Retail

RFID has occupied a curious position in the retail IT landscape for the past decade. Most observers acknowledge that RFID holds great potential to offer expanded supply chain visibility and collaboration from source to shelf, but aside from a few high-profile programs run by retail heavyweights like Wal-Mart and Target, RFID’s potential still remains untapped after all these years. That may finally be changing.

New York -- Express staged a fashion show on Friday in New York City's Times Square, providing the specialty retailer with a promotional platform to preview upcoming collections.

Male and female models showed off the retailer's Holiday 2013 collection, which is not scheduled to hit stores for a few months yet, as part of an ad campaign shoot.

"The Holiday 2013 collection is really about a lot of sparkle, shine, glamour and obviously New York City," said Express president David Kornberg.

By Jeff Weidauer, [email protected]

New York -- J. C. Penney disclosed in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing on Friday that it entered into a Registration Rights Agreement with Bill Ackman’s Pershing Square and its affiliates that gives him an out to completely walk away from the company. Under the deal, Ackman can make up to four requests to Penney to register the sale of his restricted common stock.

"It is paving the way for (Pershing Square) to sell the stock if they choose to do so," Imperial Capital analyst Mary Ross Gilbert said in a Reuters report.

New York -- Walmart is expanding its omni-channel integration by testing the use of lockers to fill online orders, company officials said during the chain’s second-quarter earnings call on Thursday.

“While this test is still in the early stages, the initial read on customer satisfaction and acceptance is very encouraging, with 90% of the customers who have used the service providing positive feedback,” Walmart U.S. CEO Bill Simon said during the call.

Littleton, Mass. -- Dover Saddlery, a multichannel retailer of equestrian products, announced the hiring of James Cullen to the newly created position of executive VP.

Cullen has over twenty five years of leadership experience in operations, finance and marketing, with particular expertise in the retail and distribution sectors including most recently, among others, Bakers Footwear Inc., and Reeds Jeweler, Inc.

Alameda, Calif. — Crazy 8 has signed a 10-year lease for a 3,117-sq.-ft. space at the Alameda South Shore Center in Alameda, Calif. The deal will bring the 594,000 open-air lifestyle center up to an occupancy rate of 92%. The new store is slated to open this fall.

SRS Real Estate Partners represented Crazy 8 in the transaction. Cornish & Carey Commercial Newmark Knight Frank represented Jamestown, the shopping center’s owner.