Department Store

FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif. — The Wet Seal has appointed retail veteran Lesli Gilbert to the position of EVP, stores and operations. She replaces Barbara Cook, who resigned as the company's SVP of store operations in February.

New York – Brooks Brothers is connecting data to the customer experience in order to replicate the highly personalized shopping environment of its stores on its e-commerce site.

“We are connectors,” Cindy L. Hicks, director of analytics for Brooks Brothers, told the audience during a session at last week’s Internet Retailer conference in Chicago. “Our job is to connect data to the customer experience with a software package.”

Washington, D.C. -- U.S. retailers added almost 28,000 new jobs in May, according to statistics from the Department of Labor. This followed 20,000 new retail hires in April.

Restaurants hired another 38,000 people last month.

New retail and restaurant hires helped drive the addition of 175,000 total new jobs to the U.S. economy in May.

CINCINNATI — Phillips Edison & Company has named John S. Kokinchak, SCSM, SCLS, as GM of Parmatown Mall in Parma, Ohio, Cleveland's largest suburb.

Kokinchak, a veteran executive of the shopping center industry, will assist in leading the transformation of the historic retail location into The Shoppes at Parma, a "Main Street" destination for shopping and dining that will act as a town center for residents of Parma and surrounding communities.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores Inc. reported  a 27% drop in first-quarter earnings amid a cool spring throughout much of the country and rising costs.  But the company, a spinoff from Sears Holdings Corp., pointed to improving signs in late spring.

Sears Hometown earned $15 million in the quarter that ended May 4, compared with $20.6 million in the year ago period.

Revenue dropped 3% to $601.1 million. Same-store sales fell 5%.

Plano, Texas -- Another executive hired by former J.C. Penney CEO Ron Johnson has apparently left the chain. Kristen Blum, executive VP and chief technology officer, is no longer with Penney, according to various reports that cited a note to investors by Citi analyst Deborah Weinswig. Penney has yet to officially announce her departure, which was also reported by Women’s Wear Daily.

MINNEAPOLIS — Christopher & Banks, a specialty women’s apparel retailer, reported a same-store sales increase of 23% for the 13-week period ended May 4, 2013, as compared to the 13 weeks ended May 5, 2012.

The company’s net sales totaled $109 million, a 16% increase from $94 million for the 13 weeks ended April 28, 2012. During the quarter, the company operated an average of 10.5% fewer stores than during the comparable period last year.

Washington, D.C. -- Americans will spend a little bit more on dad this year, stretching their budgets enough to show their favorite man just how much he is appreciated, according to a survey by the National Retail Foundation.

The group, 2013 Father’s Day spending survey, conducted by BIGinsight, found that the average consumer will shell out $119.84 on dad’s gifts this year, up from $117.14 last year. Total spending for Father’s Day is expected to reach $13.3 billion.