Direct To Consumer (DTC)

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Interactive multichannel retailer HSNi has promoted Judy Schmeling to COO and CFO. Schmeling has served as HSNi's EVP and CFO since 2001. In her new role, she will be responsible for supply chain operations and customer care functions in addition to providing ongoing leadership for finance and information technology. 

RadioShack is courting the college market and has entered into a five-year agreement with NACSCORP, a subsidiary of the National Association of College Stores.

Under the agreement, the retailer will offer an assortment of consumer electronics and accessories to the nearly 4,000 college store customers NACSCORP currently serves.

Brisbane, Calif. -- Veteran entrepreneur and executive Narry Singh has been named to the board of directors of Bebe Stores.

Singh, who holds more than 20 years of business experience with a focus on digital entertainment, new media, software and e-commerce, was most recently chief executive of mobile entertainment provider Outfit7.
 

Fredericksburg, Va. -- Two new merchants will soon be joining the retail lineup at Spotsylvania Towne Centre in Fredericksburg, Va., according to Cafaro Co., based in Youngstown, Ohio.

Soma Intimates and Londons will open this summer in the outdoor shopping district of the complex, The Village at Towne Centre. Londons will open first, occupying just about 2,000 sq. ft. next to Firebirds Wood Fired Grill. By late August, Soma will open its 2,500-sq.-ft. store next to White House | Black Market.

New York -- Big M, owner of the Mandee, Annie Sez and Afaze apparel chains, will be sold to YM Inc., Toronto, in a $22.5 million deal expected to be approved by a bankruptcy judge next week, The Record reported.
 
YM operates more than 600 young women’s specialty stores under a variety of banners, including Stitches, Urban Planet, Bluenotes, Siblings, and Sirens.   

Vernon, Calif. -- True Religion Apparel has entered into a definitive merger agreement with New York and London-based investment management firm TowerBrook Capital Partners, in a transaction valued at approximately $835 million.

New York -- British retailer Marks & Spencer takes a giant leap forward in its goal of becoming a multichannel leader with the opening of its innovative new concept store in Amsterdam. The centerpiece of the 5,000-sq.-ft. space — which marks M&S’ return to the Netherlands after a 10-year absence — is an “E-Boutique” dedicated to womenswear. The shop features what the retailer calls “the world’s first virtual rail,” a display that seamlessly integrates digital rails with physical rails of clothing samples.

New York -- Foot Locker Inc. said Wednesday that it will buy German athletic store chain Runners Point Warenhandelsges (RPG) for 72 million euros ($94 million) as it expands in Europe.  
 
RPG, which had sales of $254 million for 2012, operates more than 200 stores — with its most prominent banners being Runners Point and Sidestep — as well as an online subsidiary, Tredex. Most its stores are in Germany, although there are also Runners Point and Sidestep locations in The Netherlands, Austria, and Switzerland.