Apparel

Chicago -- The list of online retailers jumping into the offline space keeps getting longer. And this one has celebrity underpinnings.

Gap Inc. continues to suffer from a lack of traffic to its stores and Web site, but the sales decline abated somewhat in June.

New York - Tiffany & Co. turned to a main competitor when it was time to find a new global business executive. Tiffany has named Philippe Galtié to the position of senior VP international, effective Aug. 17.

Galtié, 54, most recently held the post of Cartier’s international retail director. He began his career with a range of general management and global marketing roles at Moët-Hennessy, Mars Inc., Eridania Beghin Say and the Nestlé Group.

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.

The private equity firms that paid a premium to take Michaels private nearly a decade ago continue to gradually unwind their majority position in the nation’s largest arts and crafts retailer.

Dallas - Village on the Parkway, a 357,731-sq.-ft. retail center situated on 31 acres in Dallas, announced that four new retailers will open at the property during the next few months. Privately held real estate firm Vestar currently handles property management, leasing and marketing at the center.

The new retailers include Soma, which will occupy 2,549 sq. ft. with a July 18 opening. Also opening on July 18 is Francesca’s, which will occupy 1,400 sq. ft.

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.

L Brands Inc. continues to surpass expectations as the parent company of Bath and Body Works and Victoria's Secret reported a bump in same store sales.

The company said net sales increased 3% to $1.207 billion for the five weeks ended July 4, compared to net sales of $1.176 billion for the five weeks ended July 5, 2014.  Same store store sales for the five weeks ended July 4, 2015, increased 3%.