News

Walmart heirs buy majority stake in British bikewear brand
Rapha, the upmarket and trendy British bikewear brand, has been sold to two grandsons of Sam Walton, founder of Wal-Mart Stores. Rapha, founded by branding consultant and lifelong cyclist Simon Mottram in 2004, has been sold to RZC Investments, a private equity firm run by Steuart and Tom Walton, who are reported to be committed mountain bikers. The firm also has an investment in bike maker Allied Cycle Works, based in Little Rock, Ark.
Mitsubishi Electric Solutions Spotlight

Special Report on Dollar General: An inside look at one of the nation's fastest-growing retailers
SAP White Paper
Unsettled retail environment taking toll on senior executives pay

Volatility in the retail industry is now hitting senior retail executives in the pocketbook. Seventy-three percent of retail companies paid little to no bonuses to senior executives in 2017 for 2016 performance, with 35% paying no bonus and 38% paying only small bonuses to their executives, according to new research by Korn Ferry. The company conducted an analysis of 40 North American retailers with annual sales between $1 billion and $50 billion
Gap exiting land down under

Gap's local franchisee in Australia is ending its four-year relationship with the specialty retailer.

The financially struggling OrotonGroup is expected to close its six Gap stores by the end of January as it looks to focus on its core Oroton handbag business and limit related future losses. In June, Oroton, which operates 70 stores and is best known for its luxury handbags, announced it was exploring options, which could include a sale of its business.
L.L.Bean bests Amazon in...

For the third straight year, L.L.Bean has beat out Amazon in a customer service ranking. The outdoor outfitter came out on top in Prosper Insights & Analytics’ annual review of service excellence among retailers, with Amazon a close second. Rounding out the top five; Lands’ End, Fingerhut, and Kohl’s.
FedEx pivots in holiday shipping charges — except in some instances

FedEx is giving its customers an early holiday gift — while taking a stab at its rival UPS. The delivery service announced that it will forego additional surcharges on deliveries this holiday season — unless packages require additional handling, are oversized or unauthorized. FedEx made the decision based on the growing volume of large packages moving through the FedEx Ground network during the holidays.
Target expanding its college store footprint

Target is hitting the books.
Anthroplogie & Co., Westport, Connecticut

Anthropologie has brought its large format retail concept, Anthropologie & Co., to the new Bedford Square development in downtown Westport, Connecticut. The 35,000-sq.-ft. store boasts dedicated spaces for clothing, footwear, furniture, jewelry, home decor, and more — accented with one-of-a-kind decor from the retailer's talented visual team. It also features a beauty boutique and wedding gown department.
Specialty retailer sets sights on new market

The Tile Shop is entering the most populous metropolitan market in Texas The specialty retailer of manufactured and natural stone tiles has opened its first store in the Houston market, in the suburb of Webster. Throughout 2017, The Tile Shop will open several other stores in the greater Houston area, including a second location in mid-August, in Sugar Land. With the two Houston openings, the retailer will have a total of 132 stores in 31 states and the District of Columbia,
Report: Dunkin' Donuts trying on a new name

What's in a name? That's a question Dunkin' Donuts is wrestling with. In a move to get people to think of the chain more as a coffee destination, the company is considering eliminating "Donuts" from its name, according to several media reports. In a test, the chain will open a new location, in Pasadena, California, that will be simply called Dunkin'. Several other locations will also be given the condensed name.