Apparel

Hong Kong -- Esprit Holdings Ltd. reported Wednesday that net income of the fiscal year ended June 30 surged to $112.6 million, compared with $10.2 million the year before, boosted by one-time writeoffs for store closures.

Sales dropped 11% to $3.89 billion from $4.35 billion.

Farmington Hills, Mich. -- Agree Realty Corp. said it has executed two leases and completed a disposition of the company's remaining assets that were formerly leased to Borders.
 
The company has executed a lease with HomeGoods for the building formerly occupied by Borders in Monroeville, Pa. HomeGoods, a TJX Cos. banner, will occupy the space effective third quarter of 2013.

Suffern, N.Y. -- Ascena Retail Group Inc. said Thursday it is planning a $34 million expansion that will add new equipment, systems and about 40,000 sq. ft. of space to its Greencastle, Ind., distribution facility.

The apparel retailer said that the objective is to turn its Greencastle facility into a primary e-commerce distribution site. The facility is located about 40 miles west of Indianapolis and was part of Ascena’s acquisition of Charming Shoppes Inc.

Dodgeville, Wis. -- A Wednesday report by the Wisconsin State Journal said that Lands End plans to cut nearly 200 jobs in its headquarters town of Dodgeville, Wis., by the end of January.

Blaming growth of its online business at the expense of bricks-and-mortar stores, Lands End said it is culling its call center workforce by 29% and streamlining other operations. Fifty of the eliminated positions are corporate headquarters jobs and 25 are from the call center. All cuts were made Wednesday.

Seattle -- Online jewelry retailer Blue Nile said Thursday it has launched two new websites that cater to French- and Spanish-speaking shoppers. The sites also take purchases in the preferred currencies.

“Constantly improving our service and shopping experience for our international customers is one of our primary goals, and I am thrilled with the launch of our French and Spanish language websites,” said Vijay Talwar, Blue Nile president and general manager of International.

Tallahassee, Fla. -- Jacksonville, Fla.-based Regency Centers has announced the completion of two new anchor leases and the renovation of Carriage Gate, a 78,583-sq.-ft. neighborhood center, located in Tallahassee, Fla.

New York -- British fashion retailer Katherine Hooker said she will debut her latest collection of coats and jackets this October with the opening of a U.S. pop-up shop in New York City beginning Oct. 5.

The Soho shop is located at 436 West Broadway and will run through Oct. 14. The shop is Hooker's only brick-and-mortar retail presence outside of her flagship in London's Chelsea neighborhood.

SIDNEY, Neb. — Cabela’s Inc. will open a Cabela’s Outpost Store in Kalispell, Mont., joining the outdoor retailer’s single full-line Billings store in the state.

Construction on the 42,000-sq.-ft. location is scheduled to begin in spring 2013 and Cabela’s said it expects to open the store in fall 2013.