Apparel

Social sharing, editorial commerce and improved targeting are said to be among the technological upgrades leading footwear brand and retailer Steve Madden has made to its Web site.

DSW and Town Shoes Limited have entered into a definitive agreement whereby DSW will purchase for cash approximately 44% interest in Town Shoes, the largest footwear and accessories retailer in Canada, for CAD $68 million — or approximately $62 million based on current exchange rates.

The transaction has been approved by each company's board of directors and is expected to close in May, subject to customary closing conditions.

Gap’s Banana Republic brand has named Marissa Webb as creative director and EVP of design, effective April 28. She will report to global president of Banana Republic, Jack Calhoun.

Webb will be responsible for guiding the brand’s overall creative direction, as well as leading global product design for Banana Republic Women’s, Men’s and Accessories.  

London -- British luxury fashion brand Burberry blends digital and physical retailing at its new flagship in Kerry Centre, Shanghai. The three-floor location has been designed to offer multi-sensory experiences for its customers.

 Inspired by Burberry’s Regent Street flagship in London, the Shanghai store incorporates British craftsmanship and materials with cutting-edge technologies, starting with an illuminated façade that responds to changes in weather and natural light and also displays programmed animation.

San Francisco -- Levi Strauss & Co. has named former Walmart executive Marc Rosen as executive VP and president of global e-commerce, effective May 5.

Rosen was most recently senior VP of global e-commerce at Walmart, where he was responsible for designing, building, operating and expanding Walmart.com. He also served as senior VP of information systems, with responsibility for Walmart’s global merchandising, supply chain and store systems

New York -- A new retail concept, coop & spree, will open its first location this August, in the trendy Nolita section of Manhattan. Targeted at stylish young women, the store will combine apparel and accessory designers from around the world with interactive technologies. Digital tablets will be located throughout the space to help customers build and accessorize outfits, while the in-store photo booth will allow shoppers to share style inspiration with friends.

Virginia Beach, Va. — Divaris Real Estate has announced four leases totaling 29,099 sq. ft. of retail space in the Hampton roads area of Virginia.

PetSmart has taken 14,286 sq. ft. at Peninsula town Center in Hampton. As the chain’s exclusive representative in Virginia, the Richmond office of DRE represented PetSmart in the negotiations.

Ulta has signed a lease for 10,500 sq. ft. in Crossways Shopping Center in Chesapeake. DRE’s Virginia Beach office represented the landlord, JLP-Chesapeake in the transaction.

Littleton, Colo. — General Growth Properties plans to redevelop its 1.3 million-sq.-ft. Southwest Plaza in southwest Denver. The multi-million dollar project will renovate Center Court with open-air cafes, new seating areas, free WiFi access for social networking, new directional signage, indoor fireplaces, skylights and light coves.

Washington, D.C. – Spurred by warmer spring weather, U.S. retail sales, which exclude automobiles, gas stations and restaurants, increased 0.8% adjusted month-to-month in March and 1.6% unadjusted year-over-year, according to estimates from the National Retail Federation (NRF).

Pittsburgh – Dick’s Sporting Goods Inc. opens three new stores on April 25. The stores are located in Lawton, Okla., Alabaster, Ala., and Tampa. Fla.

The Lawton store will be located at Lawton Town Center, while the Alabaster store will be located at Colonial Promenade Alabaster and the Tampa store will be located at Westshore Plaza. As of April 25, Dick’s will operate 566 stores in the U.S., including 11 in Alabama, 27 in Florida and eight in Oklahoma.