Department Store

San Francisco – Gap reported same-store sales growth in its three global retail brands in August of this year that was significantly lower than in the same month last year. Gap global same-store sales rose 2% compared to 6% last year. At Banana Republic, same-store sales increased 2% compared to 8% last year, and Old Navy same-store sales grew 1% compared to 12% last year.

Net sales for the month were $1.23 billion, up 2.5% from net sales of $1.2 billion for the same month last year.

New York -- Target Corp. will follow the lead of several other retailers, including Walmart, and allow shoppers to pick up select goods ordered online in its stores, the Star Tribune reported.

Target will introduce the service, referred to as Buy Online, Pick Up in Store (BOPS), in its hometown Minneapolis market and then expand it to all of its U.S. stores by Black Friday, according to the report.

Jacksonville, Fla. -- Stein Mart Inc. has officially opened its online store, which offers both brick-and-mortar store merchandise and unique online-only offerings. The chain is among the first in the off-price category to enter e-commerce

A survey of consumers conducted by the National Retail Federation and published in the trade group’s September issue of Stores placed Walmart second on a list of the nation’s favorite e-commerce retailers, an encouraging sign given the company’s efforts to drive digital growth.

San Francisco -- Brooks Brothers has opened its second largest store in North America, a 26,000-sq.-ft. flagship in San Francisco’s Union Square. 

The interior takes inspiration from Brooks Brothers’ nearly 100-year-old flagship at 346 Madison Avenue in New York City. In keeping with the atmosphere of the New York space, the first floor of the new store is covered in pale cherry wood. The women’s floor is accented with clean white paneling and marble floors. The mezzanine holds the Red Fleece label for men and women.

Busan, South Korea — Shinsegae Simon, a joint venture between Shinsegae Group and Simon Property Group has announced the grand opening of Busan Premium Outlets, its third Premium Outlet Center in South Korea. The first two are located in Yeoju and Paju.

The new center is located on the southeastern tip of the Korean Peninsula and features 180 outlet stores. Fashion brands include Coach, Ermenegildo Zegna, Isabel Marant, Jill Stuart, Marc Jacobs, Roberto Cavalli and Vivienne Westwood.

Chattanooga, Tenn. — CBL & Associates Properties has closed on the sale of three malls and three related associated centers in a portfolio transaction for a gross sale price of $176 million in cash. The properties include Georgia Square Mall and Georgia Square Plaza in Athens, Ga.; Panama City Mall and The Shoppes at Panama City in Panama City, Fla.; and Rivergate Mall and Village at Rivergate in Nashville, Tenn.

When Walmart lowered its full year sales forecast last month the company said customer were being cautious with their spending. Maybe so, but that wasn’t the case in new car showrooms were automakers reported record sales and in the process created new holiday headwind for Walmart and other retailers.