News

WESTBOROUGH, Mass. — BJ's Membership Club is celebrating its 200th store opening with its latest location at 5200 Red Tip Road in Fayetteville, N.C. The club will feature a fresh bakery, BJ's Cafe, deli, optical services, rotisserie chicken, tire center, gas station and Verizon Wireless Kiosk. 

BURLINGTON, N.J. — Burlington Coat Factory was the beneficiary of an unseasonably cool first quarter that resulted in soft sales at some other retailers.

The company’s net sales increased 8.4% to nearly $1.1 billion for the quarter from $982 million for the quarter ended April 28, 2012. Comparative store sales increased 3.4%.

IRVING, Texas — To celebrate its 40th birthday, Michaels will launch the first-ever Michaels Craft Tour this month in a specially designed 18-wheeler that features a fully stocked, 1,000-sq.-ft. craft room on the inside. 

The tour will travel throughout the U.S. from coast-to-coast, visiting store openings, outdoor festivals and other events along the way.

PARK CITY, Utah — Skullcandy is relocating certain departments, making changes to its executive team and searching for a new CFO so it can better align its product, marketing and sales functions. 

As such, the company is relocating its marketing, creative, business development and legal departments, as well as certain sales and international personnel to its headquarters in Park City, Utah, and will close the office in San Clemente, Calif., which has historically housed significant portions of these functions. 

PHILADELPHIA — Customers and employees of extreme value retailer Five Below have raised nearly $345,000 for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to finding a cure for cancer for all children. 

TORONTO — Hudson's Bay Company, owner of retailers Hudson's Bay, Home Outfitters and Lord & Taylor, has made changes to the company's executive structure. 

Bonnie Brooks, president of Hudson's Bay Company, has been appointed the company’s vice chair. Liz Rodbell, EVP and chief merchant for Hudson's Bay Company, will become its president. Brooks and Rodbell will report to chairman and CEO Richard Baker. 

A new report from Acosta Sales & Marketing quantifies the extent to which technology usage among shoppers is growing and traditional vehicles are losing their impact to influence retail trips and spending behavior.

Simon Property Group is employing a novel strategy to generate traffic to some of its signature properties that appeal to well-heeled South American tourists.

LAS VEGAS — Mattel Brands and Fisher-Price is looking to remain a key player in the global market. To that end, the company is restructuring its licensing approach and prioritizing its portfolio of brands to create partnerships that foster global growth. 

The Mattel Brands consumer products group has identified global business category leaders and a global creative team to further support growth, ensure product quality and create a meaningful differentiation for partners and consumers.

WEST CHESTER, Pa. — QVC, a global video and e-commerce retailer, has appointed former Starbucks executive Mustafa El-Rafey as the company’s SVP of talent management and rewards. El-Rafey will lead the development and implementation of a dynamic talent management and rewards strategy for QVC.

He will report to EVP of human resources and workplace services Beth Rubino.