Supply Chain & Merchandising

MERRIMACK, N.H. — Brookstone announced that it has accepted the resignation of Stephen Bebis, its president and CEO and a member of the company's board of directors. Bebis' resignation will be effective April 4. Bebis joined Brookstone in May 2012.  

Effective upon Bebis' resignation, James M. Speltz, the company's VP, COO has been appointed as the company's new president and CEO.

NEW YORK — Abercrombie & Fitch in its annual report revealed that it plans to open Abercrombie & Fitch flagship stores in Seoul and Shanghai in 2013, as well as 20 international Hollister stores. The news sent the teen retailer’s shares rising on Wednesday.

The company also said in the report that it is maintaining its focus on boosting profitability by simplifying processes, eliminating less-profitable parts of its business, shoring up efficiencies and cutting expenses.

NEW YORK — Walmart's e-commerce division is following Amazon's lead by starting programs to allow customers to order items online and then pick them up from lockers stationed at brick-and-mortar retailers.

Amazon has been running such a program for a couple of years in a few major cities, including installing the lockers at Rite Aid stores in cities like New York. The lockers allow customers to select a locker location for delivery and then retrieve ordered items automatically using a six-digit code.

Wise, Va. -- Brixmor Property Group announced on Monday that Dollar Tree has opened a 9,000-sq.-ft. store at Ridgeview Centre, located in Wise, Va.

Brixmor, based in New York City, is the owner of Ridgeview Centre.
 

Tucson, Ariz. -- Commercial Retail Advisors said Tuesday that Dominick's Real Italian is opening a restaurant at Cortaro Plaza, located in northwest Tucson.

The 1,600-sq.-ft. Italian pizza and pasta place is slated to open June 1.
 

Vancouver, British Columbia -- Lululemon Athletica Inc. said that chief product officer Sheree Waterson will be leaving Lululemon effective April 15, in what it described as a “leadership change in the product organization.”

The news comes just weeks after the specialty retailer had to recall its signature Luon-fabric yoga pants from store shelves for being too sheer. The company warned that the move could lead to shortages and dent its profit by up to $40 million this fiscal year.

LOS ANGELES — Sport Chalet has launched a new service that it will give customers the opportunity to order merchandise online and have it delivered the same day.

New York -- New York City-based supermarket chain Fairway Market is going public. The company said in a regulatory filing Thursday that it expects its stock to price in the range of $10 to $12 per share as it looked to raise as much as $164 million.

Fairway operates 12 locations in the greater New York City metro area and in on track to open a store this summer in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood and one in Nanuet, N.Y, in the fall.