News

SEATTLE — Blue Nile, an online retailer of diamonds and fine jewelry, has appointed former Aeropostale co-CEO Mindy Meads to its board of directors. 

Meads has 35 years of experience in the global apparel industry. She currently serves on two public boards — Wet Seal, a specialty teen brand, and Mela Sciences, a bio tech company. In these roles, she provides strategic counsel focused on growth and the use of multichannel business strategies.

Washington, D.C. -- Import volume at the nation’s major retail container ports is expected to increase 3.3% in May over the same month last year, but growth could trickle to a standstill by the end of the summer, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released Tuesday by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

OAKLAND, Calif. — Global footwear company Deckers Outdoor Corporation, known for its Ugg and Teva brands, has selected the GT Nexus platform to improve supply chain collaboration and visibility. 

The cloud-based platform eliminates manual processes, paper and spreadsheets to streamline supply management processes. It also allows Deckers to monitor the movement of products and payments from order through delivery and settlement.

ST. LOUIS — Aisle411, a mobile retail navigation service, has expanded its mobile shopping and searchable store maps smartphone app’s e-footprint. Consumers can now use the app at more than 12,000 retail stores nationwide. 

NEW YORK — The Fourth of July fireworks extravaganza is not the only patriotic item on Macy’s all-American agenda. The retailer is launching its American Icons campaign, featuring American-inspired merchandise, Wednesday, May 15.  

The campaign includes launch parties, “pop up” drive-in movies, cross-country road trips, Major and Minor League baseball events, grilling competitions, sweepstakes and a fundraising program to benefit America’s veterans. 

LOS ANGELES — Mike Pollard, retired VP of Costco Wholesale, has joined the board of directors of Abbyson Living, which manufactures and imports living room, dining and bedroom furniture.

Pollard retired from Costco Wholesale in 2013 after a 27-year career. Abbyson Living will look to Pollard for his guidance regarding comprehensive business practices that will directly impact the company’s growth and further mature the value of the brand. 

New York -- A Tuesday report by Reuters said that J.C. Penney Co.’s real estate holdings – including stores, DCs and headquarters – are worth a total of $4.06 billion.

An appraisal was conducted for Penney and subsequently disclosed in a presentation to potential lenders that was also filed with U.S. regulators.
 

New York -- Cache reported Tuesday a loss of $18.5 million for the first quarter, widened from a loss of $1.2 million in the same quarter last year. An income tax provision of $10.2 million and employee separation costs were cited as reasons for the worsened performance.

Revenue declined 5% percent to $53.5 million from $56 million, and same-store sales dipped 1.5%.