News Briefs

Get ready for the next reboot of Lord & Taylor.

Earlier this year, Regal Brands Global acquired the iconic department store company’s intellectual property, including its trademarks, brand assets and proprietary designs. The company plans to debut a revamped website for Lord & Taylor early next year, reported WWD, with a soft launch possible later this month.

The site initially will feature a luxury category for designer and luxury brands, a Lord & Taylor heritage section, a dedicated dress section, and a Gen Z “focused-store” featuring edgier styles in an affordable price range for the targeted demographic, the report said.

Sina Yenel, the chief brand strategy officer of Retail Brands, told WWD that the company plans to basically split the IP into two different focus points, with one being the retail part of the IP and the other the product part.  For the retail component, Retail Brands hired 70 professionals to support the brand, including building the website.

“Our main focus is to launch the website with very well-known brand names, and to position the Lord & Taylor heritage products next to these brands,” Yenel said.

To read the complete WWD story, click here.

About Lord & Taylor 

After years of struggling, Lord & Taylor declared bankruptcy in August 2020 and eventually liquidated all its stores. The Saadia Group bought the company’s intellectual property and e-commerce assets from its then-owner, Le Tote Inc., in a bankruptcy auction in October 2020 for $12 million. 

Saadia relaunched Lord& Taylor as an online-only retailer in April 2021, but Saadia eventually was caught up in legal difficulties. It closed down earlier this year.

A new grocery store is coming to Manhattan, and will be among the largest street-level grocery stores in the borough.

Local grocer Lincoln Market has signed a 20-year-term lease for a 35,809-sq.-ft. store at River Place Apartments (660 W 42nd Street). The store is slated to open late 2025, and marks the grocery’s ninth location. Other locations include stores in Brooklyn, Queens, and Harlem.

Katz & Associates’ Scott Sher represented Lincoln Market, his fourth lease for the grocer, while Cushman & Wakefield’s Sean Moran, Steven Soutendijk, Alan Schmerzler, Michael O’Neill, and Taylor Reynolds represented the landlord, Silverstein Properties, Inc.

“We’re excited to bring our high-quality products to another New York City neighborhood,” said Lincoln Market. “The size and location of this store are perfectly suited to the great mix of organic and conventional items we will provide to the residents of River Place and beyond.”

[READ MORE: Fifth Avenue is no longer world’s most expensive retail destination]

The grocer, which opened its first store in 2017, noted that it aims to continue growing in the New York Metro area and is seeking sites between 15,000 and 50,000 sq. ft.) in Manhattan and the outer boroughs, as well as in Bergen County, N.J.

"We are thrilled to welcome Lincoln Market as a new service provider for our tenants,” said Joseph Artusa, senior VP of leasing at Silverstein Properties. “Their decision to join our property highlights the ongoing growth and success of the neighborhood."

Malbon is expanding its fledgling retail footprint.

The Los Angeles-based golf lifestyle brand has opened three new stores, with locations on West Randolph Avenue in Chicago, the Georgetown section of Washington, DC, and Greenway Parkway in Scottsdale, Ariz. The stores, which run from 600 sq. ft, to 1,100 sq. ft., feature the brand’s collection of golf apparel and accessories for men, women and youth, including jackets, sweatshirts, polos, bucket hats, shorts, golf shoes, bags and gloves.

Malbon currently has seven stores in the U.S., with the other locations in New York City, Los Angeles, Miami, and Carmel by the Sea, Calif. The brand is planning to open even more locations in 2025, co-founder Erica Malbon told Chain Store Age.

As to Malbon’s real estate strategy, it doesn’t take a one-size-fits-all approach.

“Instead, it’s more of a case-by-case evaluation based on what aligns best with the local consumer behavior and overall brand strategy,” said Malbon, who co-founded the company with her husband Stephen Malbon. “It depends on the city, the environment and how people engage with the brand in that specific location.”

Malbon said the new stores represents the brand's commitment to retail design while celebrating the culture of golf. Each space features custom-designed fixtures, including golf bag racks, putter holders and shelving units, with all created to highlight Malbon’s product range. The clothing racks have a swirled base designed to mimic the eye of the Buckets’ logo. 

The overall design treats the fixtures as sculptural furniture pieces, emphasizing materials and craftsmanship while creating a curated environment similar to an art gallery. The fixtures were fabricated off-site and installed to maintain a clean and modern build-out process.

