News Briefs

11/20/2023

Kohl’s COO out — after less than a year on the job

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Dave Alves

The chief operating officer of Kohl’s has exited the company.

The department store retailer revealed in a Securities and Exchange filing that Dave Alves, president and COO, has left the company, effective Nov. 17.

Kohl’s named Alves, a 30-year retail veteran, to the role In February, with his appointment effective in April.  Prior to that, Alves spent 10 years at Bealls, including serving as president and chief retail officer, from January 2020 to February 2023. He joined Bealls, which is based in Bradenton, Fla., in 2012, as president.

In an emailed statement to Chain Store Age, Kohl's said that Alves  is leaving "to pursue other opportunities."

"We thank Dave for his leadership and wish him all the best in his future endeavors," the company stated.

Alves’ appointment as Kohl’s COO came several weeks after the retailer’s board appointed Tom Kingsbury as permanent CEO.  And it comes one day before the company is scheduled to release its third-quarter earnings. Kohl's reported declines in its second-quarter earnings and sales, although both were in line with its  expectations.

Kohl's has more than 1,100 stores in 49 states.

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11/20/2023

Survey: Cybersecurity matters to consumers ahead of shopping holiday weekend

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Online shopping

With the Thanksgiving holiday shopping weekend days away, a new survey shows that cybersecurity is increasingly important to consumers making online purchases.

In a new study from Cybersecurity Guide,  57% of respondents “frequently” use websites to make purchases, and 42% use the internet to “sometimes” shop. When it comes to online spending this year, 41% intend on spending between $100 and $500, 19% of respondents plan on spending between $500 and $1,000, and 14% of respondents plan on spending more than $1,000.

Respondents in the survey say that site reputation and a sense of security online matter. A wide majority of respondents (68%) said that they avoid certain websites because of cybersecurity issues, while only 21% said they did not.

The cautiousness about non-secure websites comes from personal experience for many. According to the survey, 48% of respondents said they had dealt with ID or payment information theft online.

Cybersecurity Guide found that consumers product their identity and payment info online in a number of ways:

  • 53% of respondents use credit monitoring services
  • 20% of respondents use identity monitoring services
  • 52% of respondents use password managers
  • 18% of respondents use virtual private networks (VPNs)
  • 14% of respondents use other security services
11/20/2023

7-Eleven issues online holiday merchandise assortment

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7-Eleven holiday merchandise

7-Eleven Inc. is getting into the seasonal spirit with its online licensed gear and memorabilia store.

The convenience giant is now featuring a collection of holiday-themed apparel and accessories on 7Collection, an online merchandise shop featuring exclusive apparel and accessories, such as vintage tees and hats, it first opened in summer 2022.

The collection features a range of gifts and home accessories, including holiday sweaters, gift wrap and bags, beverage accessories, holiday ornaments, beanies and hats, and e-gift cards redeemable for any and all merchandise available on 7Collection.com. 7Collection will offer shoppers 25% off all merchandise Nov. 22-26. On Cyber Monday, Nov. 27, shoppers who purchase one item will receive 50% off the second item purchased.

"After some epic 7Collection drops in 2023, we're closing out the year with new holiday apparel and accessories that will be on every 7-Eleven superfan's wish list," said Marissa Jarratt, 7-Eleven executive VP, chief marketing & sustainability officer. "We curated this collection with all of our brand fans in mind - car accessories for car lovers, beverage holders for Big Gulp and coffee drinkers, and new apparel for fashion aficionados. This collection captures the spirit of the season, blending our brand's iconic style with a touch of holiday magic."

7-Eleven’s digital licensed merchandise venture follows in the footsteps of a number of retailers in the fast food vertical. Fast food chains including Dunkin’, McDonald’s, White Castle. and Arby’s have all opened online shops selling branded merchandise, including holiday-themed seasonal collections.

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11/17/2023

Coach parent Tapestry opens high-tech fulfillment center

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Tapestry North Las Vegas fulfillment center

Tapestry is expanding its supply chain infrastructure to better serve West Coast customers.

