Marketing Tactics

WASHINGTON — The National Retail Federation has appointed a new VP communications.

Effective Apr. 9, Katie Wilson will be responsible for overseeing NRF’s industry efforts, a multitude of communication vehicles and advancing NRF advocacy priorities on issues important to the retail community, NRF said. She will assume many of the responsibilities of Ellen Davis, who was recently named NRF SVP and executive director of the NRF Foundation.

New York -- Tommy Bahama will open its first New York City location in October.

Dubbed the Tommy Bahama “Manhattan Island,” the 8,500-sq.-ft. store will also include a bar and restaurant. It will be located in an Art Deco building on Fifth Avenue at 45th Street.

Jacksonville, Fla. -- Shopping center owner Regency Centers said Thursday that it will install electric vehicle charging stations at 19 of its grocery-anchored and community shopping centers in Arizona, California, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington, D.C.

Regency is partnering with Ecotality to install Blink Level 2 EV charging stations at the 19 centers; the rollout is part of The EV Project, the largest national deployment of commercial and residential charging stations in major U.S. cities and metropolitan areas.

Former PepsiCo chairman and CEO Steve Reinemund has served on the Wal-Mart Stores Inc. board of directors since 2010, but when he’s in Northwest Arkansas next week it won’t be for a board meeting.

Reinemund will join former beverage rival and Coca-Cola bottling executive Frank Harrison for a unique event called, “Thirsting for Higher Success,” on Thursday, March 29 at the John Q. Hammons Center. To learn more and register for the luncheon event click here. 

When North Plainfield, N.J.-based Levin Management took over as leasing and managing agent for Fairlane Village Mall – located in Pottsville, Pa. – in 2006, the impending economic downturn, a likely 80,000-sq.-ft. vacancy and growing industry consensus that the days of the small-market malls were numbered created a perfect storm of challenges.

Six years later, the 405,000-sq.-ft. property serves as a repositioning benchmark. Its success story is underscored by the March 2012 opening of Kohl’s and the impending arrival of Michaels later this year.

FORT WORTH, Texas — RadioShack has made an agreement with Malaysian retail group Berjaya Retail Berhad that will expand RadioShack's global footprint across 10 Southeast Asian countries.

Under the long-term agreement, Berjaya Retail (Cayman) Limited as franchise developer is expected to open at least 1,000 franchise locations across the Association of Southeast Asia Nations within the first 10 years. Its subsidiary in Malaysia, Berjaya RS Sdn. Bhd., expects to open its first RadioShack locations later this year in Kuala Lumpur.

Evansville, Ind. -- Shoe Carnival reported Thursday that net income for the quarter ended Jan. 28 dipped to $3.3 million, from $4.4 million. Sales edged up 1.1% to $181.9 million in the quarter, and same-store sales dropped 3%.

President and CEO Mark Lemond told investors that heavy promotional activities to rid the chain of cold-weather footwear after an unseasonably warm winter had a negative impact on margins.

New York -- Macy’s on Wednesday outlined a new initiative to grow its business with the Millennial generation (ages 13 to 30). The group spends an estimated $65 billion each year for the type of goods sold at Macy’s.