Supply Chain & Merchandising

New York -- Footwear maker Crocs Inc., best known for its colorful plastic clogs, announced a major restructuring that includes closing stores and job cutbacks.

The plan comes on the heels of the company's disappointing second-quarter earnings results. Earlier this month, Crocs reported that second-quarter profit fell 44% to $19.7 million.

Washington, D.C. -- The NRF says the members of the Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety have made tremendous progress in the past year, demonstrating their true commitment to safer working conditions in the Bangladesh ready-made garment industry. In an official statement, NRF president and CEO Matthew Shay said the group has made many achievements to improve the safety of Bangladeshi factory workers.

Plano, Texas – Net earnings at Rent-A-Center Inc. fell 58% year-over-year in the second quarter of fiscal 2014, to $17.5 million from $41.9 million. Costs related to pretax restructuring and the consolidation of 150 stores into core U.S. stores helped reduce total net earnings.

Sears Outlet Stores, a subsidiary of Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores, has leased the former Sears location on E Front Street, expanding Outlet Store operations and services, while offering an economic boost with mass job creation.

Bogota, Colombia – Colombian coffee retailer Juan Valdez has opened the first of 60 planned stores in Miami, with official grand opening scheduled for July 28. The downtown location is the first Juan Valdez store in Miami besides an existing store at Miami International Airport.

Ascena Retail Group began a search for a new CFO after its current EVP and CFO, Dirk Montgomery, resigned this week. As the company reviews potential new CFOs, Ascena board member and audit committee chair Randy Pearce, will have more involvement with the company’s finances.

Montgomery is expected to stay in his position until the fall, when he will move on to a Florida-based healthcare company, where he recently accepted an offer to be closer to his family.

Warrendale, Pa. - Specialty apparel retailer Rue21 is upgrading to the latest version of the Epicor Retail Store POS solution. Leveraging Epicor Retail Store, Rue21 will unify the customer experience across e-commerce and brick and mortar locations for simplified, streamlined operations, including returns management, and also support planned growth to 1,700 stores.

Lowe's plans to build a customer support center in Indianapolis, a move that will create up to 1,000 new jobs by 2016.