Department Store

Photo: Sam Edelman’s newest store at NorthPark Center opened May 20

Chico’s FAS is nominating two new independent board members as two current members prepare to retire and an investor says it will nominate its own two candidates.
 

Taubman Centers COO William Taubman offered insights on shoppers, property trends and how technology is changing the fundamental experience and brand promise of shopping centers.

To watch his wide ranging conversation with ICSC’s Jesse Tron, click here.

 

Despite improved net sales, DSW Inc. saw net earnings decline substantially during the first quarter of fiscal 2017.
 
The footwear retailer reported net income of $30.01 million, down 37% from $47.37 million in the prior year quarter. Growing cost of sales and operating expenses, as well as a pretax expense from the February purchase of online footwear retailer Ebuys Inc., cut into profit even as net sales rose 4% to $681.27 million, from $655.47 million. Ebuys contributed $15.1 million in net sales.
 

Supermarkets and fast-casual restaurant brands took the top positions in an annual ranking of customer experience.   Publix, Chick-fil-A, and H-E-B earned top three positions in Temkin Group’s 2017 Temkin Experience Ratings, a cross-industry benchmark of customer experience.     Publix had a score of 84%, closely followed by Chick-fil-A and H-E-B, which both scored 83% in the seventh annual rating.  

Abercrombie & Fitch Co. has named two veteran retailers to head up its divisions.

The teen apparel retailer named Stacia Anderson as president of its namesake brand, and also its abercrombie kids division. Anderson is a 20-year veteran of Target Corp., where she most recently served as senior VP of merchandising.  She will join Abercrombie on June 13.
 

L Brands subsidiary Victoria’s Secret has named a veteran of the specialty and intimate apparel verticals as its new CEO.

Jan Singer, who served as CEO of Spanx from June 2014 – March 2016, is now CEO of Victoria’s Secret. Previously, she held corporate VP positions at Nike from February 2004 – June 2014.

Chain Store Age’s annual search for 10 retail real estate stars under the age of 40 years resulted in this: Ten youthful, creative, hard-charging industry executives.

Some are retailers, others are brokers or from shopping center companies. Three are women. One is under the age of 30. There’s a single Canadian in the bunch. Two work for CBRE. Each has studied the business, sought out mentors, and researched and taken on the issues of the day.