Department Store

Having passed the calendar’s mid-point, we thought it would be interesting to take a look at the top 10 most-viewed stories of the year (to date) on Chainstoreage.com.

Middleton, Wis. - American Girl is expanding south of the boarder.

The brand will make its debut in Mexico, opening in-store boutiques in department store El Palacio de Hierro’s locations in Interlomas and Perisur. The in-store shops, ranging in size from 1,500 sq. ft. to 2,000 sq. ft., open July 4.

Mexico marks the second international retail presence for American Girl, which opened its first Canadian store in October 2013.

Dublin, Calif. -- dd’s Discounts, a division of Ross Stores, Inc., opened a new store in Tampa on June 27.  

The 22,000-sq.-ft. store, located in University Plaza on the northwest corner of Fletcher Avenue and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, marks the retailer’s 26th store in Florida and secures the state as dd’s third-largest in terms of store counts.

Dublin, Calif. -- dd’s Discounts, a division of Ross Stores, Inc., opened a trio of new stores in California on June 27.

A 22,000-sq. ft. anchor store opened in Bell Gardens, California, in the El Tapatio Center, located at Florence Avenue and Jaboneria Road, eight miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles.  

In Perris, California, an 18,000-sq.-ft. store opened in the Perris Towne Center at the intersection of Perris Boulevard and Nuevo Road.

Dublin, Calif. -- Ross Dress for Less will open a new store in Alton, Illinois, on July 18.  

The 24,000-sq.-ft. store is located in Alton Square Mall, 20 miles north of downtown St. Louis.
 

Barnes & Noble is hoping that hiring a CEO with experience launching electronics products will help revive its Nook e-reader division.

The retailer has named Ronald D. Boire, currently president and CEO of Sears Canada Inc., to become the CEO of its new retail division.

Dublin, Calif. -- Ross Dress for Less (“Ross”) isn’t slowing down its brick-and-mortar expansion.

The chain will open a new location in Salina, Kansas, on July 18. The 25,000-sq.-ft. store is located in the Central Mall, 80 miles north of Wichita. The opening is part of the retailer’s 2015 expansion program, totaling approximately 70 new locations during the year.  

New York – Barnes & Noble Inc. has tapped Ronald D. Boire, currently president and CEO of Sears Canada Inc., to become the CEO of its new retail division, effective Sept. 8.