Department Store

Online sales at regional department store operator Belk grew 43% during the second quarter, prompting the company to announce a major investment in its e-commerce and fulfillment capabilities.

Gordmans Stores new CEO Andy Hall is looking to execute a turnaround at the off price department store chain where weak sales trends and losses indicate he is in for a big challenge.
 

One retail category that’s been fascinating to watch evolve over the last several years is the women’s athletic apparel segment. Judging by the number of times reporters have asked me about women’s athletic apparel retailers in the last few months, I’m not the only one who thinks so.

San Antonio, Texas - Tryperion Partners, a private real estate investment firm, has acquired Gateway Plaza, a 97% occupied, 138,510-sq.-ft. community shopping center anchored by Burlington Coat Factory that is located in San Antonio’s burgeoning metropolitan area. The acquisition, which is Tryperion’s second of a San Antonio REO property in less than a year, includes additional land for future development.
 

Chicago -- Mid-America Asset Management recently secured new retail leases on behalf of two shopping centers in Chicago’s northwest suburbs. DSW Shoe Warehouse signed a lease for 23,773 sq. ft. at Village Square of Northbrook located at the southeast corner of Lake Cook Road and Skokie Boulevard in Northbrook, Ill. The 334,995-sq.-ft. center is anchored by Nordstrom Rack, Marshall’s, The Container Store, PetSmart, Cost Plus World Market, and Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th. DSW, expected to open in spring 2015, is taking the space vacated by Loehmann’s.

New York – Macy’s Inc. has begun offering customers a digital wallet application called My Wallet. Available via mobile Web browser or the Macy’s mobile app, My Wallet automatically gives customers access to any credit cards already stored on their Macys.com account, according to the retailer’s MyWallet Web page. It also lets them add up to 10 new credit cards, including third-party cards, although it does not allow gift cards to be stored.

Soft traffic and promotional activity have continued to put Guess’ North American stores under pressure, but the retailer said it is encouraged by its North American online business, which soared 50% in the second quarter.

The company reported net earnings of $22 million, a 50.5% decrease compared to adjusted net earnings of $44.3 million for the year ago period, which prompted the retailer to cut its fiscal year outlook.

Sales for the quarter decreased 4.8% to $608.6 million, from $639 million a year ago. Same-store sales decreased 5.4%.

Canton, Mass. – Charges related to the decision by Destination XL Group Inc. to exit the Sears Canada Direct business resulted in the retailer’s net loss growing to $4 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2014, from $1.6 million a year earlier.

Total sales fared better, driven by increased traffic and higher conversion rates, increasing 6% to $103.7 million, compared with $98 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2013.Same-store sales rose 7%.