Consumer Electronics

Merrimack, N.H. -- Specialty retailer Brookstone Holdings Corp. has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, with a plan to sell itself to Spencer Spirit Holdings, owner of the Spencer’s retail chain, for about $147 million. The purchase price comprises $120 million in cash, $7.5 million in new notes and about $18.5 million of assumed liabilities.

Under the agreement with Spencer Spirit, Brookstone would continue to operate its stores in malls and airports, along with its catalog, website and wholesale business, under the Brookstone brand.

Former H.H. Gregg EVP and COO Gregg Throgmartin has been name CEO at upstart cycling retailer BikeStreet.

Throgmartin resigned from HH Gregg after a 13 year career which saw him rise to become EVP and COO of the 228 store consumer electronics retailer. He joins BikeStreet, a company founded in 2012, as it embarks on an ambitious strategy to growth from 17 stores to more than 1,000 stores during the next seven years.

New York -- Urban Outfitters will unveil a new concept, Space Ninety 8, on April 4, in the hip Willliamsburg section of Brooklyn, N.Y.

The five-level space is located in a renovated warehouse and has an industrial look, complete with exposed ceilings and brick walls. The basement will house a rotating series of pop-ups, while the first floor will showcase independent designers and vendors, according to the Village Voice. The first floor will also be home to a vintage shop, called Urban Renewal.

Veteran retail operations executive Troy Rice has joined Office Depot as EVP of retail as the company continues to build out its senior leadership team in the wake of its merger with OfficeMax.

Rice spent the past eight years with Toys “R” Us, most recently serving as EVP fo stores and services. Prior that he spent 16 years with The Home Depot and served as president of the retailer’s $24 billion northern division at the time of his departure.

Boca Raton, Fla. -- Office Depot has appointed Troy Rice as executive VP of retail, effective April 14. Rice, who replaces Juan Guerrero, will also serve as a member of Office Depot’s leadership team and report directly to chairman and CEO Roland Smith.
 

Dallas -- AT&T will hire more than 3,000 retail sales and sales management employees nationwide during the next several months. The retailer said the new employees are needed to meet increased customer demand in the company's growing retail business.

In addition to building a nationwide distribution infrastructure Amazon continues to move aggressively on the content front with the latest development involving the launch of Fire TV.

New York — JLL has named Robert Gibson vice chairman of New York retail brokerage. He will be responsible for the growth of retail tenant and agency leasing in New York.

Most recently, vice chairman with Cushman & Wakefield Inc.’s Midtown Manhattan office, Gibson has more than 26 years of retail leasing experience in New York and nationally.