The parent company of Coach, Kate Spade and Stuart Weitzmais opening a new full-scale fulfillment center in North Las Vegas, Nev. The facility, which is expected to add more than 400 full-time jobs by 2029, leverages leading-edge material handling equipment technology to enhance the company’s fulfillment operations, including reducing delivery windows from five to seven days down to two to three days. 

The fulfillment center supports multi-brand fulfillment and is designed for sustainability and efficiency. Tapestry expects the facility distribute an annual 22.2 million units and hold 4 million units in inventory for both brick-and-mortar and e-commerce channels.

Tapestry is opening the center following its recent announcement it will acquire Michael Kors parent Capri Holdings Inc. for $8.5 billion. Capri also owns Versace and Jimmy Choo. 

“The opening of our newest full-scale fulfillment center here in North Las Vegas will equip us to continue stretching what’s possible for our brands, our people, and our customers,” said Joanne Crevoiserat, CEO of Tapestry Inc. "Moving at the speed of the consumer is an essential component of our business. With cutting-edge technology, this fulfillment center strengthens our omni-channel capabilities and helps us better serve West Coast customers.”

As of July 1, 2023, Tapestry’s portfolio included 330 Coach stores in North America and 609 international locations; 205 Kate Spade stores in North America and 609 international locations; and 36 Stuart Weitzman stores in North America and 57 international locations.

11/16/2023

Walgreens closing ‘most’ of its stores on Thanksgiving — for first time ever

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Walgreens Boots Alliance is eliminating 504 corporate jobs.

Thousands of Walgreens pharmacies nationwide will go dark on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 23.

The company, which had a total of 8,701 stores in the U.S. as of Aug. 31, is closing most of its stores on the holiday. An exception is the approximate 700 Walgreens 24-hour locations, nearly all of whic will remain open “to help meet the healthcare needs of our customers,’ Walgreens said. This is the first time in Walgreens' history that its stores will closed on Thanksgiving Day.

In addition, a “small number” of Walgreens distribution centers and other sites will also continue to operate on Thanksgiving Day, including supply chain and centralized teams. 

The move comes on the heels of walkouts in October by some pharmacists at Walgreens and CVS Health stores across the country.  The employees claim that insufficient staffing has made for overwhelming work environments. It also comes under the leadership of new CEO Tim Wentworth, who took the reins Walgreens in October.

“We have consistently heard from our team members—who are the face of Walgreens—that time off is a meaningful way for us to demonstrate we value them,” said Tracey D. Brown, executive VP, president, Walgreens retail and chief customer officer. “We heard them, are committed to listening to their feedback and are dedicated to doing what is right for them. We hope they can enjoy the holiday and spend time with their loved ones.”

Brown added that the company’s change in operations this year is intended to acknowledge “the dedication of our store team members and leadership, pharmacists and pharmacy techs who are working incredibly hard to deliver great customer and patient care.”

  “We’re grateful for all they do each day,” he said.

11/15/2023

Subway taps Advance Auto Parts CFO to head finance

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Photo of Subway CFO

Subway has appointed Jeff Shepherd as CFO. 

Shepherd succeeds Ben Wells who will retire at the end of the year after a 46-year career. Most recently, Shepherd served as executive VP and CFO of Advance Auto Parts where he set financial strategy for the business and led the company's finance functions. 

Prior to joining Advance in 2017, Shepherd spent seven years at General Motors,  including serving as controller General Motors Europe.  He also held a series of leadership roles with Ernst & Young.

"Jeff has a well-earned reputation for driving strong financial results for global brands, bringing nearly 30 years of financial and accounting experience to our organization," said Subway CEO John Chidsey. "As we welcome Jeff to Subway, we also thank Ben for his significant contributions. Since joining the company in December 2019, Ben has been a key driver of our brand's global financial stability and strategic growth, contributing to 11 consecutive quarters of positive sales results."

Shepherd, who is is based in the company's Shelton, Conn. Headquarters, will work closely with Wells for the remainder of the year to ensure a seamless transition.

Subway has nearly 37,000 locations in more than 100 countries.