News

Los Angeles -- Brentwood Associates, a consumer-focused private equity investment firm, has acquired Marshall Retail Group, a leading specialty retailer for high-foot-traffic marketplaces with locations in major casino-hotels and airports across the United States. The company is led by CEO Michael C. Wilkins, who will continue to lead the business going forward.

Marina Del Rey, Calif. -- Guidance, an e-commerce design and development agency, announced the launch of a responsive website for Gearys Beverly Hills, which specializes in fine china, crystal, silver, gifts, jewelry, and watches.

Guidance provided e-commerce, mobile & responsive design, UX consulting, web development, integration, and hosting & managed services for the new site built on the Magento Enterprise 1.13 platform.

Melville, N.Y. - Global Facility Management & Construction has named “J.A.C.K.: Join A Cause for Kids” as the first recipient of its “Global Gives Back” initiative, an annual charitable program designed to give back to the community. Sean and Lauryn Blank presented the donation to the charity’s founder in memory of his son, Jack Perlungher during Global’s recent 10-year anniversary summer event.

By Nicole Chen, brand outreach associate and Michael Olmstead, director, Plug and Play Retail

In today’s day and age, technology pervades into every aspect of our lives. With an emphasis on the fast and easy, nearly all of our day-to-day transactions are now being condensed and expressed through technological gateways. With new trends appearing in the startup space and technology industry every day, it is often difficult to choose what is a good investment and what may turn out to be a dud.

Miami -- Burger King Worldwide agreed to buy Canadian quick-serve chain Tim Hortons for approximately $11.4 billion, creating the world’s third largest quick-serve restaurant company. Under a tax inversion deal, the corporate headquarters of the new company will be in Canada, where the combined company’s biggest market will be.  

In perhaps the most rapid shift in consumer behavior ever witnessed, the number of people who intend to buy something online has doubled from just three years ago, according to Nielsen’s new Global Survey of e-commerce.

Online sales at Best Buy grew 22% in the second quarter to $581 million, but that wasn’t enough to offset weak sales and traffic trends at physical stores or prevent the company from forecasting similar declines in the third and fourth quarters.

Fundamental changes in the way DSW serves its footwear customers in an omnichannel world will put significant pressure on profits during the second half of the year, according to president and CEO Mike MacDonald.

The leading retailer of branded footwear and accessories with 410 stores said sales for its second quarter increased 4.5% to $587 million and same store sales advanced 0.8% on top of a prior year increase of 4.4%. Profits increased to $34.3 million, or 38 cents a share, compared to prior year profits of $33.7 million, or 37 cents a share.

Leading Northeastern food retailer Wegmans is introducing a new line of peeled, deveined and wild-caught Gulf of Mexico shrimp and enticing shoppers with seafood promotion featuring a wide range of domestically sourced products.
 

Columbia Sportswear is teaming up with the Dallas Cowboys in an apparel licensing partnership that will feature co-branded sportswear, outerwear and accessories for men, women and youth, with product available to the public starting in late spring 2015.