eCommerce

Destination Maternity Corp. saw its loss widen in the fourth quarter and the full year amid declining same-store sales and its exit from several businesses.     The maternity clothing retailer reported a loss $32.8 million, which included a $27.8 million non-cash income tax charge. Its adjusted net loss was $3.2 million, compared to an adjusted net loss of $1.5 million in the year-ago period.   Revenue totaled $100.2 million in the period. Same-store sales fell 7.8%.   

With its profits taking a hit in 2016, Prada Group is placing a stronger focus on digital.   The luxury goods retailer’s net revenue for the year ended January 31, 2017, while revenue across its retail channel plunged13%.    Based on these results, the company plans to focus on more digital initiatives to better respond to an evolving marketplace, according to Prada’s CEO, Patrizio Bertelli.  

American Girl is building a new and bigger flagship in the Big Apple.     The specialty retailer will open a new, 40,000-sq.-ft. American Girl Place at 75 Rockefeller Plaza in Manhattan. The new location, scheduled to open in fall 2017, will replace the brand’s existing flagship at 609 Fifth Avenue.    The new location is being built by Englewood Construction, and is the 12th project Englewood has completed for American Girl.      

The struggles of brick-and-mortar retailers have dominated industry headlines over the past few months with an unprecedented number of store closings announced. However, while the bad news has come from all corners, specialty retailers as well as general merchandisers, it has been department stores that have perhaps attracted the most headlines.  

NewMark Merrill’s decade-long quest to open a shopping center outside of San Bernardino became reality with the opening of its Walmart Supercenter anchor.   The 239,552-sq.-ft. Rialto Marketplace is due to be fully operational in June, when the doors will open for tenants including Starbuck’s, Sprint, Chipotle, Les Schwab Tires, Carl’s Jr., and Ono Hawaiian BBQ.  

Two menswear brands founded online are growing their brick-and-mortar operations.   Made-to-measure men’s clothing maker Indochino, which was founded in 2007, plans to open eight new locations in 2017. Three are slated to open in the brand’s home territory of Canada, and five in the U.S.    “This year, we’re almost doubling our showroom network as we focus on significantly expanding our experiential retail model,” stated Drew Green, CEO, Indochino.  

An array of private equity firms are interested in The Body Shop.   The beauty retailer, which is owned by cosmetics giant L’Oreal, has drawn bids from around 15 private equity firms and companies, including Bain Capital, CVC Capital Partners, Carlyle Group LP and South Korea’s CJ Group, Bloomberg reported.   

Toys “R” Us reported declines in same-store sales for its fourth quarter and full year amid a highly competitive environment.