Winter Holidays

Chico's FAS blamed the holiday calendar and a volatile stock market for its disappointing financial results in the third quarter.

Dollar Tree’s third quarter results weren’t as strong as the prior year, but all is well with the integration of Family Dollar and CEO Bob Sasser contends the combined company is well-positioned for the holidays.

Total sales increased 136% to $4.95 billion during the quarter ended Oct. 31, from $2.1 billion in the prior year’s third quarter. The surge in sales reflects the first full quarter in which sales from Family Dollar stores are included in results. Dollar Tree completed its acquisition of Family Dollar on July 6 creating a retailer with 13,600 stores.

Baker Katz announced that the 90,000 sq. ft. multi-tenant center redevelopment project in Port Arthur, Texas is complete with the opening of PetSmart.

The former Sutherlands Hardware was transformed into a multi-tenant retail center with the addition of national anchor tenants, including Hobby Lobby, PetSmart and Party City. Chipotle, Firehouse Subs and Gulfside Dental, are scheduled to open by early 2016, will occupy a 7,000 sq. ft. building in the foreground of the project.

For Toys “R” Us chairman and CEO David Brandon, it’s all about having a successful holiday in 2015 — a short-term goal that he believes will pave the way to leveraging longterm opportunities.

Customers show surprisingly little reaction to loyalty programs, but for the upcoming holiday season this could be a good thing for retailers.

A familiar name factors heavily into the online holiday shopping plans of consumers.

First it was Black Friday encroaching on Thanksgiving. Now, Cyber Monday is bleeding into Sunday night with Walmart and Target employing new promotional strategies.

REI's plea asking shoppers to skip Black Friday and go outside has prompted nearly 1 million endorsements for the retailer's #OptOutside social media campaign.