Retail Stores

While it was rumored to open before Thanksgiving, the Big Apple's shiny new Apple store will open at New York City's famed Grand Central Terminal on Dec. 9 — just in time to rake in the holiday season bucks as stressed-out commuters make their daily runs to and from the train.

Charming Shoppes said it's conducting a strategic review of its operations, which includes the divestiture of its Fashion Bug business and the expansion of its Lane Bryant brand.

Let's take a break from all the nostalgia for a glimpse at the most exciting openings on the horizon in 2012. Nothing can ever take the place of the uptown Tiffany in New York City, but the new downtown Tiffany location really might be a game-changer, if only because it's going to make the tourists go wild.

Talbots is slashing another 100 jobs at its Hingham, Mass. headquarters, abruptly suspending its national advertising campaign, and reportedly looking for new leadership after years of a failed turnaround.

Home furnishings retailer West Elm, a division of Williams-Sonoma, plans to open a pop-up shop in Westport, Conn. on Dec. 8. The store will be the brand’s first-ever pop-up shop in Connecticut. The shop will offer an assortment of furniture, décor, seasonal trim and unique gifts.

It’s been interesting absorbing all the interviews and commentary about Steve Jobs since his passing. His accomplishments, quotes, lessons learned and look on life are all fascinating. I resonate with many of his principles — e.g., follow your curiosity and intuition; think differently; fail forward; connect the dots; innovate your way out of problems; stay hungry; stay foolish; and it’s only by saying no that you can concentrate on the things that are really important.

For sports apparel companies Adidas and Nike, as well as retailers like Finish Line and Foot Locker, it was important to end the NBA lockout before Christmas to avoid losing sales in the busiest shopping weeks of the year.

Tiffany & Co. reported profit for the quarter ended Oct. 31 surged 63 percent to $89.7 million compared with $55.1 million in the year-ago period. Rising global sales propelled the strong performance, but the jeweler cautioned that fourth quarter earnings, which include the key holiday selling season, could fall below expectations.

Black Friday is being measured by the success of retailers' early store openings. But these extended hours may not have been as lucrative as they appear.

lululemon athletica has long decorated shopping bags with slogans that appear to have been lifted from self-help books. But this month its bags have asked a question that some may find more provocative: “Who is John Galt?”