Apparel

PLANO, Texas — JCPenney and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, the nation's first and largest non-profit, nonpartisan organization for veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, announced that they are joining forces to provide America's newest generation of military veterans with more than $1 million in apparel and footwear to start new civilian wardrobes. 

Toronto -- Joe Fresh, the Canadian value-priced apparel brand, has opened its first permanent U.S. store, in Bridgewater Mall, Bridgewater, N.J., and another in Roosevelt Field Mall, Garden City, N.Y. The company will make its New York City debut, in Manhattan’s Flat Iron District, on Nov.3. A second store will open in spring, on Fifth Ave.

In addition, the retailer is opening two Joe Fresh Holiday Fashion pop-up stores in Manhattan. (This past summer, the brand operated a summer pop-up in East Hampton, N.Y.)

New York City -- British fashion retailer L.K.Bennett, opened its third U.S. boutique, at The Shops at Riverside in Hackensack, N. J.

“We have over 100 stores in the UK. now — and in the long term weʼd like to have the same number of stores in the U.S.,” said Robert Bensoussan, CEO London.

New York City -- While 43% of smartphone owners have installed and used a retailer's app, only 14% of those who installed them say the app led to a purchase decision, according to the most recent Retrevo Pulse Study, an ongoing study of tech industry trends conducted for the consumer electronics shopping and review site.

New York City -- Saks plans to close its 20,000-sq.-ft. Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th store in Triangle Factory Outlets in Morrisville, N.C., (metropolitan Raleigh) by Jan. 1.

The company opened a 30,000-sq.-ft. Off 5th location in Tanger Outlet Center of the Piedmont in nearby Mebane, N.C., in 2010, which will serve as a replacement store for the closing location. The new Mebane store was designed in the chain’s loft” format that debuted in 2008 and which redefined and elevated the outlet shopping experience.

New York City -- Tiffany & Co. announced plans to open a store in Prague, marking the luxury retailer’s first location in Eastern Europe. The 2,600-sq.-ft. store is scheduled to open in the summer of 2012.

“The opening of our first store in Eastern Europe marks a significant strategic move for Tiffany, as we further develop and grow our business throughout Europe,” said Melvyn Kirtley, group VP Europe.
 

NAPERVILLE, Ill. — OfficeMax announced that V. James Marino has been elected to serve on the company's board of directors.

"We are delighted to welcome Jim to the board of OfficeMax," said Rakesh Gangwal, chairman of OfficeMax.  "He brings significant expertise, insight and years of experience as a successful business leader, and we will benefit from having his perspective on the board."

NAPERVILLE, Ill. — Strong results in consumable categories, a little inflation and some Hurricane Irene related sales fueled an 11.5% same-store sales increase and led to a strong overall third-quarter financial performance at Tractor Supply Company.

Under most circumstances, Walmart and Target are like oil and water, but when the issue is fighting retail crime even fierce competitors see the wisdom of coming together to battle a common enemy.

Such is the case with retail theft, and earlier this week the Retail Industry Leaders Association welcomed a select group of senior level asset protection executives, product manufacturers and academic researchers to the 2011 Asset Protection Leaders Council (APLC) meeting in Minneapolis to launch the APLC’s process driven shrink initiative. 

Dollar stores get a lot of the credit for negatively impacting Walmart’s U.S. sales the past few years and it’s no wonder. The big three – Dollar General, Family Dollar and Dollar Tree – have grown rapidly and collectively operate more than 20,000 conveniently located units that offer sharp prices on an expanding assortment of food and consumables.