Apparel

On the heels of Golfsmith and The Sports Authority declaring bankruptcy, PGA Tour Superstore is picking up momentum and opening stores.     The privately held chain recently acquired a Sports Authority location in Glendale, Arizona, which it will reopen under its own banner in January 2017. PGA Tour is also planning new stores in Hilton Head, South Carolina, and in Jacksonville, Florida, with both opening in 2017.  

Until this week, Rouse Properties’ northeastern-most retail possession was The Centre at Salisbury in Maryland. But its purchase this week of an 115,000-sq.-ft. center outside of Hartford, Connecticut, gives the developer a footprint planted firmly in New England.  

Saks Fifth Avenue has opened its first standalone store dedicated exclusively to footwear.  

Target Corp. is letting the cat out of the bag early with regards to its next limited edition apparel collection.   The retailer announced its limited-edition spring collaboration will be with popular designer Victoria Beckham. The collection will be available April 9, 2017, at all Target stores and Target.com, the collection. In addition, select pieces from the collection will be available for sale internationally via Victoriabeckham.com.  

The Wet Seal is going to be very busy on Nov. 3.   That’s the day the retailer, in partnership with GGP, will open 13 holiday pop-up locations at GGP regional shopping centers throughout the nation.   "We see an opportunity for additional brick and mortar locations during the peak holiday season," said Wet Seal CEO Melanie Cox.    The temporary stores will range from 3,000 sq. ft. to 5,000 sq. ft. each.  

Once the mecca of “Valley Girls” lured by white marble interiors and retailers like Saks and I. Magnin, the Promenade Mall in Warner Center north of Los Angeles will be razed and replaced by a $1.5 billion mixed-use development.   Westfield, owner of the 43-year-old, 550,000-sq.-ft. mall, has announced a re-imagination of the site in line with the Los Angeles City Council’s Warner Center 2035 plan to urbanize the area.  

That didn’t take very long.   Industry veteran Paula Schneider, former CEO of American Apparel, has been named chief executive of DG Premium Brands, whose brands include 7 For All Mankind, Splendid and Ella Moss.   Schneider took the reins of the embattled American Apparel in December 2014. She steered the chain through bankruptcy and reorganization and launched an ambitious turnaround strategy. Schneider left American Apparel in early October amid rumors that the company was on the block.

Legendary retailer Mickey Drexler, chairman and CEO of J. Crew, is working with McKinsey & Co. to develop a new business strategy for J.Crew, reported The New York Post.      J. Crew is looking to reverse a two-year slump. In its most recent second quarter, same-store sales fell 8%, the eight straight quarter of declines.