Durham

San Francisco -- Pbteen, a division of Williams-Sonoma, plans to open five pop-up stores in the Durham, Cincinnati, Edina, Houston and Miami areas this October and November. The stores will showcase PBteen’s new holiday gift assortment, including...

Last month lululemon athletica opened a store in Durham, N.C. Three weeks later Athleta, Gap's answer to Lululemon, opened in the same mall. The pattern of lululemon opening a store only to see an Athleta shop pop up nearby is happening nationwide as Gap mounts the most potent threat so far to the Vancouver-based yoga powerhouse. Athleta is borrowing from its rivals playbook, then undercutting the chain on price. Like lululemon, Athleta is hooking up with local yoga instructors and sponsoring classes such as Mommy & Me Yoga. 

Five Below said Wednesday that it will open four stores in North Carolina Friday. Its first stores in the state will be in Apex, Cary, Durham and Raleigh.