Apparel

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Sears is touting its Team Up to Stop Bullying program to parents, educators and students during the back-to-school season. The program is open to customers and Shop Your Way members.

Participants can experience the Sears "Jean Scene" activities in four different ways this month.

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. — Discount retailers TJ Maxx and Saks Off Fifth outlets plan to dive into e-commerce waters this year, according to reports. 

New York -- Rabeanco, known for quality leather accessories and fashion forward styles, opened its first American storefront, in the Westfield Santa Anita Mall, Arcadia, Calif. It is the first of three U.S. locations the company plans to open in 2013.  

Designed by Rabeanco in collaboration with interior designer Yukiharu Takematsu, the 2,000-sq.-ft. store has a modern, chic interior. A 7-ft.-high video display flashes various product and glossy ad campaign images.

Portsmouth, R.I. -- Readers now prefer e-books to printed paperbacks and use social media to help make purchase decisions, and Amazon.com is the overwhelming first choice for book purchases. Results of a survey of almost 3,000 readers conducted by novelist Marie Force show that 77% of respondents read e-books and 52% read paperbacks, although multiple answers to this questions were allowed meaning some readers may use both formats.

Washington, D.C. -- The National Retail Federation said the retail industry added 37,000 jobs in the month of July, with increases in general merchandise, food and beverage and building and garden supply stores.

Chesterfield, Mo. -- Taubman Centers announced the opening of Taubman Prestige Oulets, a new fashion outlet center, located in the western-St. Louis suburb of Chesterfield. The opening coincides with Missouri’s Tax-Free Weekend.

Halton Hills, Ontario — Simon Property Group has announced the opening of Toronto Premium Outlets™, the first Premium Outlet Centre in Canada. The development is a 50/50 joint venture with Calloway Real Estate Investment Trust.

Dallas — CBRE’s National Retail Investment Group www.cbre.com has arranged the sale of Cottonwood Commons on behalf of Columbus Pacific Properties www.columbuspacific.com. The 191,893-sq.-ft. Class A retail center in Albuquerque sold to Cole Real Estate Investments www.colecapital.com.

Warrendale, Pa. -- Teen apparel retailer rue21 has unveiled a new retail concept, rueGuy, with stores in Shore, N.Y., Harlingen, Texas, and New Boston, Ohio. The company plans to open an additional four locations by the end of August, and is on target to open approximately 20 rueGuy stores by yearend.