Retail

SANDPOINT — Traffic to specialty retailer Coldwater Creek dropped in July leading to lower-than-expected sales for the second quarter ended Aug. 3. The company is taking several steps, including bringing in a new chief marketing officer, in an attempt to turn things around. 

Consolidated net sales for the quarter were $149.7 million, compared with $163.7 million in second quarter 2012. Net sales from the retail segment were $118.6 million, compared with $129.9 million in the same period last year. 

Columbus, Ohio – Employees at the Victoria’s Secret store in Herald Square, New York City have reportedly won concessions on pay and promotions from the retailer. According to CNNMoney, following a petition effort started by employees at the store in June of this year, Victoria’s Secret agreed to give them pay raises between $1 and $2 per hour and also start promoting employees at the location.

Dayton, Ohio -- Retail design and brand strategy firm Interbrand Design Forum, the retail division of Interbrand, said it has hired Dirk Defenbaugh as managing director.

Winston-Salem, N.C. - In collaboration with Russian restaurateur and franchise partner Arkady Novikov, owner and operator of LLC Doughnuts Cafe, the first Krispy Kreme doughnut shop in Moscow is scheduled to open on Sept. 12.

ECRM compared retail circular advertising in August 2012 versus August 2013 and noted trends occurring across top retail chains. A home improvement promotional arms race between Home Depot and Lowe’s appears to be taking place: Lowe’s saw year-over-year increases of 100%, 75% and 184.4% across circular page count, ad block per page count and ad block per circular count, respectively. Despite these large gains, Lowe’s still appears to be playing catch-up to Home Depot, which continued to run more ad blocks per page and per circular than Lowe’s.

Los Angeles -- Grocery chain Fresh & Easy confirmed reports that its British parent Tesco LLC has sold the brand to private equity firm The Yucaipa Cos., following months of uncertainty about the 200+-unit chain’s future.

Fresh & Easy posted on its website Tuesday that more than 4,000 jobs would be saved under the purchase agreement but that some stores will be closing.  Specific stores have not been identified, and the terms of the agreement weren’t disclosed.

 New York - Wayne Kulkin, former vice chairman of Stuart Weitzman, has been appointed CEO of the company, effective immediately. Kulkin will continue to report to Stuart Weitzman, executive chairman of Stuart Weitzman.

"Wayne has been a true partner over the last 23 years,” said Weitzman. “His passion, creativity and business acumen have been essential in driving our growth across diverse channels, and I am confident that Wayne will be equally instrumental in his new role as CEO.”

BOISE, IDAHO – Albertson’s Supermarkets plans to purchase grocery store and c-store operator the United Family. The transaction’s terms have not been released.