Direct To Consumer (DTC)

Cleveland -- Personalized gifts retailer Things Remembered announced the appointment of Catalina Maddox-Wagers to senior VP, chief merchandising and marketing officer, effective Sept. 3.

Maddox-Wagers previously served as executive VP and general merchandising manager for retailer David’s Bridal. In her new role, she will further evolve the Things Remembered brand in product development, brand marketing, in-store and online merchandising,

New York -- Yankee Candle has agreed to be acquired by global consumer products company Jarden Corp. for $1.75 billion in cash from its private equity owner Madison Dearborn Partners. Yankee Candle, based in South Deerfield, Mass., operates about 575 stores in the United States and Canada.

Madison Dearborn bought Yankee Candle in 2007 for $1.4 billion cash and the assumption of $300 million in debt.

FREEPORT, Maine — L.L.Bean has introduced the One Fund Boston Tote made from the tarp used to protect the Fenway Park infield during its 100th anniversary in 2012.

The limited edition version of the company’s signature tote celebrates the spirit of Boston and its people, with 100% of the profits going to The One Fund Boston.

New York -- Hedge fund manager Richard Perry has upped his already substantial share in J.C. Penney Co. Perry’s Perry Capitol LLC now ranks as Penney's second-largest investor after George Soros.
    
It was disclosed on Friday that Perry bought an additional three million shares of Penney in a secondary offering for $12.90 a share, and that it now owns 8.62% of the company, up from its previous 7.3% stake.
      

New York -- Uniqlo will open 10 U.S. mall stores in October and November, giving it a total of 17 U.S. locations. The new stores are strategically placed surrounding the brand’s current flagship stores on the East and West Coasts (see below for schedule).

To support its retail expansion, Uniqlo will debut a new, more interactive website this fall.  

Uniqlo will open four stores in California, three in New York, two in New Jersey and one in Connecticut. Here is the schedule:  

New Jersey

NEW YORK — Avon Products appointed Brian Salsberg as SVP of global strategy, effective Sept. 23. Salsberg will report to Sheri McCoy, Avon's CEO, and will join the company's executive committee.

Fort Myers, Fla. -- Chico’s FAS reported an 18.4% decline in second quarter net profit, after increased promotional activity took a toll on same-store sales. 

Chico’s net income totaled $43.6 million from $53.4 million in the year-ago period.

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Chico's FAS’s financial results for the second quarter ended Aug. 3 were affected by a lower transaction count and average dollar sales, primarily because of lower traffic and the cycling of strong comparable sales last year.

The company reported net income of $43.6 million for the quarter — a decrease of 18.4% compared to $53.4 million in the year-ago quarter, and earnings per diluted share of $0.27, a decrease of 15.6% compared to $0.32 per diluted share in the year-ago quarter.