Gold Coast

Billabong, the surfwear brand that lost 99 percent of its market value after taking on debt to build a store network, plans to start opening new outlets again as it tries to reignite profits. Billabong is ready to open new stores "right now," CEO Neil Fiske said. The company based in Gold Coast, Australia, closed or sold about 34 percent of its locations over the past three years as it slashed debt by A$394 million ($333 million). "Stores are key to a brand's health over time," Fiske said in an interview in Sydney.

Ventura, Calif.-based Patagonia Inc. opened its second-ever Chicago store on Dec. 13. Nestled in the city's Magnificent Mile/Gold Coast area, the new store offers a selection of skiing and snowboarding apparel, casual wear, footwear, children's apparel and more. The store also features two walls of windows that provide natural light to align with the store's environmentally friendly operations and highlight its outdoor apparel SAVE | EMAIL | PRINT | MOST POPULAR | RSS DDI's RetailDesignDiva blog is dedicated to retail design issues, opinions and frustrations of the day.Read the Diva's recent rantings. DDI's Retail Design Newswire Sign up