Direct To Consumer (DTC)

Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores announced that Eduardo Castro-Wright, 56, vice chairman and CEO of the company’s Global eCommerce and Global Sourcing businesses, will retire on July 1, 2012. The company said it plans name new leadership for these businesses by the end of January, after which Castro-Wright will assist in the transition.
 

Mahwah, N.J. -- North American furniture and home accessories retailer Design Within Reach has selected TD Retail Card Services to develop and administer its private label credit card for its locations in the United States.

Under the agreement, the Mahwah, N.J.-based business unit of TD Bank, N.A., will direct all facets of the program for the retailer's 43 Studio locations.

The new Design Within Reach credit card will offer consumers a full menu of deferred interest and equal pay programs.

New York City -- Apparel designer Yigal Azrouel will open its first freestanding store, for its Cut25 lower-priced, younger collection, in the Soho South area of Manhattan.

Prudential Douglas Elliman’s Retail Group arranged a lease at 129 Grand Street, between Broadway and Crosby Street, for the new store. The opening date hasn’t yet been announced.

 

New Rochelle, N.Y. -- Welco Realty, an X Team Partner, said it has arranged a lease representing Pier 1 Imports for Rego Center, in Queens, N.Y., for 8,500 sq. ft.

The firm represented both the landlord and tenant for leases at Bay Plaza Shopping Center, Bronx, N.Y., for 9,599 sq. ft. and at Summerhill Square, in East Brunswick, N.J., for 9,000 sq. ft.
 

Indianapolis -- The Finish Line reported Thursday that net income for the quarter ended Aug. 27 rose 24% to $20.9 million, compared with $16.8 million in the year-ago period.

Sales rose 10% to $331.5 million, beating Wall Street’s expectations of $321.9 million, and same-store sales surged 11%.

BOCA RATON, Fla. — Office Depot has launched a new line of exclusive office chairs from the Style@Work by Thomasville collection. According to the company, the Style@Work by Thomasville collection provides customers with luxury home office chairs at an affordable price, and are currently available at nationwide Office Depot retail store locations and online at www.officedepot.com.

New York City -- Sur La Table has been acquired by Investcorp, a global asset management firm. The Seattle-based retailer, which specializes in kitchen goods, operates 86 stores nationwide.

Investcorp acquired Sur La Table from the Behnke family and investment firm Freeman Spogli & Co., who will both remain as investors in the kitchen goods retailer. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. No management changes are expected.

NEW YORK — Express is taking its brand of specialty retail apparel north of the border this September with the opening of its first location in Canada at Fairview Mall in Toronto.