Apparel

Target produced another month of solid same-store sales growth in July and had a lot of good things to say about its future prospects. But judging from the action in the company’s share price in the intervening days, it was as if second-quarter earnings per share had come in well short of analysts’ expectations. Target got caught up in the selling free-for-all that occurred on Friday when it appeared the United States was in for a credit rating downgrade followed by a further acceleration on Monday after the downgrade occurred.

It seems like everybody wants to get in the outlet business these days. In particular, there are a growing number of “traditional mall” developers that seem to be seriously considering -- or in some cases, actively pursuing -- the development of outlet centers or the conversion of existing traditional mall assets into outlets. On the heels of Gap’s announcement to close 200 of their full-price stores by 2013 and concentrate on expanding their Gap outlets and Banana Republic Factory Stores, I understand why developers are seriously thinking about outlet centers.

NEW YORK — Members-only luxury retailer Gilt Groupe announced that it is launching a new standalone website for men. According to the company, Park & Bond (www.parkandbond.com) merges a curated selection of the world's best brands with a continuously updated mix of editorial content designed to give guys the inspiration and advice they need to look their best.

Los Angeles -- American Apparel announced the extension of its partnership with ASOS. The U.K.-based fashion site, which has more than 3.7 million members, has expanded its buy of American Apparel products based on a 100% sell-through rate of a test buy earlier this year.

Strength in the apparel category continued at Target during July, with same-store sales increasing just below the company average of 4.1%, positioning the company as a winner in a month where performance among competitors was uneven.

New York City -- Finish Line has chosen Maxymiser, a global expert in conversion rate optimization solutions, to perform website testing and segmentation for finishline.com. Maxymiser will help Finish Line successfully implement website optimization to improve the online customer experience and achieve business goals.

NEW YORK — Macy's announced that it is partnering with DoSomething.org to encourage students to make a difference in their communities. Launching on Aug. 8, the initiative will connect young people across the country with DoSomething.org and provide them volunteer opportunities in their area, the company reported.

Highland Village, Texas -- Jacksonville, Fla.-based Regency Centers said it has leased retail space to two new tenants at The Shops at Highland Village, located in Highland Village, Texas.

Soma Intimates will open a 2,793-sq.-ft. store in August, and local women’s and children’s retailer Megan’s Lifestyle Boutique has leased 2,000 sq. ft. for an October opening.