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RETAILER NEWS

Cost Plus decided to celebrate Earth Day by giving away eco-friendly wine tote bags to the first 100 customers at its California stores April 22. But it isn’t only environmentalists who are interested in the chain. Cost Plus has entered into a confidentiality and standstill agreement with Red Mountain Capital Partners LLC, which holds about 9.8% of the retailer’s shares, for confidential information. While Red Mountain gets the information, it is barred from acquiring additional Cost Plus securities in 2007 without the retailer’s permission. So, if a takeover is intended, it will have to be very friendly.

EXECUTIVE NEWS

JCPenney has named Steve Castella vp of product development and design for soft home and Kevin Rooney vp product development and design for hard home. Castella was JCPenney’s director of design for soft home in 2006. Rooney previously worked as Target’s senior product manager of global sourcing.

Springs Global has promoted Carmen Waite to the position of vp of top-of-bed merchandising for Springs Global. She was previously a merchant in the company’s top-of-bed business.