Supply Chain & Merchandising

Hoffman Estates, Ill. – Sears Hometown & Outlet Stores Inc. posted declining profits and revenues in a generally difficult second quarter of fiscal 2015.

The retailer plans to close 40-50 underperforming stores by the end of the year, on top of 63 underperforming locations closed in the first half of 2015.

The True Value Company family has expanded with the addition of Pittsburgh-based Busy Beaver Home Improvement Centers.

Gap Inc.’s sales slump continued in August across all its brands with one notable exception.

Louisville, Ky. -- Papa John’s International announced the promotions of Robert Thompson to senior VP of marketing and Edmond Heelan to senior VP of North American operations and global operations support and training.

Back in September 2013, I wrote a TechBytes column about how millennials aren’t that different from prior young generations in their interests and needs. I have since realized there are a few unique millennial social trends which reflect specific generational consumer attributes. Using leading-edge technology, retailers can effectively meet the generational needs of this increasingly important customer demographic.

Rock is Dead

Leading European apparel retailer Primark is so confident its brand of fast fashion will appeal to American shoppers it has leased a 677,000-sq.-ft. distribution center to support its new stores opening this month.

The first Primark store opens on Sept. 10 in Boston and will be followed by a second opening in November at the King of Prussia mall in Philadelphia. Six additional openings are planned before year end in Burlington and Braintree, Mass., Danbury, Conn., Freehold, N.J., Willow Grove, Pa. and Staten Island.

San Francisco -- Gap Inc.’s sales slump continued in August across all its brands with one notable exception. The retailer said that it wasn’t helped by a late Labor Day, with the holiday falling in September this year, as opposed to August last year.

Gap's global same-store sales fell 8%, compared to a 6% decrease for the year prior, while Banana Republic had a 11% drop compared to 6% last year. Old Navy continued its winning streak, with a same-store sales rose 6% on top of a 2% increase for the prior year.

Prescription counts decreased a little and pharmacy same-store sales were up in August, according to numbers reported by Rite Aid Thursday.