Apparel

A merchant that grew from a small boutique in West Hollywood with a celebrity clientele to a multi-store operation is going out of business.

Kitson announced that it is closing its 17 stores, which are located in California, Oregon and Nevada. As of December 11, its e-commerce site had already been shut down.

Women’s lifestyle retailer Soft Surroundings brings its brand to life at Kierland Commons, in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Designed by JGA, Southland, Michigan, the 4,000-sq.-ft. store has a relaxed, inviting feel. Merchandise is featured in lifestyle displays reminiscent of a home environment. Custom decorated fitting rooms are highlighted with crafted chandeliers, oversized mirrors and unique seating.

Weak traffic at Saks 5th Avenue stores did not keep Hudson's Bay Company from reporting higher sales and profit in the third quarter.

For the third quarter ended Oct. 31, the company posted a profit of $1 million, compared with a $13 million loss a year earlier. Total sales increased 34% to $2.57 billion, up from $1.91 billion. Consolidated sales growth was 34.1%, up $653 million from prior year with same-store sales growth of 12.9%. But Saks Fifth Avenue logged a same store sales decrease of 3.6%.

Mobile payment is impressively rising in consumer adoption and interest, but Apple Pay is not their first or even second choice.

According to a 2015 survey of more than 1,000 U.S. adult consumers by location-based mobile platform provider Retale, 43% of respondents have previously used a mobile device, such as smartphone, tablet, or smartwatch, to make a purchase in a brick-and-mortar retail store. This is a 7% increase year-over-year compared to the 36% who reported they had used mobile payment in Retale’s 2014 study.

Angela Ahrendts, senior VP of retail for Apple and former CEO of Burberry, is taking a more luxe approach in some of the company’s retail stores. “The stores are the best physical manifestation of the brand,” Jan Dawson, an analyst at Jackdaw Research, told the New York Times. “Angela is bringing her sensibility to that experience.” [New York Times]

Specialty retailer Francesca’s says its third-quarter sales show initiatives such as reducing inventories and enhancing assortments are producing results ahead of a new growth strategy for the company.

For the third quarter ended Oct. 31, the company posted a net income of $6.95 million, down 4.4% from a year earlier, and earnings of 16 cents per diluted share, down 1 cent from the third quarter of 2014. Net sales were up 19% from one year ago, to $103.7 million. Same-store sales rose 4%.

Vera Bradley is adding some deep e-commerce experience from Best Buy to its board of directors.

Kelley has e-commerce, marketing, and strategic planning experience and has served as president, e-commerce for Best Buy since 2014. Prior to joining Best Buy, Kelley served as senior VP, e-commerce for Chico's FAS and held the posts of VP of retail real estate and marketing and VP of e-commerce for L.L. Bean.

A decline in traffic at Jos. A. Banks stores weighed heavily on Men's Wearhouse in the third quarter, forcing the company to consider store closures and job cuts.