Retail Stores

Ascena Retail Q4 Profit Drops, Will Open Up to 135 Stores
September 20, 2011

Ascena Retail Group, owner of the Dressbarn, Maurices and Justice chains, reported that net income for the quarter ended July 30 fell to $28.2 million from $42 million in the year-ago period on one-time charges and a shorter quarter for the performance slide.

Missoni for Target Orders Delayed, Possibly Cancelled
September 19, 2011

Target's Missoni madness continues with a brand new mess. Many customers that placed orders online at Target.com for Missoni for Target are now receiving an email from the discount retailer saying their shipments are delayed or worse โ€” they will be cancelled altogether.

Is Ikea Pushing Printed Books to the Brink of Extinction?
September 19, 2011

Ikea has redesigned its medium-density fiberboard masterwork, the BILLY bookshelf, to sport deeper shelves and optional glass doors meant for decorative doodads. This has prompted a whole bunch of publications to declare the four-inch tweaking of BILLY as a clear signal of the demise of books in their non e-form.

Pier 1 Q2 Profit Up 15%
September 16, 2011

Pier 1 Imports reported that second-quarter profit rose to $16.6 million, from $14.4 million a year earlier, matching Wall Street expectations. Sales for the quarter increased 9.6 percent to $339.6 million, compared with $309.9 million in the year-ago quarter.

Sears' Shop Your Way Wins Loyalty Award
September 16, 2011

Sears was one of the winners of the 2nd Annual Colloquy Loyalty Awards, an event that recognizes "transformative, customer-focused Enterprise Loyalty initiatives" around the world.

Retail Sales Stall as Political Gridlock Hits Confidence
September 15, 2011

Growth in U.S. retail sales stalled in August after a pitched battle over spending in Congress led consumer confidence to crumble, data shows. Sales were unchanged from a month earlier, a substantially weaker reading than the median forecast for a 0.2 percent rise in a Reuters poll. Sales growth during July was revised downward to 0.3 percent.

Coach Opens London Flagship
September 15, 2011

Coach opened its first European flagship in London's Mayfair district. The new flagship houses the brandโ€™s full range of lifestyle offerings and an exclusive collection inspired by London. The store, in the former Mulberry space, spans 5,000 sq. ft. over two floors and stocks the womenโ€™s and menโ€™s collections. It is the second Coach store to open in London.

5 Takeaways From a Career in Cross-Channel Retail
September 14, 2011

Bill Bass, president and CEO of Direct at women's apparel retailer Charming Shoppes, took a step back yesterday at the Shop.org Annual Summit in Boston to reflect on five lessons he's learned from the 15 years he's spent in the retail industry, including stints at Landsโ€™ End and Fair Indigo.