Department Store

Atlanta -- The SpendTrend analysis released Friday by First Data Corp., which tracks same-store consumer spending by credit, signature debit, PIN debit, EBT cards and checks at U.S. merchant locations, found that overall year-over-year dollar volume growth was up 7.3% in November 2011, down from October’s 9.4% growth.

November 2011 had tough comparables as November 2010 was a particularly strong month, with dollar volume growth up 8.1%, according to First Data. November 2011 transaction growth was 6.1%. 

Suffern, N.Y. -- Ascena Retail Group said Thursday it has appointed Jeff Gerstel as president of Dressbarn, and named George Goldfarb as president of its Maurices brand, both effective immediately.

The new executives will report to David Jaffe, president and CEO of Ascena Retail Group.

Gerstel joined Dressbarn in 2006 as senior VP operations and most recently served as executive VP and COO.

Goldfarb joined Maurices in 1985, was named CFO in 2003, and most recently was its executive VP and COO.

PARIS — Gap Inc. announced the opening of its first Banana Republic store on Avenue des Champs Élysées in Pais, France. According to the company, the 15,952-sq.-ft. space will house the brand’s women’s and men’s collections and represents the most contemporary expression of the brand globally.

Anaheim, Calif. -- Pacific Sunwear of California Inc. reported Wednesday that losses widened in the third quarter to $17.6 million, from $7.1 million a year earlier. The decline was due in large part to charges associated with store closures.

New York City -- By all reports, the ICSC New York deal-making conference, held Dec. 5 and 6 in New York City, delivered what the retail and shopping center industries were waiting for: A sense of forward progress.

Chain Store Age heard mostly positive comments from the show, such as “I haven’t seen this much deal action since 2006,” from one happy retail broker in the aisles of the New York Hilton meeting space. Mall developers unveiled redevelopment plans, and social media innovations and rollouts were the theme of the conference.

Beaumont, Texas -- Conn’s Inc. reported Thursday that losses in the third quarter widened to $12.7 million from $4.8 million a year ago.

Sales rose 5% to $179.5 million.

The electronics retailer also announced that it made Theodore M. Wright its permanent president and CEO. He had been the company’s interim president and CEO since February 2011.

Chicago -- A report release Wednesday by ShopperTrak said that sales increased just 0.2% year-over-year for the week ending in Dec. 3, representing a 22.5% decline from the prior week, which held the largest Black Friday in history — both in terms of sales and traffic. 

According to ShopperTrak, this sharp decline in retail sales is typical of the week following Thanksgiving. Although shoppers have an initial burst of activity spurred on by Black Friday sales promotions, they often stay home during the following week. 

New York City -- Forever 21 signed an agreement Tuesday to open a flagship in Beijing, China, one part of a plan by the fast-fashion retailer to expand into the world’s largest emerging consumer market, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The Los Angeles-based chain will open a 24,000-sq-.ft. store in a multi-story mall located in Beijing’s central shopping district, Wangfujing, with additional stores set to open in Shanghai and Hong Kong, the report said.