Displays & Signs

Chicago -- General Growth Properties, along with more than 130 of its malls, is encouraging employees and local residents in communities across the country to join them as they take pause to commemorate the 10-year anniversary of September 11. 

SAN ANTONIO — H-E-B announced that it has launched an early childhood literacy initiative to help educate Texas parents and caregivers about the importance of reading to children a minimum of three times per week and to provide families with the tools and resources they need to prepare their early learners for school.

WAYNE, N.J. — Toys"R"Us annonced that in honor of Halloween it is opening dedicated in-store "spook"tiques offering a broad assortment of costumes and accessories, safety gear, candy and more. The retailer said it will also host a special trick-or-treat event in its stores nationwide on Saturday, Oct. 29.

NEW YORK — Sears and Kmart stores announced that they are supporting emergency relief efforts in a dozen states to help residents recover from Hurricane Irene’s damaging winds and floodwaters.

Sears and Kmart stores will offer discounts on recovery items in stores throughout Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont.

Key discounts include:

Kmart:

MINNEAPOLIS — Target has announced new beauty exclusives that are hitting shelves for fall 2011.

Hair accessories brand Goody is bringing exclusively to Target in October its fall Regency collection, which features 32 pieces, including headbands, hairpins, clips and elastics. Prices range from $2.19 to $8.99.

Highlights of new offerings include:

• Ruched Flower Salon Clips ($5.99)

• Infinity Beaded Head Wrap ($6.99)

• Metal Flower Salon Clip ($6.99)

MINNEAPOLIS — Target is ushering in fall with Sonia Kashuk’s latest collection at Target, including shades and makeup brushes in a chic new print.

The Sonia Kashuk 2011 fall collection includes:

• Brush Couture Five-Piece Brush Set ($14.99): The five-piece brush set comes in a chic black-and-white tribal print and includes a powder/blusher brush, crease brush, synthetic concealer/foundation brush, small eye shadow brush and smudge brush.

SHADE ADDITIONS

New York City -- Toys “R” Us will open fewer holiday pop-up stores this year, Reuters reported.

In 2010, the chain opened some 600 temporary Toys “R” Us stores nationwide. But spokeswoman Kathleen Waugh said the company has decided to open fewer stores this holiday season, according to the report.

NEW YORK — Loehmann's, which operates 40 off-price apparel stores in 11 states, announced that it is kicking of New York Fashion Week with its first-ever runway fashion show at its New York flagship store in Chelsea on Sept. 8. The event, in celebration of Fashion's Night Out, will feature more than 25 creative looks complete with silhouettes and styles from Loehmann's famous "Back Room" collection of high-end designer collections, the company reported. 

Target may want to rethink its space allocation for the sporting goods department in light of the success the company is having with its Fan Central initiative. Granted, Fan Central is a licensed apparel program within the sporting goods department, but EVP merchandising Kathee Tesija described the success the program is having as “remarkable” during a recap of key merchandising initiatives earlier this month in a meeting with financial analysts.

Lowe’s second-quarter financial report was a disappointment to the company’s executives, who made no excuses for the retailer’s poor showing. Earnings were down slightly, revenues grew by only 1.3%, and comp-store sales were essentially flat. “Even after taking into account the challenges of the macro-environment, we are still not pleased with our performance this year,” said chairman and CEO Robert Niblock, speaking at an analysts’ conference call on Aug. 15.