Personnel Updates

• Dick’s Sporting Goods Inc. announced that André Hawaux is retiring as Exec VP, COO. Lauren Hobart has been appointed President, and Keri Jones has joined the company as Exec VP, Chief Merchant. Don Germano will re-join the company as Senior VP Operations.

• DSW Inc. announced the appointment of Michele Love as its new Exec VP and COO. The retailer also announced the hiring of James Weinberg as GMM of Women’s Footwear and Nancy Pastor as GMM Accessories.

• J. Crew Group Inc. announced it has promoted Lisa Greenwald to Chief Merchandising Officer. The retailer also announced it will eliminate 250 jobs, most of them at its corporate office.

• Hudson’s Bay Company said that CFO Paul Beesley will resign on July 7.

• Nordstrom Inc. announced that Anne Bramman is joining the company as CFO effective June 2, 2017. She succeeds Mike Koppel, who retired.

• Sears Holdings Corporation named Robert Riecker as its new CFO.

• The Bon-Ton Department Stores Inc. announced Norm Veit has joined the company as Exec VP and CIO, and Debra K. Simon has been elected as Chairman. The company announced that President and CEO Kathryn Bufano has resigned. William Tracy, the company’s current COO, will succeed her. Chad Stauffer has been named Exec VP, Chief Merchandising Officer.

• The Timberland Company named Tracy Smith as VP and General Manager of Timberland North America. The company also announced the promotion of Chris Young to VP Operations.

• UNIQLO has hired Rebekka Bay as Creative Director of its Global Innovation Center.

Financial Focus

• The Gymboree Corp. is preparing to file for bankruptcy.

Mergers and Acquisitions

• Coach Inc. announced that it will acquire Kate Spade & Company. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2017.

Industry Insight

• City Sports Inc., which filed for bankruptcy and closed its 26 stores in 2015, was bought by Brent and Blake Sonnek-Schmelz who plan to open stores in large cities including Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Washington, DC.

• Eloquii Design Inc. is testing its first physical location, a pop-up shop in Washington, DC. The 2,600 sq. ft. store will be located at The Fashion Centre at Pentagon City and will offer a range of apparel and accessories.

• Camping World Inc., which acquired Gander Mountain, may now keep as many as 70 or more of Gander Mountain’s 162 stores open.

• JCPenney Company, Inc. announced it will open 70 new in-store Sephora shops in Penney locations and also expand 32 existing shops by nearly 50% to accommodate more products and services. As part of the expansion, the retailer will hire 800 beauty consultants. Sephora shops will be featured in nearly 650 JCPenney stores this year.

• Kit and Ace announced that it will close all of its stores in the U.S., the U.K. and Australia. The company plans to focus on boosting e-commerce and maintaining its nine locations in Canada.

• Lord & Taylor appointed Bobbi Brown as a Creative Consultant, and has launched an in-store shop concept, justBobbi, at select Lord & Taylor locations and online.

• Stage Stores, Inc. will be adding smaller Clinique and Estee Lauder counters to approximately 30 stores and expanding assortments within beauty, bath and body across the store base.

Real Estate

• Aritzia Inc. announced it will open a flagship store on Rush Street in Chicago, IL this fall.

• Bebe Stores Inc. announced it will close all of its stores by the end of May.

• Bonobos Inc. recently opened new stores in Los Angeles, CA, Lexington, KY, Chicago, IL and Denver, CO.

• Bottega Veneta is opening its first store in the Pacific Northwest. The 1,328 sq. ft. store will be located in Bellevue, WA.

• Camper USA has opened a new 650 sq. ft. store at the Westfield World Trade Center mall in Manhattan, NY.

• Canada Goose Inc. has leased 10,000 sq. ft. in the Park Hyatt Chicago, where it is planning to open a new store.

• Duluth Trading Company has opened its 20th location, in Warwick, RI. The retailer will open eight to 10 new stores in 2017 including its first location in Ohio, in West Chester.

• Express Inc. announced it will close all 17 stores in Canada.

• Hobbs USA announced it has opened a new 2,400 sq. ft. store in Greenwich, CT.

• JCPenney Company, Inc. has postponed the liquidation sales and closure dates for the 138 stores it plans to close this year. The liquidation will now begin May 22 instead of April 17 as originally scheduled. The new closure date of July 31 is about six weeks later than originally planned.

• Over the Rainbow announced plans to open a new flagship store Ontario in late 2018.

• Rue 21 announced plans to close nearly 400 stores nationwide.

• Untuckit has signed a 10-year lease on a new 1,770 sq. ft. location at Feil’s in Midtown Manhattan.

• Warby Parker has opened its 50th store, in Los Angeles, CA.