Department Store

Dayton, Ohio -- Walmart holds on to the top spot in the annual ranking of the 50 most valuable U.S. retail brands from branding consultancy firm Interbrand. The discounter’s brand value is put at $141 billion (up 1% from the 2012 report.). By comparison, the second-highest ranked U.S. brand, Target Corp., has a value of $25 billion. The Home Depot is solid at number three, with a brand value of nearly $23 billion.

New York -- Macy’s announced that it will expand its online order fulfillment center in Goodyear, Ariz., to accommodate continued sales growth as part of the company’s omni-channel strategy. The company is expected to invest more than $35 million in capital in the project.

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Pacific Sunwear of California announced that net sales from continuing operations for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012 ended Feb. 2, were $228 million versus net sales from continuing operations of $218.7 million for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2011 ended Jan. 28, 2012.

Comparable-store sales for the fourth quarter of 2012 increased 1%.  

The company ended fiscal 2012 with 644 stores, compared with 733 as of the end of fiscal 2011. The company closed 78 stores in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012.

Seattle -- Nordstrom announced plans to open a Nordstrom Rack in Louisville, Ky. The 33,000-sq.-ft. store, at Shelbyville Road Plaza, is scheduled to open in fall 2013 and will be the retailer's first location in the state.

Nordstrom is also expanding its presence in Florida. It will open a Nordstrom Rack at the Shoppes at University Town Center to serve customers in the Sarasota-Bradenton metro area. The approximately 35,000-sq.-ft.store is scheduled to open in fall 2013.

CINCINNATI — Macy’s announced that it will expand its online order fulfillment center in Goodyear, Ariz., to accommodate continued sales growth as part of the company’s omnichannel strategy. The company is expected to invest more than $35 million in capital in the project.

New York -- Eddie Lampert, chairman of Sears Holding Corp., has signed a contract to remain as CEO of the retail company at a salary of $1 per year, the Associated Press reported. Sears announced in January that Lampert would take over as CEO after Louis J. D'Ambrosio stepped down due to family health issues.
    
Lampert’s new contract is effective Feb. 1, according to a regulatory filing yesterday. Lampert also has the opportunity for a bonus of up to $2 million in cash or stock and up to $4.5 million in stock per year.

WABAN, Mass. — Sam's Club and Amazon were among the retailers that earned top marks for customer service, according to the consulting firm Temkin Group.

According to the 2013 Temkin Experience Rankings which queried 10,000 U.S. consumers about customer service issues across 246 companies in 19 industries, Sam's Club and Amazon earned the top spots in the retail sector and RadioShack was the lowest rated retailer for the third consecutive year.

SAN FRANCISCO — Janet Hayes, currently the president of Pottery Barn Kids and PBteen, will become president of the Williams-Sonoma brand, effective March 20. She replaces Richard Harvey, who will be leaving the company on May 3, 2013, after 30 years of service.