eCommerce

Columbus, Ohio -- DSW Inc. is opening of a new store in Greenville, S.C. on October 17. As of May 18, 2013, DSW operates 377 stores in 42 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, as well as 348 leased departments for other retailers in the U.S. under the Affiliated Business Group.

New York -- Barnes & Noble, Inc. debuts a new bookstore on Oct. 16 at The Fountains at Farah in El Paso, Texas. Concurrently, the existing Eastside store will close.

Dallas and New Orleans — The Howard Hughes Corp. has announced the tenant lineup for the redevelopment of Riverwalk Marketplace in New Orleans. The $70 million renovation is transforming the aging mall into The Outlet Collection at Riverwalk, the nation’s first downtown outlet center.

According to Hughes Corp., virtually all of the space in the new Riverwalk has been committed, and well-known national outlet retailers and popular local retail, dining and entertainment offerings hold 94% of the leases.

Pleasanton, Calif. — Ross Dress for Less opened 24 new locations last Friday, on Oct. 11. The openings complete the retailer’s 2013 expansion plan to open 65 new locations this year.

The new store openings bring the total of Ross stores to 1,154. Four of the new Ross stores opened in Illinois, three in Missouri and one in Indiana, as the retailer continues its growth in new markets it has entered over the past two years.

Pleasanton, Calif. — Dd’s Discounts recently opened nine new locations across five states as part of the retailer’s 2013 expansion program totaling 23 new locations.

The retailer now operates 131 locations in eight states. The new stores are located in California (4), Texas (2), Arizona (1), Florida (1) and Tennessee (1).

The opening of two new Stein Mart stores in New Jersey and California this month will round out the discount department store operator's 2013 capital expansion program and give it a year-end total of 264 units.

The opening follows four new stores last month in El Paso, Texas; Buford, Ga.; Elk Grove, Calif.; and Colorado Springs, Co., as well as a September comparable-store sales increase of 5% and a total net sales increase of 7.3% for the month.

Chico's FAS’ expansion plans are taking it outside U.S. borders, to Canada. The women's apparel retailer is opening a White House Black Market store at Yorkdale Shopping Centre, Toronto on Oct. 24, and will follow it up with an opening at Square One, Mississauga on Oct. 29, as well as an opening at Upper Canada Mall, Newmarket on November 12.

Saks Fifth Avenue will unveil its renovated men’s store in its Chicago flagship on Michigan Avenue in January of the new year. The renovation will encompass a total redesign of floors six and seven, creating an open environment that will be easily accessed by a new express elevator that will take passengers directly to the men’s floors.  

The Internet and mobile have transformed consumer shopping behaviors, but the in-store shopping still remains important to many consumers, especially when buying cosmetics, apparel, grocery and office supplies, according to a new study from global management consulting firm A.T. Kearney. It is important, however, that retailers strategically assess and recast the role of stores.

Pittsburgh -- Dick’s Sporting Goods grand-opened three new stores on Friday, bringing the total store count to 541 in the U.S.

The chain opened a store in Redding, Wash., at the Redding Hilltop Center, its 30th store in the state of Washington. A new opening in Victorville, Calif., at The Mall of Victor Valley, marks the 31st Dick’s store in California.

And in Kansas, at the Midstate Plaza in Salina, Dick’s opened its eighth store in the state.