Direct To Consumer (DTC)

Dallas -- Neiman Marcus has named former Williams-Sonoma executive John E. Koryl as president of its website and catalog division, Neiman Marcus Direct.

Koryl, 40, succeeds Gerald Barnes, who will become executive VP and chief merchant of Neiman Marcus Direct, which operates websites under NeimanMarcus.com, BergdorfGoodman.com, LastCall.com, Cusp.com and Horchow.com. The division also produces more than 80 catalogs annually for the Neiman Marcus and Horchow brands.

New York City -- China ranks as the most attractive emerging market for apparel retailers, according to global management consulting firm A.T. Kearney’s 2011 Global Retail Development Index for Apparel. The research analyzes retail markets worldwide, and ranks those countries that present the best opportunity for apparel retail expansion.

New York City -- Apparel giant VF Corp., whose brands include Wrangler, The North Face, and Nautica, said it has agreed to buy Timberland Co. for approximately $2 billion. The deal, expected to close in the third quarter, values Timberland at $43 a share, a 43% premium to Friday's closing price of $29.99 on the New York Stock Exchange.

San Francisco -- Williams-Sonoma said Monday that it will offer international shipping across its brands. The chain is partnering with FiftyOne Global Ecommerce, a leading provider of international e-commerce services and infrastructure to U.S. retailers.

Customers in more than 75 countries are now able to shop online for Pottery Barn and Pottery Barn Kids products, the company said. The same service for West Elm and Williams-Sonoma should launch by the end of the month.

Seattle -- Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI) on Friday announced plans to open a new store in Indianapolis at the Plaza at Castleton next spring. The new store will be the outdoor retailer’s first in the state.

The one-story, approximately 23,800-sq.-ft. store is one of 117 stores in 28 states and two online stores -- rei.com and rei-outlet.com.
 

SAN FRANCISCO— At an investor conference on Thursday, Gap CEO Glenn Murphy announced the company will close 200 of its 900 U.S. namesake stores even as it expands its outlet presence.

 While the company did not identify which stores will close, Gap said the 200 Gap brand closures over the next two years will be accompanied by a push to expand its Gap Outlet and Banana Republic factory chains.

Indianapolis -- Lids Sports Group announced the acquisition of Buckeye Corner stores, which operates four stores in the Columbus, Ohio, area. The acquisition also includes Buckeye’s e-commerce website and a catalog business.

Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

NEW YORK— J.Crew Group reported that first-quarter revenues decreased 1% to $409.5  million and comparable company sales (which include same-store sales, direct sales and shipping and handling revenues) were down 3% compared with an increase of 16% for the same period last year.

Store sales decreased 3% to $281.2 million, with comparable-store sales decreasing 6%.  Comparable-store sales increased by 15% in the first quarter of fiscal 2010.