Store Systems

The retailer opened 11 new stores in the U.S. and Canada for the quarter ending Aug. 1, 2016. This adds to the 12 new stores it opened in the first quarter, bringing the total for the year to 23.    PetSmart is on track to achieve its goal of 80 net new stores in 2016.   The new stores average around 14,000 sq. ft., with service offerings such as grooming and pet training.  

SPECS, the “Retail Event for Store Innovation,” has officially opened registration for its 53rd annual conference, to be held next March.   SPECS/2017, exclusively produced by Chain Store Age, is a diverse, dy-namic and engaging window into the world of retail, offering an annual opportunity for education and networking. A lineup of more than 30 workshops and sessions will cover topics and issues that impact store de-sign, construction and maintenance.   

Ralph Lauren has added some high-tech flourishes to its redesigned flagship on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, Calif.    The 22,000-sq.-ft. store has an interactive handbag salon that allows shoppers to customize handbags — with options on monogramming, color and hardware — before the bag is actually produced, the Los Angeles Times reported.  

Online shopping is great. It saves time, provides tons of options in one place, and the customer doesn’t have to navigate swarms of people to checkout. Younger generations value this, and are moving the majority of their shopping online.   But that doesn’t mean retailers can’t pull customers back to their brick-and-mortar stores. Here are four recommendations to entice customers back into your stores:    1. Attentive Customer Service

Big 5 Sporting Goods Corp. is losing a 46-year company veteran.   The retailer announced the retirement of Richard A. Johnson as executive VP. As part of the transition following Johnson’s retirement, Michael P. Marrone is being promoted to senior VP of store operations.      Marrone began his career with Big 5 in 1973 as a store sales associate.  He held numerous leadership roles of increasing responsibility at the company, and was named VP of store operations in 2002.

Dick’s Sporting Goods has a permanent CFO.   The retailer on Monday appointed Lee J. Belitsky as executive VP, CFO, effective immediately.   Belitsky assumes the responsibilities from André Hawaux, Dick’s executive VP, COO, who has served as the financial officer on an interim basis since August 2016. Hawaux will continue to serve as COO.  

Don’t believe the rumors. Kmart is not going out of business.   That’s according to Eddie Lampert, the beleaguered  CEO of Kmart parent company Sears Holdings Corp.  

For the second year in a row, Staples will close its stores on Thanksgiving.   Shoppers, however, will be able shop the office supplies giant’s e-commerce site.