Direct To Consumer (DTC)

Webster, Texas -- Seattle-based Nordstrom will add a new Nordstrom Rack location in the Houston area, opening a 31,000-sq.-ft. store in spring 2015 at Baybrook Square in Webster, Texas.

The Baybrook Square Rack will be the fourth Houston-area off-price store for Nordstrom. In July the company announced plans to open a third Rack location at Willowbrook Mall in fall 2014.

The new Nordstrom Rack will move into a space currently occupied by DSW, which is relocating within the center. Baybrook Square is managed by Fidelis Realty Partners.

Philadelphia - David Johnston, COO of Five Below, Inc., will leave his position at the company effective Aug. 31. In the wake of his departure, the company is seeking a president who will report directly to co-founder and CEO Thomas Vellios.

Pittsburgh – American Eagle Outfitters is lowering its earnings outlook for the second quarter of fiscal 2013 due to what the retailer characterizes as weak sales and margins. The company now forecasts earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter of about $0.10, down significantly from $0.21 in the second quarter of last year.

Minneapolis -- Target Corp. announced plans to acquire online beauty retailer DermStore for an undisclosed sum.

The move will allow Target to further tap into the online beauty market, as well as continue its trend toward acquiring specialty businesses to ramp up its presence in various niche markets. In March, Target announced its acquisition of Chefs Catalog and Cooking.com in two separate transactions to create a subsidiary.

New York -- Fashion presence Michael Kors Holdings Ltd. reported a first-quarter profit of $125 million, nearly double the $68.6 million profit of the year-ago period.

Revenue for the quarter ended June 29 soared 54% percent to $640.9 million, well above Wall Street’s expected $570.5 million. Same-store sales climbed 27.3%. In North America, which generates 86% of the company's business, same-store sales rose 25%.

NEW YORK — Delia’s, a multichannel retailer that primarily markets to teenage girls, has hired Daphne Smith as the company’s EVP of operations, reporting to CEO Tracy Gardner.

Smith was previously with J.Crew for 16 years, working in various roles including SVP of direct. She has spent the past 18 months at New York & Company as the company’s SVP of e-commerce.

New York -- Tween apparel retailer Delia’s has hired Daphne Smith as the company’s executive VP operations, reporting to CEO Tracy Gardner.

Smith was previously with J. Crew for 16 years, working in various roles including senior VP of direct. She has spent the past 18 months at New York & Company as the company’s senior VP e-commerce.

New York — Korean fashion designer Boyoung Kim will open her first dedicated boutique on Columbus Avenue, said Faith Hope Consolo, chairman, and Joseph A. Aquino, executive VP of Douglas Elliman’s Retail Group.