Personnel Updates
• Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (104) announced its decision to eliminate the role of COO. The company’s COO, Joanne C. Crevoiserat, will leave the company.
• Ascena Retail Group Inc. (86) said that David Jaffe has retired as CEO and Chairman. Jaffe has been succeeded by Gary Muto, President and CEO of Ascena Brands. The company also announced the departure of COO and President Brian Lynch.
• Burlington Stores, Inc. (119) announced Thomas Kingsbury is stepping down as Chairman, President and CEO and will be succeeded in the CEO role by Michael O’Sullivan.
• Chico’s FAS Inc. (334) announced that Shelley Broader has resigned as CEO and President. Bonnie Brooks has been appointed Interim CEO.
• Express Inc. (109) has appointed Timothy Baxter as CEO. He will succeed Matthew Moellering, who will remain as Exec VP and COO.
• Genesco Inc. (82) has announced that Mimi Eckel Vaughn has been promoted to COO. She will continue as CFO until a new CFO is appointed.
• JCPenney Company, Inc. (102) announced that Shawn Gensch has been named Exec VP, Chief Customer Officer.
• Modell’s Sporting Goods Inc. (43) has appointed David Stern as Exec VP and CFO.
• PVH Corp. (436) announced that Marie Gulin-Merle will assume the newly created role of Chief Digital Officer in addition to her current position as Chief Marketing Officer, Calvin Klein, Inc. Stefan Larsson will take on the newly created role of President effective June 3, 2019.
• Recreational Equipment Inc. (85) has named Eric Artz to the role of President and CEO.
• Roots Canada Ltd. (32) announced its CFO, Jim Rudyk, has resigned and his last day at Roots will be August 9, 2019.
• Ross Stores, Inc. (152) announced that Michael O’Sullivan, the company’s President and COO, has resigned.
• Tapestry (211) announced it has named Noam Paransky as its new Chief Digital Officer.
• Urban Outfitters Inc. (122) announced Andrew Carnie, President, Home Garden and International at the Anthropologie Group is leaving the company. The retailer also announced the promotion of Hillary Super to Global President of the Anthropologie Group.
Mergers and Acquisitions
• Ascena Retail Group Inc. has completed the sale of Maurices Inc. to a British private equity firm. It will continue to be led by its current management team.
Industry Insight
• Stein Mart Inc. has announced plans to install Amazon Hub Lockers across nearly 200 stores in 28 states. The self-service kiosks will allow shoppers to retrieve items purchased on Amazon.com.
• Urban Outfitters Inc. has revealed plans to introduce a clothing rental service, called Nuuly, beginning this summer. For a monthly fee of $88, shoppers will be able to rent clothing and accessories from all of its brands.
Real Estate
• 7 For All Mankind announced it will soon open its first location in Ohio at Easton Town Center in Columbus.
• Away Luggage announced plans to open 50 new stores during the next three years.
• Camper USA has introduced a new retail space at Rockefeller Center in New York, NY.
• Dick’s Sporting Goods Inc. has announced that it opened two new Dick’s Sporting Goods locations as well as a new Golf Galaxy location this month. A new Dick’s Sporting Goods location opened alongside a new Golf Galaxy store at the Carolina Place Mall in Pineville, NC, while another Dick’s Sporting Goods store opened at the Parkdale Mall in Beaumont, TX.
• Eloquii Design Inc. has opened a new 2,500 sq. ft. store in the SoHo district of Manhattan, NY.
• TechStyle Fashion Group has opened its first Fabletics location in New York, a 2,743 sq. ft. store in SoHo. The company plans to open 12 new stores this year in CA, FL, NY, PA, and TX.
• Francesca’s Holdings Corp. said the company will close at least 20 stores this year and put a hold on remodels until its financial situation stabilizes.
• Indochino Inc. will open three stores in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, this year and into 2020. In addition, it will open a location in Paramus, NJ, this summer and a site in Manhasset, NY, in early 2020.
• Nordstrom Inc. will open its highly anticipated seven-story, 320,000 sq. ft. Manhattan flagship store in October.
• Rent the Runway said it will relocate its corporate headquarters from downtown Manhattan to the newly redeveloped Brooklyn Waterfront location at 10 Jay Street.
• Rent the Runway has announced the opening of its newest flagship near Union Square in San Francisco, CA. It is the company’s first multi-story retail space, and totals 8,300 sq. ft.
• Roots Canada Ltd. will open its largest store ever this month in Chicago, IL. Located on North Michigan Avenue, the two-floor store is 11,450 sq. ft.
• Tod’s Shoes has opened a new 1,600 sq. ft. store at Hudson Yards in New York City, NY. The company is expected to open an additional Manhattan location in the near future.
• Tom Ford has announced plans to open two new boutiques by the 2019 holiday season. A 4,000 sq. ft. store at The Galleria in Houston, TX, and a 4,500 sq. ft. store in Phipps Plaza in Atlanta, GA.
