olive Garden and Seasons 52 would help drive the company’s growth going forward. Darden want to expand LongHorn Steakhouse, which currently has some 345 locations, to 600 to 800 units over the next decade.

New York City -- Wal-Mart Stores is making progress bringing items and shoppers back to its U.S. stores, president and CEO Mike Duke said Tuesday at the Barclays Capital analyst conference in New York City. 

Duke noted that improving the chain’s U.S. same-store sales remains its top priority. He said the chain is on its way to having the right assortment.

New York City -- Chain Store Age will present a Webinar on Tuesday, April 26, at 2 p.m. EST (11 a.m. Pacific) that will include results of its exclusive survey on how retailers are using business intelligence tools.

Elmsford, N.Y. -- Party City Holdings, parent company of Amscan Holdings, has filed an initial public offering of $350 million of common stock as it raises funds to pay down debt.

It intends to list under the symbol PRTY. Current stockholders are also likely to sell shares alongside Party City in the IPO.

With Mother’s Day right around the corner, General Growth Properties teamed up with Broyhill to give shoppers an opportunity to enter a contest to win mom an entire Broyhill living set, valued at more than $4,000. To enter, customers can simply visit a participating mall’s Facebook page and in 150 words or less, tell why “mom” is the best! The grand prize is a seven-piece furniture set, featuring pieces from the Perspectives collection, including a sofa, two chairs, square coffee table and more.