Sales & Marketing

Dallas – Net loss at specialty jewelry retailer DSGE Inc. roughly tripled to $4.45 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2014 from $1.12 million in the same period a year earlier. Writeoffs related to the closure of DSGE’s Southern Bullion banner drove the net loss increase.

Bebida Beverage Company (BeBevCo), a developer, manufacturer and marketer of relaxation and energy products, is rolling out its flagship beverage, KOMA Unwind Liquid Relaxation, at select 7-Eleven stores in the Quad Cities.

New York — Winick Realty Group has leased 2,200 sq. ft. for Chipotle Mexican Grill at 222 Market Street, part of the RockPlaza Lofts residential and commercial development in Newark, New Jersey.

Chipotle is the first national quick-service restaurant to open in Downtown Newark in decades, according to Winick. The new unit is located near Seaton Hall University Law School and the Prudential Center, home of the NHL hockey team New Jersey Devils.

Pittsburgh -- GNC Holdings, Inc.’s board of directors has authorized a multi-year program to repurchase up to an aggregate $500 million of the company's Class A common stock. The authorization is effective immediately and replaces GNC’s previous authorization, which had approximately $250 million remaining.  

The repurchases are expected to take place over the next 24 months.

Hudson, Ohio – Travis Smith has resigned as president and CEO of Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores. Until a replacement has been identified, Jim Kerr, executive VP and CFO, will serve as Interim CEO of the company, while continuing in his current role as CFO.

The board of directors is undertaking a comprehensive search to identify a replacement. In his role as interim CEO, Kerr will partner with Riddi Kline, executive VP of marketing and merchandising, and Tom Williams, executive VP of operations and HR, to manage the business.

Profitero, a leading global provider of online insights and e-commerce intelligence for retailers and brands, has appointed Raj Khathuria as VP of sales for North America.

Khathuria has more than 17 years of sales management experience. He previously led the North American sales operation for MarkMonitor, a global leader in online brand protection (acquired by Thomson Reuters in 2012), where he was responsible for growth in key vertical markets including consumer goods, luxury apparel and electronics.

Atlanta - Supply chain commerce solutions provider Manhattan Associates Inc. has acquired the assets of POS and clienteling applications provider GlobalBay Technologies from VeriFone. The acquisition extends Manhattan’s omnichannel inventory and order management solutions by enabling in-store sales and clienteling capabilities.

VeriFone’s GlobalBay Merchant solution, targeted to small retailers, will be retained by VeriFone and rebranded in the coming months. Financial terms of the transaction will not be disclosed.

Columbus, Ohio – Big Lots Inc. is expanding its food selections in all of its 1,491 stores across the country. The department will feature more brand name products, improved product arrangement and well-designed signage to make shopping easier.