(Editor's note: The photo is of Malbon Chicago. Photo credit is to Chloe Camille Photography.)

Youth offers no defense against on-the-job injuries in the retail workplace.

In fact, workers under the age of 30 experienced the highest injury rates, accounting for nearly one-third of injuries of all cases, according to a new report from Sentry, a leading workers' compensation insurer. In other findings, 38% of retail worker injuries happen within their first year on the job. The study comes as retail stores and warehouses have hired thousands of workers for seasonal jobs. 

“Short-term hires often lack the job-specific training and support needed to prevent injuries,” said Dan Grant, director of safety services, Sentry. “Our data is clear: prioritizing ongoing safety mentorship from day one can help reduce injuries across the industry."

The “2024 Retail & Wholesale Injury” report found that strains and contusions accounted for nearly 50% of all injuries, followed by lacerations and sprains. Also, injuries resulting in missed work led to an average of 70 lost workdays.

“Retail workers face constant physical demands, from stocking shelves to lifting heavy items in the stockroom or warehouse," explained Grant. "Behind the scenes, employees are constantly lifting, bending and reaching to keep up with customer needs. These repetitive tasks can lead to significant injuries. Our goal is to raise awareness of these risks and promote safer working alternatives for all employees while supporting and maintaining critical production goals."

Prior analysts by Sentry shows that workers facing challenges like chronic pain, medication dependence, or mental health concerns take twice as long to return to work and account for more than one-third of workers' compensation costs. Sentry also found that 20% of claims with significant behavioral health factors originated from the retail and wholesale sector.

After 20 years, a once-popular Mexican restaurant is set to make a comeback.

A new agreement with Hormel Foods, owner of Chi-Chi’s trademarks, will grant Michael McDermott, son of the founder of Chi-Chi’s, use of the name on physical restaurant locations which are expected to open in 2025.

Founded by restaurateur Marno McDermott and former Green Bay Packers player Max McGee in 1975, the Chi-Chi’s restaurant chain grew rapidly during the 1990s, reaching more than 200 locations nationwide. However, a series of ownership changes and the largest hepatitis A outbreak in American history eventually led to the chain's bankruptcy filing and closure in 2004. Outback Steakhouse purchased 76 of the chain’s properties, while the remaining locations shuttered.

[READ MORE: The Retail Bankruptcy Boom: The factors disrupting dominant brands]

McDermott, who has built his career in the restaurant industry with brands like Kona Grill and Rojo Mexican Grill, says he is determined to honor his family's legacy by “combining the classic Chi-Chi’s restaurant experience with modern influences.” To mount the comeback, he has founded Chi-Chi’s Restaurants, LLC to revive the chain.

"I still have fond memories of growing up in the Chi-Chi’s restaurants that my father built throughout their time, instilling in me the passion and determination to pursue my own career in the restaurant industry," said McDermott. "We have seen the impact our restaurant has had on individuals and families across the country and believe there is a strong opportunity to bring the brand back in a way that resonates with today's consumer – an updated dining experience with the same great taste and Mexican flavor.”

(Editor's note: Image shows Michael McDermott, son of Chi-Chi’s founder Marno McDermott)

Consumer sentiment in early December rose for the fifth consecutive month.

That’s according to the University of Michigan’s gauge of consumer sentiment, which increased to 74.0 in a preliminary December reading, up from 71.8 in the prior month. It is the highest reading in seven months. 

The index representing how consumers feel about the current state of the economy (“current economic conditions”) rose to 77.7 in the December reading, up from 63.9 in November, fueled by a surge in buying conditions for durables. 

“Rather than a sign of strength, this rise in durables was primarily due to a perception that purchasing durables now would enable buyers to avoid future price increases,” cautioned Joanne Hsu, director of surveys of consumers at the University of Michigan.

Looking further out, however, the index for consumer expectations fell to 71.6 from 76.9. And overall, year-ahead inflation expectations rose from 2.6% last month to 2.9% in December. It is the highest reading in six months (but within the 2.3-3.0% range seen in the two years pre-pandemic). 

Hsu noted that ehe expectations index continued the post-election re-calibration that began last month, climbing for Republicans and declining for Democrats in December. Independents were, as usual, in the middle between the two major parties, with readings close to the national average.