Apparel

Irvine, Calif.  -- Boot Barn Holdings announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Sheplers, a 116-year old western lifestyle company with 25 stores across the United States. The purchase price was put at $147 million in cash.

By rebranding the Sheplers stores to the Boot Barn banner, consistent with the strategies of its prior two acquisitions, Boot Barn will enhance its store footprint by adding eight new retail markets and build its position in Texas and Colorado.

Dodgeville, Wis. -- Lands' End has launched a new microsite on its website that will allow customers to shop stylized product from key assortments of men, women, and kids. Zanna Roberts Rassi, senior fashion editor for Marie Claire and longtime fashion stylist, has been named as the first guest editor to curate five summer collections of her Lands' End favorites.

As more retailers increase their sponsorship of gay pride events, Macy's is investing in LGBTQ Pride Month with an exclusive offering of in-store events, parades, commemorative advertising and promotions.

An online retailer that offers upscale men’s suits at ultra-low prices is launching a new service that aims to radically change online shopping.

Combatant Gentleman, a fast-growing startup that Inc. magazine has dubbed “the next Warby Parker,” has added a video chat solution to its website that allows clients to shop alongside a personal stylist. LiveNinja, a video-chat based startup, built a communication platform that allows for the retailer to establish more authentic relationships with customers online.

Duluth, Georgia -- NCR announced that California-based apparel retailer M. Fredric is enhancing its retail point-of-sale (POS) and inventory management systems with NCR Counterpoint.

The solution provides M. Fredric with a single retail management software platform to closely track purchases and inventory levels in real-time across its nine brick-and-mortar locations and e-commerce store. By providing real-time sales data, NCR Counterpoint will enable M. Fredric to benefit from increased visibility for stock purchasing decisions.

Hingham, Mass. -- WS Development and Derby Street Shoppes continue to add new and exciting retailers to the vibrant mix of existing shops, boutiques and restaurants by announcing the opening of DavidsTea and Sephora. DavidsTea, expects to open its only location on the South Shore in mid-summer, while perfume and cosmetics retailer, Sephora, hopes to open later this year.

Cincinnati -- George Zimmer, the founder and former head of Men’s Wearhouse, is back with a new business, called ZTailors, that will enable customers to order on-demand tailors to provide alterations. Using the service’s website or app, customers can schedule a tailor to come to their home or office to take the necessary measurements, with the altered items returned in several days.  

“It’s Uber for tailors,” Zimmer told the New York Times.

Men's Wearhouse is turning to a veteran of Google and Bebe Stores to be its new chief digital officer in charge of all digital and omnichannel initiatives.

Ben Baum will become EVP and CDO and report to Doug Ewert, CEO. Baum will lead all digital and omni-channel commerce and initiatives across digital, mobile and emerging platforms within the Men's Wearhouse organization including all individual brands and businesses via integrated omnichannel solutions.