Department Store

Chicago -- Four of the 10 busiest holiday shopping days will occur between Dec. 20 and Dec. 24, and retailers should prepare accordingly, according to ShopperTrak, a leading provider of shopper analytics. Additionally, with a shortened shopping season and only four weekends between Thanksgiving and Christmas – down from five last year – retailers must be ready to capture holiday spending during a narrower window of time.

New York -- The attorney general of the state of New York is investigating Macy's and Barneys following complaints from black customers that they were stopped by police after making expensive luxury purchases, according to the New York Daily News. The local New York media has dubbed the practice “shop-and-frisk.”

Hoffman Estates, Ill. – As part of a wide-ranging strategic review of its business, Sears Holdings Corp. is considering spinning off its Lands’ End and Sears Auto Center brands. The company’s Sears Canada subsidiary has also sold five Canadian store leases to Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited for about $383.4 million.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Kmart announced it is extending its integrated retail shopping strategy, which connects online and in-store shopping channels to provide more flexible ways to shop, to customers in Puerto Rico. For the first time this holiday season, Puerto Rico-based Kmart customers and Shop Your Way members will have access to online layaway, store-to-home shipping, free Anyone, Anywhere pickup and free store pickup.

Brooklyn, N.Y. -- Home furnishings retailer West Elm announced that it will open a store in Mill Valley, Calif., on Nov. 7. West Elm is owned by Williams-Sonoma.

Located in The Strawberry Village shopping center, the 10,000-sq.-ft. store will open with the brand’s diverse mix of furniture, home décor, gifts and artist collaborations. The store will also feature an assortment of local, handcrafted products sourced through Etsy.com that include jewelry, wall art, kitchen linens, coasters and candles.

Macy’s is poised to have its best digital Christmas ever thanks to a major expansion of ship from store fulfillment capabilities that enable the company to provide an omnichannel experience.

This holiday season, Macy’s will be able to fulfill orders placed online from 500 of its more than 800 stores, a major expansion from last year when ship from store was available at 250 locations.

“The way we view omnichannel is about having stores serve as another fulfillment location,” said Pam Sweeney, Macy’s SVP of logistics systems.

Davenport, Iowa -- Von Maur Department Stores has opened its first location in the Northeast. The Midwest retailer opened a 140,000-sq.-ft. store at Eastview Mall in Victor, N.Y., which is just outside of Rochester.

Hudson’s Bay Company has appointed Michael Crotty as EVP, chief marketing officer, Hudson’s Bay and Lord & Taylor and Russ Hardin as SVP, chief creative officer, Hudson’s Bay and Lord & Taylor.

Both Crotty and Hardin will report to Liz Rodbell, incoming president, HBC Department Store Group, effective Nov. 11.