News

Lord & Taylor is looking to engage shoppers with a new luxe concept dedicated entirely to one of its core categories: dresses.   The retailer has transformed the fifth floor of its Manhattan flagship into a dedicated space for dress shopping for all occasions. Spanning over 30,000 sq. ft., the updated space includes a rotating pop-up shop that launches with one-of-a-kind vintage designer dresses, a concierge service, and The Gallery, a dedicated area for designer dresses.  

Whole Foods Market has opened its second largest location in Chicagoland.     The supermarket retailer has opened a 76,000-sq.-ft. store in the city’s Lakeview area. It replaces an older Whole Foods across the street. The older store, which opened in 1996, closed the day the new store opened.   

Five Below Inc. reported its 11th consecutive quarter of positive same-store sales results amid bullish growth plans for the current year.   The value retailer, which targets tweens and teens with a wide array of goods all priced at $5 or below, said it will open 100 stores in 2017, including its first ever locations in the state of California. The chain opened 85 net new stores in 2016.  

Lowe’s is making it even easier for in-store shoppers to locate home improvement necessities.   By tapping the power of augmented reality, the home improvement retailer introduced its Lowe's Vision: In-Store Navigation app. Called the first retail application of indoor mapping using augmented reality, the app is designed to simplify the home improvement shopping experience.   

With Easter being almost a month later than last year, Americans are on track to spend more than ever, according to the National Retail Federation.  

Industry experts are predicting that Bebe stores will be the next apparel retailer to declare Chapter 11.   The fashion retailer on Thursday said it had retained B. Riley & Co.as financial advisor, and has also has hired a real estate advisor to “assist with options related to its lease holdings."  

The chief executive of Citi Trends has resigned after two years on the job.   The value-oriented fashion retailer said that Jason Mazzola has resigned as CEO and director “to pursue another opportunity.” It named retail veteran Bruce Smith, currently Citi Trends COO and CFO, as acting chief executive officer, and Ed Anderson as executive chairman, effective immediately.    

Jos. A. Banks hopes to better connect with its shoppers during online searches by “speaking their language.”   In its quest to create a more inspiring online experience, especially one that could would make product searches more consistent and relevant, Jos. A. Banks is taking steps to improve its product descriptions. The retailer began this journey by adding the Edgecase Product Intelligence Platform, a solution that helped create more than 60,000 new product values, or attributes, to define online merchandise. 

Next week, Casto and local officials will stick shovels in the ground in the East Franklinton section of Columbus and signal a major event in the rebuilding of what was the original settlement of Franklin County, Ohio.   Columbus five years ago razed the crime-ridden Riverside-Bradley public housing complex in the area on the city’s west side, and it is there that Casto will build River & Rich, a mixed-use project with 230 garden and townhouse apartments and 25,000 sq. ft. of retail.  

Starbucks Corp. is ramping up its job hiring, here and abroad. It’s also doubling down on its commitment to the nation’s veterans.    Hosting its 25th annual shareholders meeting in Seattle, the coffee giant announced plans to create more than 240,000 jobs around the world, including 68,000 jobs in the United States, by 2021.