Retail

New York – In a sign of just how competitive the upcoming holiday season is expected to be, Macy’s said that most of its stores will open at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving evening. It’s the first time in its history that the company will be open for business on the holiday.

Famous Footwear has unveiled a free app for iPhone and Android that offers shoppers instant access to savings they can earn through Famous Footwear’s rewards program, as well as exclusive mobile discounts and offers. The app allows users to plan, shop and track their purchases, and redeem their rewards points from their mobile device.

Greenwood Village, Colo. — Red Robin Gourmet Burgers has announced the grand opening of a Hagerstown, Md., restaurant next to the main entrance of Valley Mall.

The casual dining restaurant chain operates and franchises more than 480 Red Robin restaurants across the United States and Canada.

Cupertino, Calif. -- Apple Inc. has hired a much-admired fashion industry veteran to run its retail stores. The company announced Tuesday that Angela Ahrendts, CEO of British luxury giant Burberry Group Plc, has been appointed to the newly created position of senior VP of retail and online stores. She will join Apple in the spring from Burberry.

At Apple Ahrendts, 53, will become a member of the executive team and report directly to CEO Tim Cook. She will be the first woman on Apple’s 10-member executive team.

Casual footwear manufacturer Crocs has appointed former Walmart executive Greg Sullivan as the company’s general manager for the Americas region. The region encompasses North, Central and South America.

In his new role, Sullivan will be responsible for managing the region's day-to-day operations, including overseeing sales, marketing, finance and human resources functions, as well as the region's wholesale, internet and direct-to-consumer channels.

New York — Winick Realty Group has negotiated leases bringing three new retailers to the Flatbush Avenue retail Corridor in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Starbucks, Game Champ and Cohen’s Fashion Optical will all open doors at 395 Flatbush Avenue Extension, a full-block retail site anchored by Applebee’s and McDonald’s.

Winick represented landlord Rabina Properties in all three transactions.

New York -- Thirty-One Gifts, one of America’s largest direct-selling companies, has chosen TXT Maple Lake to assist in managing its retail processes. Using TXT’s integrated retail planning solution, TXT will manage the whole spectrum of Thirty-One’s forecasting, merchandise, assortment and inventory management.

Advantage Sales & Marketing has acquired food brokerage company Tri-Venture Marketing to expand its national footprint and enhance its capabilities across a range of fresh categories.

Advantage, already one of the nation’s leading providers of sales, marketing and third party merchandising support services to retailers and suppliers, will operate the new business as Advantage Tri-Venture and maintain the firm’s existing headquarters in Lakeland, Fl., which coincidentally is the hometown of leading southeastern supermarket operator Publix.