Apparel

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Ross Stores will celebrate on July 16 the opening of its 1,000th Dress for Less store in North Pleasant Hill, Calif. 

Ross Stores' announcement of its 1,000th Dress for Less store follows strong monthly and quarterly sales and earnings, as the company continues to thrive in the down economy.

Everett, Wash. -- Zumiez said its same-store sales increased 9.8% for the five-week period ended July 2.

Total net sales for the period increased 16.8% to $43.5 million, compared with $37.2 million for the five-week period ended July 3, 2010.

City of Industry, Calif. -- Hot Topic reported Wednesday that its June same-store sales year rose 0.4%. Analysts, on average, had expected same-store sales to fall 2.4%, according to Thomson Reuters.

Total sales for the five weeks ended July 2 fell 1.8% to $58 million.
 

New York City -- What topics interested retailers most in the first half of 2011? The most popular stories with chainstoreage.com readers from January through June ran the gamut, from the top 10 retail markets for 2011 to Dollar General’s ambitious expansion. Take a look at our top 10 most popular stories: 
 
1. Top 10 retail markets for 2011

Burlington, Mass. -- Columbia, S.C.-based Edens & Avant announced Wednesday details of its redevelopment of Middlesex Commons retail center in Burlington, Mass.

With a relocated and expanded Market Basket, Old Navy and a new Nordstrom Rack and DSW as key anchors, Middlesex Commons has been redesigned to better connect to the local community by offering a more dynamic retail mix and a more personalized shopping environment.

Pleasanton, Calif. -- Off-price retailer Ross Stores will celebrate the opening of its 1000th Ross Dress for Less store, in North Pleasant Hill, Calif., on July 16.

The new store is Ross’ 50th location in the Bay Area. The company operates more than 1000 Ross Dress for Less and dd's Discounts locations.

New York City -- Tourneau opened a new concept store in Manhattan. The 3,135-sq.-ft. space offers a dramatic departure from traditional jewelry and watch stores in that it does not have counters. Instead, it features a series of long tables in the main showroom that can be approached from all sides.

Tourneau employees, equipped with iPads in hand, unlock the cases when customers want to look at a watch.

The new store was created by San Francisco-based architecture firm Eight Inc., which has also worked on the Apple stores.
 

Last week Janney Montgomery Scott analyst David Strasser downgraded shares of Target to neutral from buy. He offered a litany of things that could go wrong with the Target story, which were subsequently refuted by someone named Will Ashworth on the website “Investopedia.”

Shoppers face a lot of economic headwinds this back-to-school season, but one forecaster has seasonal sales growing by 6.2% to $467 billion, the most since 2006.

That’s according to retail consultants Customer Growth Partners’ annual BTS forecast, which defies warnings of a double-dip recession and sees American households as being more resilient with their back-to-school spending during the July through September time frame.

New York City -- Survey results released Tuesday showed that higher salaries, job mobility, and a strong emphasis on “quality of life” benefits are redefining the job market in retail and fashion.

According to 24 Seven’s Fifth Annual Salary Survey, conducted in collaboration with the American Apparel & Footwear Association, 68% of respondents plan to make a career move in the next year, with nearly half already looking for a new job.