Sales & Marketing

Austin, Texas -- Whole Food Market will purchase four stores from New Frontiers Natural Marketplace. The stores, which average 22,000 sq. ft., are located in Flagstaff, Prescott and Sedona, Ariz.; and San Luis Obispo, Calif. The two companies expect the transaction to be finalized in the next few weeks.

The stores will continue to operate under the New Frontiers Natural Marketplace banner until they are re-signed as Whole Foods Market stores.

Fort Lauderdale, Fla. -- Bicycle retailer BikeStreet announced the appointment of former Hhgregg executive VP & COO Gregg Throgmartin as CEO. With 17 shops opened since the brand’s founding in 2012, BikeShop aims to acquire and/or open nearly 1,000 shops across the nation under Throgmartin’s leadership.   
 

Jeffrey Gennette will take on the new role of president at Macy's after serving the past five years as the department store retailer’s chief merchandising officer.

Gennette will report to Macy’s chairman and CEO Terry Lundgren and retain day-to-day responsibility for Macy's merchandising functions, as well as oversight of marketing and macys.com. In addition, he assumes oversight responsibility for Macy's private brands organization.

Sidney, Neb. -- Cabela’s Inc. has renewed a variable funding facility with Royal Bank of Canada for an additional three years and the commitment under the variable funding facility has increased from $350 million to $500 million. The variable funding facility relates to an outstanding series of variable funding notes issued by Cabela’s Credit Card Master Note Trust.

Toy maker Jakks Pacific secured a $75 million credit facility from GE Capital.

The nine year old company based in Malibu, Calif., plans to use proceeds for working capital, capital expenditures and general corporate purposes as needed.

New York -- Just one-quarter (25%) of consumers consider loyalty programs important when choosing a restaurant. According to a new study from Deloitte, 50% of survey respondents said they belong to at least one restaurant program, a much lower rate compared with those of other sectors, such as airlines (78%) and hotels (70%).

Leading global cooler manufacturer Igloo was acquired by Washington, D.C.-based private equity firm ACON Investments from Connecticut-based private equity firm J.H. Whitney.

ACON said J.H. Whitney will continue to maintain a small, but undisclosed, stake in the company. Igloo will continue to be led by chairman and CEO Gary Kiedaisch and other members of the existing management team who are also purchasing significant interests in Igloo in connection with the transaction. The company will focus on continued growth in the outdoors, housewares and sporting goods markets.

Aliso Viejo, Calif. —  AUM Hospitality has opened the second Johnny Rockets restaurant in Malaysia at Avenue K in Kuala Lumpur, a 360,000-sq.-ft. retail hub. The new Johnny Rockets is the 11th restaurant in the chain to open in Southeast Asia.

In addition to the two Malaysia, the chain operates six outlets in the Philippines and three in Indonesia.