Footwear

Shoes.com is laucnhing new efforts to make the shopping experience more convenient and accessible for customers on the go.

The company has launched a refreshed, mobile responsive OnlineShoes.com website and iOS app, designed to keep up with customer demand and enhance the mobile shopping experience for customers. The company will also release a mobile app for the Android platform that will debut later this summer.

Fabletics, Kate Hudson’s athletic wear and accessories line, is taking the next step in the evolution of the brand.

The athleisure brand co-founded by the award-winning actress will open its first brick-and-mortar stores at five General Growth Properties (GGP) shopping centers this fall to build off the success of its e-commerce platform.

Launched in 2013, Fabletics offers premium fashion-forward activewear for women, and recently launched a versatile and high-performance athletic wear line for men, FL2.

Cincinnati -- The highly publicized mixed-use project Liberty Center, in Cincinnati, Ohio, has just announced its first slate of retail tenants.  

With a scheduled October 2015 opening, Liberty Center includes more than 800,000 sq. ft. of retail, restaurants and entertainment, including a 200,000-sq.-ft. Dillard’s anchor that will be the state of Ohio’s first ground-up Dillard’s store.

New York -- J.Crew Group, a company struggling to regain its mojo, is jumping into the value category.

The company announced it will launch a new store banner, J.Crew Mercantile, selling lower-priced (“value-driven”) merchandise with classic J. Crew styles for women, men and children. The first J.Crew Mercantile store will open in late July, at The Shops at Park Lane in Dallas. The retailer plans to open more Mercantile stores in strip centers and some malls, Bloomberg reported.

Dick’s Sporting Goods is locating one of its namesake stores next to one of its Field & Stream stores to create an intriguing  90,000-sq.-ft. concept called the All-American Sports Center.

Bengalaru, India – Bruce Springsteen fans will be delighted by the new store Nike Inc. is opening in Bengalaru, India. Aimed at customers who are “born to run,” the 7,355-sq.-ft., three-level store, Nike’s largest in India, places a special emphasis on the sport of running.

Columbus, Ohio – Express Inc. is naming a new CFO, and not looking far to fill the role.

Perry Pericleous, previously VP, finance, has been promoted to senior VP, CFO and treasurer, reporting to Matthew Moellering, executive VP and COO.  

Pericleous succeeds Paul Dascoli, who has left the company, effective July 7. Pericleous, 42, is a 15-year veteran of Express and most recently served as VP, finance with responsibility for all financial planning and analysis functions.

London - McArthurGlen Group, an owner, developer and manager of European designer outlets, is opening its first North American location on July 9, in Vancouver. McArthurGlen Vancouver Airport is designed in an open-air village style, with a luxury piazza and tree-lined streets.

On opening, the center will offer 240,000-sq.-ft. of retail space with 50 new stores, featuring Armani, Coach, J Crew, Hugo Boss, Ports 1961, Tommy Hilfiger and Polo Ralph Lauren, with more brands to come before the end of 2015.

St. Petersburg, Fla. - The Sembler Co. recently broke ground on the 65,000-sq-ft Shoppes at Trinity Lakes, a Publix-anchored shopping center located in Trinity, Florida. In addition to the 45,600-sq-ft Publix and 1,400-sq-ft Publix Liquor Store, Sembler has signed leases with nearly 11,000 sq. ft. of retailers new to the Trinity market.

Dublin, Calif. -- Ross Dress for Less (“Ross”) isn’t slowing down its brick-and-mortar expansion.

The chain will open a new location in Salina, Kansas, on July 18. The 25,000-sq.-ft. store is located in the Central Mall, 80 miles north of Wichita. The opening is part of the retailer’s 2015 expansion program, totaling approximately 70 new locations during the year.