Department Store

Armonk, N.Y.  -- Online U.S. retail sales for August 2014 were up more than 11% as compared to the same period the prior year. According to new IBM Digital Analytics Benchmark data, mobile traffic accounted for 41.5% of all online traffic, up 34% compared to the same period the previous year.

A strong performance at Stein Mart’s Texas locations in August helped to offset sales at the retailer’s more challenged Gulf state locations.

Total sales for month were $86.5 million, a 3.8% increase over total sales of $83.3 million for August last year. Comparable store sales for the month increased 2.5% from comparable store sales for August last year.

Minneapolis – Women’s specialty retailer Christopher & Banks Corp. swung to a profit of $3.4 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2014, compared to a net loss of $285,000 in the prior year period. Higher pretax income and income operating, as well as a tax benefit, helped push Christopher & Banks into the black.

Chain Store Age makes no secret of the fact that we are a retail publication – and have been since 1925. Our readership is retail headquarters executives and our content is directed toward, and influenced by, that very group.

In the September 2014 issue, however, we looked at another group – one that is integrally involved with retailers and often determines the success of a single store or an entire market:  retail brokers.

Dallas -- CBRE’s National Retail Investment Group announced the sale of Centennial Plaza, a 233,797-sq.-ft. power center in Oklahoma City, on behalf of Kimco Realty Corp., to American Realty Capital-Retail Centers of America.

Centennial Plaza, at 100% occupancy, is tenanted by Home Depot, Best Buy, Gordmans and Guitar Center. Home Depot’s Centennial Plaza location is the retailer’s first and only urban location in the city.
 

Hudson's Bay Company has appointed Andrea Wong as a director of the company. Including Wong, who is considered an independent director, the board is now made up of 10 directors.

New York – Shoppers spent $50.17 billion online during the 2014 back-to-school shopping season, which represents a 16% gain from $43.26 billion in the year-ago period, according to eMarketer. Online commerce during the months of July and August — the main months for back-to-school shopping — accounted for approximately one-sixth of retail ecommerce sales for the year, according to eMarketer estimates, as well as 70.5% of retail ecommerce sales in third quarter 2014.

Kmart is gearing up for the holiday shopping season and reminding customers, including Shop Your Way members, of its No Money Down Layaway program, which is now available.