Apparel

Flip-Flop Shops on the move
Flip Flop Shops is expanding in both the physical and online channels. The company, which was acquired by Cherokee Global Brands last year, is introducing a new “super kiosk” format. Measuring approximately 300 sq. ft. and built in the shape of a giant flip flop, the concept is slated for national rollout. It is designed to offer a nimble and novel format expansion to Flip Flop Shops’ retail presence.
Tiffany names former railway exec as new finance head
Tiffany & Co. has hired Mark Erceg to become its next executive VP and CFO, effective Oct. 18, 206. Erceg, 47, who will be responsible for the company’s worldwide financial, indirect procurement and information technology functions, replaces Tiffany’s former CFO who left the retailer in May. Previously, Erceg was with Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, where he has served as executive VP and CFO since May 2015.

Report: Nasty Gal on hunt for a buyer

Apparel retailer Nasty Girl, one of the hottest apparel merchants on the Internet just a few years back, is looking for a possible buyer, Women’s Wear Daily reported.
New Lululemon store is a one-of-a-kind for retailer

Lululemon has opened a new concept store in Toronto that’s unlike anything the retailer has done to date. The 10,000-sq.-ft. store is part retail, part health food café, part gallery — and part practice studio, according to a report by torontolife.com. It even boasts a trailer. For more, and photos, click here.
Survey: Retail sites pick up steam among consumer searches

Search engines are getting knocked down a peg when it comes to where consumers begin their online research. More than two-thirds (67%) of shoppers now begin their online searches on a retail site, not a search engine, according to “Browsing & Buying Behavior by Category: 2016,” a report from HookLogic.
Lands’s End “pops up” with 8,000-sq.-ft. store

The Lands' End experience has arrived in the SoHo section of Manhattan. Lands' End opened an 8,000-sq.-ft., two-floor temporary store, at 580 Broadway, featuring men's, women's and kids' apparel, footwear and accessories from the fall, holiday and winter along with a variety of personalization services and experiences.
Report: EU consumers eye returns before even buying

European consumers seem to be taking the adage, “buyer beware” very literally.

Unsure whether their online purchase will satisfy their needs until it actually arrives, 54% of shoppers reported they think about returning an item before they have even purchased it. And this mindset runs the gamut from decisions about apparel and electrical goods to home decor and furniture, according to “Making Money Out of Returns: The Essential Guide to Managing International Returns,” a report from fulfillment provider B2C Europe.
Naples Outlet Center getting a makeover

A 25-year-old outlet center in East Naples, Florida, is undergoing an extensive facelift and seeking new retail blood, according to Crossman & Company, which has just been signed as its leasing agent.

Once filled with shoppers, the Naples Outlet Center has dropped in recent years due to an economic downturn in the area, according the Naples Daily News. In 2014, nearly half of its 40 stores were vacant.
Innovative concept changes things up at Santa Monica Place

Out with the old, in with the new at Macerich’s Santa Monica Place, in Santa Monica, California. WithMe, an interactive brick-and-mortar shopping experience that features limited runs of traditional and pure-play retail brands, has opened three new fashion pop-ups in its flagship space at the mall.
Report: Mall traffic up with teens

Teens are returning to one of their former favorite destinations.

According to a survey by Willian Blair of teens and young adults, teens are visiting malls more in 2016 than they were in 2015, benzinga reported.
Jo-Ann Stores names Fred’s, Walgreens vet to new exec role

Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores has appointed Bryan Pugh to the newly created position of executive VP, stores and store operations. He will lead financial, operational and cultural leadership of Jo-Ann Stores.

Pugh joins Jo-Ann from Fred’s Pharmacy & Super Dollar where he served as executive VP, chief merchandising and marketing officer. His experience also includes serving as senior VP, chief merchandising officer at Walgreen Co. in addition to several roles of increasing responsibility at Tesco.
New Saks is ‘first of its kind’

Saks Fifth Avenue’s new store in New York City is unlike any other the retailer has opened to date.

Located at Brookfield Place in lower Manhattan, the 86,000-sq.-ft. store is decidedly smaller than most Saks’ locations. It feels more like a boutique than a department store, with some traditional departments, such as handbags eliminated. (Handbags and certain other products are grouped by brand as opposed to category.) It also boasts such new services as a “power lunch” offering.