Apparel

New York City -- Oakley has opened a store in New York City’s Times Square. The shop features an Oakley Custom bar where customers can create their own renditions of Oakley eyewear and goggles. An on-site etching machine allows customers to personalize their designs with engraving.

New York City -- Loehmann's Holding Co. announced that Joan Durkin has been appointed CFO and senior VP finance. She assumes the CFO role from Joe Melvin who successfully led the company out of Chapter 11 in early March.

Durkin most recently served as VP finance for Brown Shoe Co.

New York City -- Women’s fashion apparel retailer Francesca's Holdings Corp. filed for up to an estimated $150 million to be raised in an initial public offering.

The company has about $41.4 million in proceeds from the offering earmarked toward repaying a senior secured credit facility, Dow Jones Newswires reported. Remaining funds may be used for opening new stores and growing its e-commerce business.

For the year ended Jan. 29, Francesca's same-store sales climbed 15% on top of a 9.8% increase a year earlier.

Basking Ridge, N.J. -- Eighty-five Verizon Wireless Communications Stores across the country have been awarded the Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star certification, placing Verizon Wireless among the top third of retailers with certified buildings nationwide and the leading wireless retailer.

Additionally, 41 Verizon Wireless stores have received LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC).

Hot Topic has always strived to reflect the tastes, interests and attitudes of its customers and the newest evolution of its prototype is no exception. The store, in Santa Monica, Calif., and designed in collaboration with JGA, Southfield, Mich., is sleek and transparent. It mirrors the world of Hot Topic’s tech-savvy customers by seamlessly blending social and technological components into the shopping experience. The end result is a highly interactive environment; from access to online music-listening to stations where shoppers can co-create their own designs for t-shirts.

San Francisco -- Gap said Tuesday that it is establishing an international division, based in London, to ramp up overseas growth, and will open its first Old Navy stores abroad -- in Japan -- by 2012.

Gap said it has set a goal for international and online sales to make up 30% of its total by 2013, up from 22% in 2010 and 14% in 2006. The new international division will oversee stores across Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, Asia Pacific and South America.

Gap Inc. wants international and online sales to account for 30% of its revenues within two years and a restructuring announced this week is expected to play a role in facilitating that growth.

The company said it would consolidate four existing international business units into one under the leadership of Stephen Sunnucks, a 30-year retail veteran who joined Gap five years ago.

I’m not much of a follower of astrology and the signs of the zodiac, but I do know that 2011 is the Year of the Rabbit on the Chinese calendar.

It seems somehow fortuitous that speed and agility define a year that is all about economic recovery. And retail is moving forward at a rate that, while not exactly hare-like, is at least faster than the proverbial tortoise.