Footwear

ROCKFORD, Mich. — Wolverine Worldwide has appointed Gene McCarthy as president of the Merrell brand. 

"Gene McCarthy is a visionary leader with a passion for brands and consumers," said Blake W. Krueger, chairman, CEO, and president of Wolverine Worldwide. "Merrell has been and continues to be a leader in the outdoor space and a jewel within the Wolverine portfolio — I am thrilled to have Gene join the Merrell team as it continues its drive to be the first billion-dollar-brand in our Company's history."

LOS ANGELES — JustFab and ShoeDazzle have entered into a definitive agreement to merge and form one fashion subscription e-commerce business.

With the merger, the two brands will be able to expand their customer base in the United States and further accelerate international and category expansion plans. The combined company is expected to be profitable in 2014.

Staten Island, N.Y. -- The Shoe Gallery has stepped up inventory control with the help of Celerant Technology Corp. The chain has been using Celerant’s real-time, retail management system, Command Retail, to manage all areas of its retail operation for the past seven years. 

It is also using the supplier’s Style Matrix tool, a three-dimensional graphical representation of all the SKUs by size, width, and color, to improve operational efficiency.

ROCKFORD, Mich. — Wolverine Worldwide has appointed Jodi K. Watson as president of consumer direct, reporting to chairman, CEO and president Blake W. Krueger.  

In her new role, Watson will be responsible for direct-to-consumer operations for the company, including stores and e-commerce.

Watson was most recently the company’s VP of e-commerce, leading Wolverine's global digital strategy. She has served on its retail leadership team since joining the company in 2009.

Strengths in several merchandise categories, including women’s contemporary and advanced designer apparel; fragrances; children’s apparel; and men’s accessories, shoes and contemporary apparel contributed to a comparable store sales increase of 1.5% in the second quarter ended August 3 at Saks Incorporated.

NEW YORK — Sequential Brands Group, the parent company of Heelys wheeled footwear, plans to overhaul the footwear collection and expand into new product categories, including backpacks and other back-to-school accessories.

DAVENPORT, Iowa — Von Maur has partnered with Brooks Brothers to sell the brand in its stores, making the retailer the second department store in the nation to carry the exclusive line.

The Brooks Brothers line will be available in six stores in fall 2013, and will expand to 13 in spring 2014.

Seattle -- Nordstrom said its net income for the fiscal second quarter, ended Aug. 3, rose to $184 million from $156 million in the year-ago period. But the department store retailer cut its yearly forecast, citing softer-than-anticipated sales trends.

Nordstrom said revenue rose 6.4% % to $3.1 billion, short of the $3.29 billion Wall Street expected. Total company same-store sales increased 4.4%.

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.

New Albany, Ohio -- Hollister Co. is partnering with Keds to release an exclusive line that features signature Hollister patterns on Keds sneakers. Beginning Aug. 15, the exclusive Hollister + Keds sneakers will be available only at HollisterCo.com, but customers can view a display inside Hollister stores to see the new patterns.