Sales & Marketing

Miami - Southeast Financial Center, an office tower and plaza totaling 1.22 million sq. ft. in Miami’s Central Business District, signed a 20,100-sq.-ft. lease with Club Ventures, Miami, LLC, to bring DavidBartonGym to the top floor of the property’s 15-story annex. Southeast Financial Center has undergone capital improvements totaling $20.5 million since late 2008, including the implementation of granite pedestrian walkways, strategic seating areas, an enhanced park setting with shade trees and various foliage and planters, and new lighting.

New York - SmartFocus has acquired beacon technology specialist TagPoints and social media analytics provider Content Savvy as part of its strategy to develop the U.K.'s first omnichannel digital marketing system. Its platform now offers customer engagement and analytics capabilities across all media channels, so clients can gain deeper insight into consumer behavior.

New York -- Urban Outfitters on Monday apologized via its Twitter account after it came under fire for selling a “vintage” Kent State University sweatshirt featuring red dye markings that resembled blood stains, a look that called to mind the infamous  shooting that occurred on the Kent State campus in 1970.

York, Pa. - The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. will close its Carson’s Fox Valley Furniture Gallery in the Heritage Square Shopping Center in Naperville, Illinois. The company will not renew its lease, which terminates Jan. 31, 2015.

New York – Ann Inc. is publicly responding to an open letter sent by activist investors Engine Capital and Red Alder on Aug. 25, which urged the company to sell at a substantial premium above current stock price. In a press release, Ann Inc. said its board is “very active and consistently has been, and remains, focused on enhancing shareholder value.”

Ann Inc. also said its board regularly reviews all options and uses a financial advisor to help evaluate them.

Wolverine Worldwide is looking to bolster its brand leadership and management team. To that end, the company has promoted Rick Blackshaw to president, Sperry Top-Sider, and Chris Lindner to president, Keds.

Blackshaw served most recently as president of Keds, where he is credited with leading the brand to a global resurgence with a focused consumer-centric business strategy, outstanding product and compelling marketing. Blackshaw came to Keds from Converse, where he was the VP and GM of the Chuck Taylor footwear business.    

Aliso Viejo, Calif. -- Johnny Rockets announced a new concept, called Johnny Rockets Route 66, which will take the form of four prototypes: drive-thru, drive-in, food truck and pop-up. The first prototypes are to debut as early as fourth quarter 2014.

The drive-thru prototype is targeted for high volume, regional travel plazas located off major freeways and highways. It will range from 1,800sq. ft. to 3,300 sq. ft. and feature an optimized menu, digital projectors and technology to enhance the guest experience.
 

Collective Bias is rebranding its annual blogger conference in 2015 and taking the event on the road with a nationwide tour of 11 cities to facilitate increased participation by brands, bloggers and retailers.