Marketing Tactics

Improved merchandising strategies and marketing execution at Big Lots has president and CEO David Campisi feeling good about prospects for a company that continues to distance itself from its closeout roots.

Fort Worth, Texas -- RadioShack is partnering with Defense Mobile Corp., a Connecticut-based veterans mobile service company to be the exclusive national retailer for Defense Mobile's new nationwide 4G LTE mobile services.

RadioShack will begin offering Defense Mobile's branch branded mobile services exclusively to the 51.6 million members of the U.S. military community, including those actively serving (including members of the Reserve and National Guard), veterans and their family members, planned for September.

Harrisburg, Pa. -- The Shoppes at Susquehanna Marketplace, in Susquehanna Township, Pennsylvania, is celebrating its 10th anniversary by adding dining, spa services and two in-demand retailers, announced The Shoppes’ owner and developer, Stanbery Development.

Tampa, Fla. -- Hyde Park Village and Art Production Fund will present a public installation by Jessica Craig-Martin, consisting of 46 banners on display at the Tampa luxury retail locale. These public art works will be the first in a series of outdoor exhibitions, and will be on view at Hyde Park Village beginning Sept. 19.

Peoria, Ill. -- Cullinan Properties announced that Prasino Restaurant at the Streets of St. Charles near St. Louis is in the process of securing new ownership by a group of investors.

Prasino opened at the Streets of St. Charles on April 22, 2013, and has been listed as “The Best New Restaurants in St. Louis” and awarded “A-List Breakfast Winner” for its Paris Benedict, by St. Louis Magazine.

Chicago -- Mid-America Real Estate Corporation has recently been retained as an agent on behalf of Yoga Six during its multiple store roll-out in the Chicago area.

Yoga Six has signed two new leases in the Chicago area. The retailer signed on for 6,626 sq. ft. at 1150 North State in Gold Coast and 6,028 sq. ft. at Roosevelt Collection in South Loop. The yoga studio currently has one location in Lincoln Park and plans to open five stores in the Chicago area by 2015.

New Albany, Ohio – Challenged by fast-fashion competitors and teens more interested in technology than clothing, Abercrombie & Fitch reported on Thursday that its revenue decreased 5.8% to $890.6 million in the second quarter, missing Wall Street projections. Its income, however, beat estimates, and rose 13% to $12.9 million, from $11.4 million a year earlier. The company cited an ongoing profit improvement initiative as driving its net income growth.

New York -- Gap is returning to television. The brand debuted four commercials that will air on TV, in cinema, in stores and online. Created by Academy Award-nominated director David Fincher, the films were created with Wieden+Kennedy New York as part of Gap's new marketing campaign, Dress Normal. The TV campaign launches in the United States and United Kingdom in the week of Sept. 1.

St. Petersburg, Fla. – HSN Inc. is running "The Fashion Edit," the company's annual fall fashion series, now through Sept. 24. The retailer is partnering with a number of celebrity designers, including Kelly Osbourne, June Ambrose and Emma Fox.

Destination XL president and CEO David Levin credited increased traffic and higher conversion rates for helping drive sales in the second quarter.

Although charges related to the decision by Destination XL to exit the Sears Canada Direct business resulted in the retailer’s net loss growing to $4 million in the quarter, from $1.6 million a year earlier, total sales fared better, increasing 6% to $103.7 million, compared with $98 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2013. Same-store sales rose 7%.