News

Men’s retailer improves online searches
Jos. A. Banks hopes to better connect with its shoppers during online searches by “speaking their language.” In its quest to create a more inspiring online experience, especially one that could would make product searches more consistent and relevant, Jos. A. Banks is taking steps to improve its product descriptions. The retailer began this journey by adding the Edgecase Product Intelligence Platform, a solution that helped create more than 60,000 new product values, or attributes, to define online merchandise.
Casto to build project in rundown area of Columbus
Next week, Casto and local officials will stick shovels in the ground in the East Franklinton section of Columbus and signal a major event in the rebuilding of what was the original settlement of Franklin County, Ohio. Columbus five years ago razed the crime-ridden Riverside-Bradley public housing complex in the area on the city’s west side, and it is there that Casto will build River & Rich, a mixed-use project with 230 garden and townhouse apartments and 25,000 sq. ft. of retail.

Starbucks in hiring spree fueled by continuing store expansion

Starbucks Corp. is ramping up its job hiring, here and abroad. It’s also doubling down on its commitment to the nation’s veterans. Hosting its 25th annual shareholders meeting in Seattle, the coffee giant announced plans to create more than 240,000 jobs around the world, including 68,000 jobs in the United States, by 2021.
CSA honors Breakout Retailer Award winners

Chain Store Age honored five dynamic and growing retail and restaurant brands at its annual Breakout Retailer Awards presentation, which was held at CSA’s SPECS 2017 Conference, in Kissimmee, Florida. The Breakout Retailer honorees for 2017 were Altar’d State, Bentley’s Pet Stuff, MOD Pizza, Sugarfina and Warby Parker. The awards were sponsored by Paint Folks, a division of Academy Service Group.
‘Hold on a minute,’ says Sears

Sears Holding Corp. tried to walk back the uproar it caused early Tuesday morning when the struggling retailer included cautionary language about whether it would be able to continue as a "going concern” in its annual 10-K filing.
Commentary: Shopping center owner ahead on the curve on Sears

Sears Holdings Corp.’s acknowledgement in a filing on Tuesday that the retailer had “serious doubt” about its future came as no big surprise to the retail industry, including Joseph Coradino, chairman and CEO of PREIT, a publicly traded real estate investment trust that owns and manages 23 million square feet of retail and lifestyle space.
Lighting control rebates going strong

Lighting rebates hit a record of sorts in 2016. Commercial lighting rebates covered 79% of the United States, according to BriteSwitch, which is a record high since the rebate processing company began measuring rebate coverage nine years ago. The company cited several reasons for the historic high, including that many programs replenished their rebate funds in January. Also, some large programs that ran out of money years ago have come back such as FirstEnergy in Ohio and Duquesne Light in Pennsylvania.
Fine jeweler to launch discount model

The nation’s largest family-owned and operated retail jewelry chain is opening its first-ever outlet stores. Rogers & Hollands Jewelers will launch a discount store prototype, Rogers & Hollands Outlet, this April. Two Rogers & Hollands stores in the Chicago area, one at North Riverside Park Mall and one at Golf Mill Shopping Center, will be rebranded, remodeled and reopened under the new banner.
Women’s apparel chain looks to close stores and focus online

Four years of losses are catching up with Bebe Stores Inc. The fashion retailer is hoping to turn its brand around by closing its stores and putting all its focus on e-commerce, according to Bloomberg. Bebe currently operates about 170 stores.
Sears issues dire warning about its ability to survive

The fat lady is singing at Sears Holdings Corp. The long-struggling retailer said on Tuesday that there was “substantial doubt” that it could stay in business.
First Look: Target’s next-generation store concept

Target Corp. has unveiled its next-generation store format, which will make its debut in Richmond, Texas, a Houston suburb, in October. In addition to the new 124,000-sq.-ft. Richmond store, 40 additional Target locations will receive elements of the redesign when they are updated, also in October.
Home goods retailer jumps into augmented reality app

Pottery Barn customers in the San Francisco area will soon be able to see how a product will look in their home before they buy it. The retailer, a division of Williams-Sonoma, will launch its first smartphone augmented reality app later this month. Called 3D Room View, the app is powered by Tango technology from Google. (It can be used only on Tango enabled smartphones.)