Apparel

Limited CEO jumps ship for Chico’s
Chico's FAS announced that Diane Ellis has been appointed president of its Chico’s brand, effective November 1, 2016. Ellis joins Chico's from The Limited, where she has served as CEO and president since 2013. Prior to The Limited, Ellis spent six years as president and COO of Brooks Brothers, where she led the stores, ecommerce, IT, HR, sourcing, product development, finance, supply chain and planning functions in support of the global operations of the brand.
West Elm isn’t the only retailer going into the hotel business
Hotels may just be the new frontier for retailers. Shinola, the quirky company best known for its pricey watches, bikes and leather goods, already has its headquarters, manufacturing arm and a flagship in Detroit. Next on the agenda: a 130-room-plus boutique hotel.

Fire at distribution center cuts into Gap’s results

The fire is out, but its effects will linger. Gap Inc. on Thursday reported a 3% decline in same-store sales for September, and said it expects the fire that occurred at the end of August at its distribution center in Fishkill, New York, will negatively impact its October comp-sales by approximately 3 percentage points and also have a negative impact on its comp-sales results in its fourth quarter.
Online apparel retailer making move to brick-and-mortar

ModCloth, the online apparel retailer known for its indie and vintage-inspired styles, is opening up its first permanent store. The company will open a 4,000-sq.-ft. location in Austin, Texas, in November, Bloomberg reported. Other locations are likely to follow.
Tanger breaks ground next to Texas Motor Speedway

Raceways appear to be the newest fertile ground for retail. International Speedway Corporation recently started construction at One Daytona, a mixed-use project across from Daytona International Speedway, and now Tanger Outlets has started up a new center a lap away from Texas Motor Speedway.
L Brands tops Street in September as some others disappoint

L Brands, operator of Victoria's Secret and Bath & Body Works, posted a better-than-expected 3% increase in same-store sales for September. The retailer’s results were fueled by a 9% increase in comp sales at its Bath & Body Works brand. L Brands’ net sales rose 6% to $919.9 million in September. The handful of other retailers who still report same-store sales did not fare so well.
Project Profiles

Park West Village

Location: Cary/Morrisville, North Carolina

Size: Approximately 750,000 sq. ft.

Owner: CASTO

Key tenants: Target, T.J. Maxx, Buy Buy Baby, Ross, PetSmart, Earth Fare, Chili’s, Travinia, Hallmark, Carter’s, Gander Mountain, Stone Theatres, Chico’s, White House Black Market, ULTA, Pier 1, Charming Charlie’s, Firebirds, Blackfinn Ameripub, LOFT, Starbucks
The Town Builders

Leading-edge developers, retailers bring stores to people, not people to stores
Redefining the space

Retailers, developers attempt to turn shopping centers into gathering places with stores
Digital moves fast. Business people who disregard the devastating waves of changes it leaves will inevitably be engulfed by them. Consider this rising marketplace tsunami detected by Deloitte Consulting:
Shop Talk

TRENDING STORES: PetSmart debuted a new store concept that puts a big emphasis on pet services. The 7,400-sq.-ft. PetSmart Pet Spa, in Oceanside, N.Y., is decidedly smaller than PetSmart’s typical footprint and features a self-service dog wash, a grooming salon and a coffee bar-lounge area. The overall modern design includes a circular “concierge” desk with a bakery full of dog treats.…Amazon Books plans to open its fourth location, a 7,200-sq.-ft. store in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood.
SPECS 2017 update

Planning is well under way for the 53rd annual SPECS conference, which will be held at the Gaylord Palms in Kissimmee, Fla., March 12–14, 2017. The event is produced by Chain Store Age and is attended by retail and foodservice executives involved in the planning, design, construction and maintenance of stores and restaurants nationwide.
Tapping into the restaurant playbook

To create meaningful experiences, retailers should take a page from the menu
At the Converse store on the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, “customization maestros” help sneaker fans manufacture their dream shoe.
Shoppers, browsing the featured iPads, choose among 150 graphics, including those created by local artists. There is a wide selection of grommets, patches and lettering, along with swap-out drawstrings of various designs and color.