Apparel

New York – Aeropostale Inc. plans to launch the Aeropostale and P.S. from Aeropostale brands in Chile through a licensing agreement with Sociedad Comercial Grupo Yes S.p.A. ("Grupo Yes").

Aeropostale's expansion plans in Chile include the opening of standalone stores, department stores and multi-brand stores in select locations across Chile beginning in spring 2015. The Company's first Aeropostale store is scheduled to open in Parque Arauco in Santiago in October. P.S. from Aeropostale stores are expected to open beginning in early 2015.

Dublin, Calif. - Ross Dress for Less will open two new stores in Illinois on Oct. 11. The stores are located in Hickory Point Mall in Decatur and Times Square Mall in Mount Vernon.  

These new openings are part of the retailer’s 2014 expansion program, totaling approximately 75 new locations during the year. 

Pittsburgh – Dick’s Sporting Goods Inc. is opening three remodeled stores on Oct. 12. The stores are located in Toledo, Ohio, Gaithersburg, Maryland, and Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.

The Toledo Store measures 50,000 sq. ft. The Gaithersburg store is located in Washingtonian Center and measures more than 100,000 sq. ft. The Wilkes-Barre store is located in Arena Hub Plaza and measures 45,000 sq. ft.

New York - RKF has arranged two leases totaling 2,680-sq.-ft. at 1200 Madison Ave. on the Upper East Side of Manhattan with beauty retailer Bluemercury and upscale Scotland-based knitwear company Brora. The new Bluemercury, scheduled to the week of Oct. 6, will occupy 1,705-sq.-ft. and will be the brand’s second location on the Upper East Side.

New York -- The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to consider whether a Muslim woman who was denied a job at an Abercrombie & Fitch Co. store because she wears a head scarf was required to specifically request a religious accommodation at the time of her job interview.

The court agreed to hear an appeal filed in the case by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the federal agency that sued the retailer on behalf of Samantha Elauf, who was denied a sales job at an Abercrombie Kids store in Tulsa, Oklahoma, back in 2008.

New York -- Nordstrom is searching for about 250,000 sq. ft. of space in which to open a full-line store in downtown Manhattan, Women’s Wear Daily reported. Saks Fifth Avenue recently announced it will open downtown, as an anchor in Brookfield Place.

Nordstrom is scheduled open its first full-line store in the Big Apple, on 57th Street between Broadway and Seventh Avenue, in 2018.

Dublin, Calif. -- Ross Dress for Less will open two new stores in Illinois on Oct. 11. The stores are located in Hickory Point Mall in Decatur and Times Square Mall in Mount Vernon.  

The new openings are part of the retailer’s 2014 expansion program, totaling approximately 75 new locations during the year.  

Together, Ross Dress for Less and dd’s Discounts currently operate over 1,300 off-price apparel and home fashion stores in 33 states, the District of Columbia and Guam.

Under Armour, Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam and economic and community development commissioner Bill Hagerty announced the company's plans to build a new 1 million-sq.-ft. distribution and warehouse facility in Mount Juliet, Tennessee, a suburb of Nashville.

Leadership changes continue at struggling specialty retailer Wet Seal. Just one month after appointing Edmond Thomas as CEO, following John D. Goodman’s departure, CFO Steve Benrubi has resigned. He will remain with the company through December 1 to assist with the transition.

The company said it plans to search for a new CFO, but offered no further details.

Minneapolis -- Christopher & Banks announced the Oct. 6 grand opening of 37 stores that reflect the company’s updated retail strategy of bringing its plus-sized CJ Banks brand under the Christopher & Banks banner. The stores combine missy, petite and women's sizes in one shopping location.