Department Store

Martine Reardon, Macy's chief marketing officer, has decided to leave the company, effective May 13, after 32 years of service.

Reardon did not specify her exact reason for leaving, but in a statement implied she will be taking some time away from her professional career.

The more than $300 million that Kohl’s has raised through an innovative cause merchandising program is set to go even higher as the retail offer a new product lineup through the end of June.

Kohl’s introduced a new line of Kohl’s Care products including books and plush characters priced at $5 where 100% of the net profit from the products goes to benefit children’s health initiatives nationwide.

Abercrombie & Fitch Co. has named Ashley Sargent Price as senior VP and creative director of marketing.

In this role, Price will oversee creative marketing for all brands (Abercrombie & Fitch, abercrombie kids, and Hollister Co.), the company`s internal photo studio, and marketing operations. She reports to Fran Horowitz, president & chief merchandising officer.

The outdoor apparel retailer plans to open a flagship on Fifth Avenue, in the space formerly occupied by Canadian fast-fashion merchant Joe Fresh, the Real Deal reported.

The retailer signed an eight-year sublease from Joe Fresh for approximately 20,000 sq.ft. at Vornado Realty Trust’s landmarked building at 510 Fifth Avenue, according to the report. The space includes three levels of retail.

The North Face is also looking for a larger space in Manhattan’s SoHo area, the report said.

Preit has executed a lease that will bring Dick’s Sporting Goods and Field & Stream to Viewmont Mall, Scranton, Pennsylvania.

The dual store format concept will replace the existing Sears at the property in 90,000 sq. ft. of space. Sears will close this July, with Dick’s Sporting Goods and Field & Stream scheduled to open for business for Holiday 2017.

Most U.S. consumers now carry a smart credit card, but they haven’t had all that much opportunity to stop swiping and start dipping their cards into upgraded terminals.

That’s according to a survey of 932 U.S. credit card-holders by CreditCards.com, which found that 70% of respondents carry at least one chip-based card. This is up from only 14% in a survey conducted by the same company in September 2015, before the October 1 deadline that shifted liability for some fraud shifted from card issuers to merchants that can't accept the new cards.

Sears Holdings Corp. announced it obtained a 15-month $500 million secured loan facility. ESL Investments, the company controlled by Sears chairman and CEO Edward Lampert, helped provide part of the loan and is entitled to related fees.

Sears said $250 million of the 15-month loan was funded on Friday with the remainder being accessible in the future.

Market Track compared retail circular advertising in March 2016 vs. March 2015 and noted trends occurring across top retail chains.

Lowe’s Home Improvement had denser March print circulars with twice the ads per page and nearly 80 additional ads per drop. Lowe’s shifted the Spring Black Friday sale to the 3/31 drop; up from first week of May 2015.

Home depot did not counter this shift through print, but promoted Spring Black Friday on their website.