Apparel

Fredericksburg, Va. -- Youngstown, Ohio-based Cafaro Co. said that Ten Thousand Villages will open a new trade fair location at The Village at Towne Centre, near Fredericksburg, Va.

The 2,700-sq.-ft. store is located between Books-A-Million and Aveda Tulips SalonSpa, and is slated to open in September.

The Village at Towne Centre is the outdoor shopping district of Spotsylvania Towne Centre, a 1.7 million-sq.-ft. complex offering more than 120 department stores, specialty shops, restaurants, hotels and entertainment venues.
 

New York -- Disappointing same-store sales results in June weren’t necessarily unexpected, as the month typically trends weaker as shoppers have fewer reasons to shop.

Thomson Reuters, which polls 18 U.S. retail chains, projected its Same-Store Sales Index to inch up 0.5% in June, far below last year’s 6.7% rise for the month. Analysts have said that warm weather may have prompted consumers to make summer apparel purchases earlier than usual, shifting sales from later months like June.

CINCINNATI — As part of its "My Story. Our Flag." project, Tide unveiled a special flag — created in honor of Team USA — in New York's Bryant Park on Tuesday.

The 117-ft.-by-52-ft. flag, a larger-than-life artistic rendition of the American flag, features nearly 1,500 stories collected from Tide's Facebook and Twitter followers. Each piece of fabric making up the flag was washed in Tide prior to being sewn together, the brand said.

New York -- As discounters such as Target, Stein Mart and warehouse club operator Costco posted disappointing same-store sales results in June, TJX Cos. and Ross Stores shone with gains that surpassed Wall Street estimates. TJX saw a same-store sales rise of 7% in June, beating the 4.2% rise predicted by analysts. Ross was up 7% for the month, after Wall Street forecast a 4.8% increase. Sales rose 12% to $886 million in June. Both chains raised their second-quarter profit forecasts.

NEW YORK — Banana Republic is launching a special holiday collection styled by Jacqueline Durran, the Acadmemy Award-nominated costume designer for Anna Karenina.

Fort Worth, Texas -- Dallas-based Cypress Equities said that drycleaner The Laundry will open at the mixed-use development West 7th, located in Fort Worth, Texas.

The 963-sq.-ft. shop is slated to open later this year.

West 7th’s retail and office components are being developed by a Cypress Equities company and the residential component by Columbus Realty Partners.
 

Philadelphia -- Ascena Retail Group CEO David Jaffe has pledged to preserve the jobs of 7,500 employees at soon-to-be-shuttered Fashion Bug stores, as well as 600 workers at the headquarters of Charming Shoppes, according to an article in the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Ascena, which owns the Dressbarn, Justice and Maurices banners, acquired Charming Shoppes – and its Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug and Catherines brands – on June 15.

San Francisco -- Westfield Group said that its Westfield San Francisco Centre has added another celebrated chef to its roster with the opening of La Boulange du Dome by French master baker Pascal Rigo on June 25.