Apparel

Chestnut Hill, Mass. -- Swedish children’s wear brand Polarn O. Pyret USA has opened its first Boston-area store at THE STREET in Chestnut Hill, according to WS Development, the center’s developer and owner. This is the fifth Polarn O. Pyret (pronounced POH-lahrn oh PEE-rhet and nicknames PO.P) in the U.S. and the fourth on the east coast.

CHICAGO — Social media powerhouse Facebook is trying go beyond baby photos and cat memes by further integrating commerce into its current platform.

While many large and small retailers already use Facebook's platform to market their wares and enhance their brand awareness, no one has set up shop on the site until now.

Atlanta - Spanx, the fast-growing dollar undergarment and apparel company, will open a custom designed, expanded company headquarters and a flagship store in Buckhead Atlanta, a major mixed-use project in the heart of the area’s business district. (The project, now under construction, was initially called Streets of Buckhead.)

The headquarters will occupy three floors, a rooftop garden terrace and additional balconies. Spanx is anticipated to move in November 2014.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Kid Brands' board is going to see some changes, following Hugh Rovit's announcement that he will not be seeking re-election as a director at the company's annual shareholders meeting.

San Francisco - Converse has opened its first Northern California location — and its largest store to date — in San Francisco’s Union Square shopping district. With 8,200 sq.ft. of selling space, the store offers a comprehensive assortment of Converse footwear, apparel and accessories, along with an interactive personalization process for designing one-of-a-kind Converse sneakers and clothing.

WTI expects that retail July 2013 will be cooler than last year’s scorching hot July. Despite cooler trends, it is still summer, and there will be some periods of hot weather around the 13th and 26th. The West will start the month off hot leading to stronger demand for hot weather categories like cold beverages, ice cream, pool supplies and air conditioners/fans. Much cooler temperatures and wetter weather in the Central U.S. will lift demand for school apparel.

Indianapolis - The Finish Line's first-quarter net income plunged 59% amid start-up costs related to its deal to open branded in-store shops in Macy’s. But the retailer still beat Wall Street expectations. In other news, the company announced a new role for retiring president and COO, Steve Schneider.

The Finish Line earned $5.1 million for the period ended June 1, down from $12.3 million a year ago. Revenue rose 10% to $351.1 million, also beating expectations. Same-store sales were up 2.4%. 

SAN FRANCISCO — Converse is adding to its roster of stores in key metropolitan areas with the opening of its first location in San Francisco, bringing the leading footwear brand's total of inline locations in the U.S. to five.