Apparel

New York -- Foot Locker has named a digital head from Target Corp. to head up its technology efforts.

The specialty athletic retailer named Pawan Verma as senior VP and CIO, effective Aug. 10. He joins Foot Locker from Target, where he has worked since 2013, most recently serving as VP, digital and marketing technologies and services platforms.

Verma succeeds Peter Brown, who retired in April after 38 years with the company.

The power of Bass Pro Shops’ brand of retail was evident at the company’s newest store opening this week as shoppers were undeterred by a massive traffic jam and a lack of parking, which forced some grand opening attendees to walk nearly a mile for a look inside.

For the shoppers who did make it to the store before the doors swung open at 6:30 p.m., onlookers were treated to a host of celebrity appearances on a stage erected in the front parking lot, including:

Portland, Ore. -- Adidas is taking its act on the road and letting shoppers get up close and personal with its high-tech footwear.

Adidas has launched “Boost Experience by Adidas,” an interactive mobile space celebrating Adidas products and its “Boost” cushioning system. To see a video of the space, which will tour the country’s top running events, click here

Fast-fashion giant H&M is adding another set of initials to its aggressive expansion plans. 

After announcing in January that it would close all of its 127 retail locations, Jones New York is back -- at least in the Great White North.

Manhattan Beach, Calif. – Skechers USA Inc., which recently passed Adidas to become the number two athletic footwear brand in the United States, is on the fast track.

The company, whose second quarter sales beat estimates, has carved out a lucrative niche in casual athletic footwear and in kids’ athletic footwear. It is in expansion mode, with plans to open 125 to 135 company-owned and third-party-owned stores later this year.

New York -- Saks Fifth Avenue is going to open a freestanding store dedicated to a hot category.

The department store retailer plans to open a shoe store in Greenwich, Connecticut, in fall 2016, Women’s Wear Daily reported.

The store, whose name has not yet been revealed, will be located close to an existing Saks Fifth Avenue store, which will no longer sell shoes.

The new format will be modeled after Saks’ in-store 10022 shoe department, according to the report.

Chicago -- J. Crew Group’s new value-priced store concept has announced a second location.

Mercantile, which recently made its national debut at The Shops at Park Lane in Dallas, will open at The Mayfair Collection, in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin.