Apparel

Payless ShoeSource is seeking bankruptcy court approval to close more stores.   The chain, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection at the beginning of April, may close up to 408 more stores, according to the Chicago Tribune. Payless had originally said it planned to shutter nearly 400 underperforming locations.   

Woolworths is taking steps to bolster its online shopping experience.   Woolworths South Africa, a division of Woolworths Proprietary Limited, is known for its vast assortment ranging from groceries, fresh produce and prepared food to clothing, beauty products, home goods and general merchandise. As the company entered into the world of omnichannel, it knew it had to deliver easy access to its merchandise, and provide a painless experience for online customers.  

For retail professionals, the International Council of Shopping Centers’ Spring RECon Convention in Las Vegas is the highlight of the year. There’s always so much to take in, and every year comes with its singular storylines. Here were some of the more dramatic ones at play convention floor:   Food-focused foot traffic

Hanna Andersson named a former top executive of Sears Holdings Corp. as the specialty retailer's next chief executive.  

Coach has made it official.   The upscale handbag and accessories retailer launched a formal tender offer to acquire Kate Spade & Company for $18.50 per share in cash. Coach announced its plans to acquire the brand at the beginning of May, in a deal that has a total value of $2.4 billion.   

As the International Council of Shopping Centers shut the doors on its RECon show in Las Vegas this week, Chain Store Age asked top brokers and third-party managers for their take on the temperature of physical retail. Not quite sick, not quite well, but certainly out of rehab and hard at work on recovery, was the general diagnosis.  

There was a glimmer of good news in Sears Holdings Corp.'s first quarter earnings report.    

A strong performance by Hollister helped Abercrombie & Fitch Co. beat first quarter sales and earnings expectations even as its namesake brand continues to struggle.    The teen apparel retailer's better than expected quarterly showing comes as speculation about its future heats up. Abercrombie previously confirmed it is in preliminary discussions with several parties regarding a sale of the company. 

As many mall-based specialty retailers continue to struggle, off-pricers continue to flourish and expand. And Burlington Stores is no exception.   Burlington's net income in the quarter, ended April 29, increased to $52.4 million, or $.73 per diluted share, which beat Wall Street expectations of 70 cents. In the year-ago period, the retailer reported net income of $37.5 million.   

Knowing efficient in-store fulfillment is key to omnichannel success, Browns Shoes has just taken a big step toward optimizing these orders.      Browns Shoes, a family-owned business established in Montreal in 1940, owns and operates more than 60 retail stores throughout Canada. When the retailer merged its e-commerce channel with its brick-and-mortar operations, Browns was ready to use its retail network as another fulfillment avenue.