Displays & Signs

When the new Nordstrom Rack opened at Mercato in Naples, Fla., in early November, 500 people somehow got into the store within the first five minutes. No kidding.

Nordstrom Rack replaced Books-A-Million in a 30,000 sq. ft. space in the center, joining several other new tenants including The Wine Loft, The Counter, MASA, Kelly Chase Couture and Mark Loren Designs, Le Macaron, Salon Zen AVEDA, Second Cup and TAPS Bar & Lounge.

City of Commerce, Calif. — 99¢ Only Stores will celebrate the grand opening of its new store in Menifee, Calif., by selling Westinghouse 40-inch flat-screen TVs for just 99 cents to the first nine customers in line.

The 18,000-sq.-ft. store will feature a perishable food department with produce, dairy and frozen foods. 99¢ Only Stores currently operates 335 stores in California, Texas, Arizona and Nevada.

Green Bay, Wis. -- H.J. Martin and Son helped J.C. Penney add two new in-store shops: Disney and GiggleBaby.

Fifty crews of two people – 100 total – from H.J. Martin were dedicated to the project, which spanned two-and-a-half weeks from mid-September until early October. In all, H.J. Martin performed the work in 218 Penney stores across the United States, with the exception of the south and southeast.

Pittsburgh -- Sales growth fueled in part by the opening of 25 new branded stores did not prevent Dick’s Sporting Goods from reporting a slight decline in net income during the third quarter of fiscal 2013. Net income totaled about $50 million, down incrementally from $50.1 million a year earlier.

Net sales totaled $1.4 billion, up 7% from $1.31 billion. Consolidated same-store sales rose 0.3%, beating company estimates of a 2-3% decline.

Retailers anticipate a 3.1% increase in sales on Black Friday this year, mirroring their projections from last year. However, a new a survey of top retail chief marketing officers by BDO USA shows that retailers have moderated their expectations for growth in Cyber Monday sales, predicting that sales will grow by 3.7% this year, down slightly from last year’s sunnier 4.3% growth projection.

Cincinnati — To supply families in need with fresh food this holiday season, Kroger customers and associates will be able to purchase pre-filled bags and boxes of food to be added to collection barrels.

Sports Authority has kicked off its 2013 holiday ad campaign, “There’s Nothing Like the Gift of Sport.” The campaign’s message may resonate with those who are already athletically inclined, but will face challenges with XBox One or PlayStation4 aficionados.

The campaign seeks to persuade people to “unplug” this holiday season and embrace sports, a move which has the potential of generating traffic in stores and online as people shop for everything from sneakers and workout clothes to fitness equipment and sports gear.

Chicago -- Retailers anticipate a 3.1% increase in sales on Black Friday this year, mirroring their projections from last year. However, a new a survey of top retail chief marketing officers by BDO USA shows that retailers have moderated their expectations for growth in Cyber Monday sales, predicting that sales will grow by 3.7% this year, down slightly from last year’s sunnier 4.3% growth projection.