Apparel

Topeka, Kan. -- Collective Brands Inc. reported Friday that net income for the second quarter was $9.7 million, compared with a loss of  $35 million last year when it booked nearly $84 million in one-time charges.

Sales for the owner of Payless ShoeSource and Stride Rite grew 6% to $886 million and same-store sales rose 2.9%.
 

By Kathy Gersch, [email protected]

Washington, D.C. -- Shop.org, the digital division of the National Retail Federation, on Tuesday announced the addition of new executives to its board of directors and welcomed back three incumbents.

NEW YORK — The Jones Group has entered into an exclusive, world-wide license agreement with Altair, a division of  Marchon Eyewear for the creation, production, marketing and global distribution of ophthalmic eyewear and sunglasses under the Anne Klein brand. The Anne Klein ophthalmic eyewear and sunglass collections are currently produced and marketed under a world-wide license agreement with Luxottica Group S.p.A., which will expire on Dec. 31.  

Houston -- Francesca's Holdings Corp. said Tuesday that net income for the quarter ended July 28 topped expectations by nearly doubling to $12.7 million, from $5.5 million in the same quarter last year. Sales leaped nearly 50% to $25.1 million, and same-store sales surged $20.7%.

The company said it is on track to open 76 stores and one outlet this fiscal year, two of them in the third quarter.

Virginia Beach, Va. -- Divaris Real Estate said that the company completed eight lease transactions totaling more than 81,000 sq. ft. of retail space in central Virginia.

Children’s Museum of Richmond leased 26,060 sq. ft. of retail space in the Divaris-leased Winterpock Crossing Shopping Center, located in Midlothian, Va.

K&G Menswear signed a lease for 22,888 sq. ft. of retail space in White Oak Village, located in Richmond and owned by Forest City Commercial Group.

Baldwin Park, Calif. -- NewMark Merrill Cos. announced that three new tenants have joined Park Plaza on Maine, located in Baldwin Park, Calif., joining Superior Grocers, CVS, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Chase Bank, El Pollo Loco, GNC and Bank of America.

Menchie’s Yogurt signed a five-year lease for a 1,586-sq.-ft. location; LA Eyebrow signed a five-year lease for a 1,220-sq.-ft. space; and Family Dollar signed a lease for the approximately 9,000-sq.-ft. space next door to Superior Grocers.

Austin, Texas -- A survey released Friday by coupon site RetailMeNot found that coupon use for back-to-school shopping surged this year, particularly for retailers selling books, school supplies and apparel.

According to RetailMeNot, which measured coupon usage during the July 1 to Aug. 20 selling period, as compared with the prior three months, the average daily coupon clicks increased more than 130% for book retailers, more than 40% for merchants selling back-to-school supplies and more than 30% for stores selling apparel and shoes.