Direct To Consumer (DTC)

By Dr. Gary Edwards, Empathica

Recently, online fashion retailer Piperlime announced plans to open its first brick-and-mortar location in New York City. For many, the announcement seemed to fly in the face of conventional wisdom given the competitive pricing and other advantages e-commerce providers have over traditional retailers.

Why would a successful e-tailer like Piperlime want to take on the additional cost and headaches associated with a physical store?

Philadelphia -- Visionworks, the largest wholly owned U.S.-based optical retailer, has opened its first store in the Philadelphia area. Located in Deptford Township, N.J., it is the first of more than 25 stores expected to open in the market through 2013.

The San Antonio-based retailer plans to open 17 stores before the end of 2012 and additional locations by April 2013.

Dallas -- Venture Commercial said that LA Fitness has signed a long-term lease to build a 45,000-sq.-ft. facility in the Old Town Shopping Center in Dallas, on the site of a former Borders bookstore.

LA Fitness has begun razing the existing building on behalf of the landlord, preparing the site for construction of a new prototype club, which is expected to open around the end of the year.

Los Angeles -- Private equity firm Brentwood Associates has acquired a majority stake in Sundance Holdings Group ("Sundance Catalog").

Sundance Catalog, founded by Robert Redford in 1989 and headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, is a multichannel direct marketer and specialty retailer of women's apparel and accessories, jewelry and home furnishings. Selling shareholders, including ACI Capital and Webster Capital, will retain a minority ownership stake, and the business will remain under the leadership of current president and CEO Matey Erdos.

SEATTLE — Recreational Equipment Inc. is making its Kansas debut with its first store set to open in Overland Park in the fall of 2013.

Seattle -- REI (Recreational Equipment, Inc.) said Tuesday it will make its state debut in Kansas in fall 2013, with a new store in Overland Park, Kan., a suburb of Kansas City.

The 23,500-sq.-ft. REI Overland Park will be located at Prairiefire at Lionsgate. Approximately 50-60 new hires are planned.
 

LOS ANGELES and ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Lisa Hoffman Beauty is celebrating HSN's 35 years of innovation by providing their customers with exclusive offers of their fragrance line when it returns to HSN this week. The collection will appear on HSN on July 11 at 6 a.m., 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 11 p.m.

Mexico City – Walmex, Mexico’s largest retailer, reported Monday that same-store sales for the month of June rose 5.3%. Total sales in June jumped 15%.

The retailer opened 26 stores and restaurants in June, after announcing it was reducing planned store openings to between 325 and 335 this year from a previously announced 410 to 436 stores.