Footwear

LOS ANGELES — Specialty sporting goods retailer Sport Chalet is touting its services and assorted selection of brands to runners. 

The retailer is reminding runners that it offers “extensive online show advice” to accurately fit athletes with the correct running shoe, not to mention a selection of brands which include Adidas, Asics, Brooks, New Balance, Nike, Reebok and Saucony. The retailer also offers custom in-store gait assessments.

Spokane, Wash. -- Ecova, a total energy and sustainability management company, has been selected by specialty retailers Shoe Carnival and Five Below to provide utility expense and data management services. Ecova will assist the chains in monitoring, understanding and reducing energy across their portfolios.

LOS ALTOS, Calif. — Catalog Spree, a personal digital mall that lets consumers browse and shop their favorite catalogs, has expanded the men’s section of its mobile app to include lookbooks featuring Kenneth Cole, Original Penguin, Perry Ellis and Thomas Pink. 

Jacksonville, Fla. – Stein Mart reported year-over-year increases in total and same-store sales during the second quarter of fiscal 2013. Total sales grew 3.8% to $74.6 million from $70.5 million, while same-store sales increased 6.4%, compared to same-store sales growth of only 1.6% during the second quarter of the previous year.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Strong sales in linens, dresses and intimate apparel buoyed Stein Mart’s total sales for the second quarter ended August 3, which increased 3.8% to $290.9 million from $280.4 million for the same quarter last year. 

The company posted a comparable-store sales increase of 6.4% for the quarter. 

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Limited has appointed former Brooks Brothers executive Diane Ellis as the company’s CEO, effective August 26.

Ellis was president and chief operating officer of Brooks Brothers for six years. She oversaw information technology, human resources, retail and outlet stores, planning and allocation, product development, sourcing, supply chain, e-commerce and finance.

New York -- Morris-Floyd Capital Partners has acquired the 159,861-sq.-ft. Wolflin Village shopping center in Amarillo, Texas. Anchored by Talbot’s, Office Depot and Shepler’s Boots’n Jeans, the center ranks as Morris-Floyd’s ninth acquisition. CBRE represented the seller, Dunhill Partners, which acquired the property in 2009 from Weingarten Realty Investors www.weingarten.com.

The center is 97% leased

Pittsburgh – American Eagle Outfitters is lowering its earnings outlook for the second quarter of fiscal 2013 due to what the retailer characterizes as weak sales and margins. The company now forecasts earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter of about $0.10, down significantly from $0.21 in the second quarter of last year.

Buoyed by strong sales and growing profitability, leading footwear retailer DSW Inc., preannounced second quarter sales and plans for a 2-for-1 stock split in advance of the release of second quarter results on August 27.

DSW’s sales for the second quarter ended August 3, increased 9% to $558 million from $512 million and same store sales increased 4.3% on top of a prior year gain of 4.2%. Those results prompted the operator of 377 stores to increase its full year profit forecast to a range of $3.60 to $3.80 per share from the previous range of $3.40 to $3.60 per share.

Halton Hills, Ontario — Simon Property Group has announced the opening of Toronto Premium Outlets™, the first Premium Outlet Centre in Canada. The development is a 50/50 joint venture with Calloway Real Estate Investment Trust.