Apparel

Triple Five’s American Dream project in the New Jersey Meadowlands got closer to the finish line today with the announcement that Nickelodeon would be attaching its name and entertainment brands to the retail-entertainment center’s theme park.   To be called Nickelodeon Universe, the 8.5-acre indoor amusement park — reputed by Triple Five to be the Western Hemisphere’s largest — will feature rides themed by Mutant Ninja Turtles, SpongeBob SquarePants, Blaze, and the Monster Machines.  

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.  

Mobile retailing’s time has arrived.   Mobile devices are beginning to dominate the commerce landscape, and retailers ready to capitalize on this trend will be successful at driving transactions for the shopping seasons to follow.  

The real retailer winners are those that truly “listen” to their customers, and then use learned details to motivate consumers to shop.   By perfecting this practice, Amazon.com has earned the highest amount of mentions and awareness across social networks, and Tiffany & Co. was the most passionately and positively discussed brand.  

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.  

Boating goods retailer West Marine has leased 14,650 sq. ft. at St. Georges Crossing, bringing the Woodbridge, New Jersey, center to full occupancy.   Leasing agent for the center, Levin Management, reports that several other centers in its portfolio have reached 100% occupancy in recent months, indicating renewed strength in both the economy and retail in the Northeast. Levin handles a portfolio of 95 properties in that region and in Mid-Atlantic states.  

A new study from RBC Capital reveals that reversing Banana Republic’s ongoing sales decline is not going to be an easy fix for Gap Inc., reported thestreet.com.
 
In the survey, 48% of millennials polled said they disliked the chain compared to 22% who said they liked it. A majority of non-millennials also said they disliked the brand.
 

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.