Department Store

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill.  — Sears announced that it is inviting Facebook users to support to America's military members by fan voting for the Sears Rebuilding Together affiliate program that they believe is the most deserving. 

Voting will take place through Sept. 23, and based on total vote tallies, Sears and Rebuilding Together will award 25 overall grants totaling $250,000 to Rebuilding Together affiliates at platinum, gold, silver and bronze levels.

Talk about visibility. Target went way beyond the norm in the retail industry earlier this year when it said that within six or seven years sales would reach $100 billion and earnings per share would double to at least $8. Expressing such a long term outlook is not without considerable risk, chief among them is the rapid pace of change in the retail industry and the fact that the competitive landscape and the factors influencing consumer demand could look very different within six or seven years.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Sports Authority announced that Darrell Webb has been named as interim CEO of the company, replacing David Campisi who is resigning as CEO and president of the company. 

As previously reported by Retailing Today, Webb currently serves as the chairman and CEO of Jo-Ann Stores. Webb previously has held senior positions at The Kroger Company, Fred Meyer Stores and Quality Food Centers. Webb will retain his position as chairman of Jo-Ann Stores while serving as Interim CEO of Sports Authority. 

SAN FRANCISCO — Gap Inc. announced that it has released its fifth social and environmental responsibility report, a comprehensive update on its supply chain operations, environmental programs and community investment efforts from 2009 to 2010.

Not long after the Vintage Varsity collection of young men’s and women’s apparel hits stores, Target News Now opined that the garments seemed a little pricy and cost conscious college kids would be likely to defer purchases until the goods were marked down.

More specifically, we said, “College girls may love the look of the tees, tanks, sweats and shorts Target has offered up under the Vintage Varsity brand this season, but the prices the items are offered at isn’t anything to text home about.”

SAN FRANCISCO — Gap Inc. reported that net sales for the second quarter of fiscal year 2011, which ended July 30, increased 2% to $3.39 billion compared with $3.32 billion for the second quarter last year. The company’s second quarter comparable sales, which include associated comparable online sales, were down 2% compared with a 1% increase in the second quarter last year. For the second quarter of fiscal year 2011, online sales positively impacted comparable sales for Gap Inc. by 2 percentage points.

VERNON, Calif. — True Religion Apparel has announced that Lynne Koplin has been named president of the company effective immediately.

Koplin joined the company in January 2010 as COO. Prior to joining the company, and since July 2005, she was the president women’s division, of Tommy Bahama, a subsidiary of Oxford Industries, and before that worked for a number of apparel and retail companies.

Walmart International sales increased 7.1% to $27.8 billion in the second quarter and all countries produced sales growth, except Japan, when measured on a constant currency basis. Profitability didn’t improve as quickly. Operating profit was up 0.5% to nearly $1.3 billion, but if some one time charges are excluded the growth rate picks up to 5.6%.