Apparel

PORTLAND, Ore. — Columbia Sportswear Company has appointed Russ Hopcus as SVP of North American sales, a newly created position that will report directly to president and CEO Tim Boyle, effective July 29.

In this new role, Hopcus will develop and execute wholesale sales and distribution strategies for the company’s Columbia and Sorel brands in the U.S. and Canada.

New York -- The growing appeal of smaller format stores and the increasing number of international moves by emerging market retailers are two of the key trends revealed in the Accenture Globalization Index, Quarter One 2013.

New York -- Michael Kors is suing Costco Corp., accusing the chain of illegally using pictures of its pocketbooks in its ads to attract customers, according to the Associated Press. Michael Kors said Costco was not authorized to sell the designer's goods.

In a federal lawsuit, Michael Kors accused Costco of using the bags as a lure. It claimed Costco advertised the bags as starting at $99, but didn't actually have any to sell, the report said.

NEW YORK — Japanese apparel retailer Uniqlo, a division of Fast Company, is expanding its U.S. footprint with the opening of 10 stores this fall in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and California.

The new locations, all in shopping centers, will bring the brand’s presence in the United States to a total of 17 sites.

A five-year plan spearheaded by Walmart, Gap and other U.S. retailers requiring factories in Bangladesh to be inspected within a year is under fire, according to a Bloomberg report.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Stein Mart reported total sales for the five-week period ended July 6, of $109 million, an increase of 2.6% from $106.3 for the prior-year period. Comparable store sales increased 6.5%.

New York -- Meijer is set to open its first store in the city of Detroit on July 25, according to Crain's Detroit Business.

The store will anchor a new shopping center and will feature a grocery section, drive-thru pharmacy, gas station and Huntington National Bank branch. Other tenants at the shopping center will include clothing and pet supply stores and fast-food restaurants.

Whole Foods Market recently opened a store in Detroit.

Oakbrook Terrace, Ill. -- Mid-America Real Estate Corp.’s investment sales group has brokered the sale of the 301,045-sq.-ft. Mount Prospect Plaza in Mount Prospect, Ill., a northwestern suburb of Chicago.

Ramco-Gershenson Properties Trust purchased the property for $36.1 million from a pension fund advised by JP Morgan Asset Management Inc.

Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas -- Venture Commercial has completed eight retail leases spanning 133,000 sq. ft. for landlords and tenants across North Texas.

“Significant leasing activity across the area in recent months shows that the DFW market is really heating up,” said Bryan Cornelius, a partner with Venture Commercial.

Virginia Beach, Va. -- Destination Maternity Corp. has leased 5,033 sq. ft. for a new flagship store in The Town Center of Virginia Beach, according to Divaris Real Estate.

Motherhood Maternity will close all of its locations in Southside Hampton Roads and move into the new Destination Maternity in September. The new store will carry all of the retailers concepts including Motherhood Maternity and A Pea in the Pod.