Negotiable Lease Terms for Restaurant Tenants

Modern Restaurant Management
Tenants should always have a lease in writing, and depending on the state in which the premises lies, other requirements may affect the validity of your lease. Aside from state-specific requirements and essential terms (parties, monetary obligations, premises and length of the term) needed to validate your lease, restaurant tenants must also be wary of landlord-friendly leases.

One big mistake tenants make is signing a lease without understanding the obligations and consequences provided within the lease. Paying close attention to specific obligations and negotiating tenant-friendly terms is imperative prior to executing a lease.. . . more

As Dress Barn and Chico’s shutter stores, here’s where women are shopping instead

CNBC
Experts say weakness in women’s apparel is driven by specialty stores and department stores.

Retailers like Chico’s, Barneys, Dress Barn and J.C. Penney have been announcing store closures.

Older women are also shifting spending to mass merchants and off-price retailers.. . . more

Amazon has to 'figure out how to compete with Target and Walmart'

Yahoo Finance
Amazon’s push for one-day shipping may not be enough to compete with the big brick-and-mortar retailers.

“Target and Walmart’s online sales are growing three times Amazon’s in the U.S. Forty percent pick up at store, they’re getting it same day. Amazon can’t do that. So they’ve got to figure out how to compete with Target and Walmart,” Ron Johnson, Enjoy CEO and former CEO of JCPenney, told Yahoo Finance’s The Final Round.. . . more

Toys R Us, Candytopia partner for experiential pop-ups

Retail Dive
The parent company of the new Toys R Us is partnering with Candytopia, maker of candy-based art exhibits, to launch experiential pop-ups in Chicago and Atlanta.

The concepts are set to open in October and stay through the holiday season. TRU Kids and Candytopia said Toys R Us Adventures will move to other major U.S. cities in 2020.. . . more

Subscription-Based Retailers Getting in on Physical Store Action

NREI
 What do Birchbox, Adore Me, Rent the Runway, Frank & Oak and Fabletics all have in common?

Yes, they’re all digitally native brands, but more specifically, they’re subscription-based retailers that are counting on their built-in customer base and name recognition to open bricks-and-mortar stores across the country.. . . more

Walgreens will be first retailer in U.S. to test on-demand drone delivery

Chain Store Age
Walgreens is set to lift off and make history with a drone pilot in Virginia.

Beginning in October, the drugstore giant and Wing Aviation, a subsidiary of Google parent company Alphabet, will partner on a pilot of “store to door” delivery of health and wellness, food and beverage and convenience items via drone delivery. (Prescription deliveries are not available in the pilot.) According to Walgreens, customers will receive their orders within minutes of placing orders.. . . more

Fitch joins S&P in downgrading J.C. Penney on turnaround uncertainty

Retail Dive
Fitch Ratings downgraded J.C. Penney's credit rating deeper into junk territory, to CCC+ from B-. The downgrade was based on "continued market share losses and declining EBITDA, with lack of visibility for a material turnaround although there are no near-term liquidity concerns," analysts said in an emailed report.

Analysts also described Penney's capital structure as "untenable" but noted it has the liquidity to fund seasonal working capital and near-term debt maturities. They also expect Penney's store traffic and core apparel sales to keep sliding. . . . more

Returns have become a holiday tradition

Chain Store Age
A new survey indicates retailers must prepare for a deluge of post-Dec. 25 holiday activity.

According to a survey of almost 16,000 global consumers from Oracle Retail and Savanta, 77% of respondents plan to return a portion of their gifts this holiday season. More than 20% expect to return more than half their presents. While 32% of respondents plan to return gifts via mail, 65% intend to return them to the store.. . . more

What’s the state of online grocery?

Supermarket News
Though a small slice of total food retail sales and shopping occasions, the online channel is steadily garnering more grocery dollars as more consumers opt to make purchases digitally and delivery/pickup services become more widely available, new research shows.

At the same time, however, grocery retailers are still working out the profitability equation and operational issues in online grocery fulfillment, as well as trying to rationalize the technology investment, studies revealed. Some retailers, too, have proved more adept than others in e-commerce execution.. . . more

Madison Reed in new move to expand to hundreds of locations

Chain Store Age
Online start-up Madison Reed is turning to a traditional retail route to aggressively expand its fledgling brick-and-mortar network quickly.

The hair color brand announced plans to franchise its Madison Reed Color Bars under a joint venture with Franworth, a franchise consulting firm. Madison Reed, which makes and markets its own hair color products, is believed to be the first digitally native vertical brand to use the franchise business model as a growth strategy for local brick-and-mortar retail. The company plans to open some 600 stores during the next four years, which includes 500 franchised locations and 100 company-owned locations.. . . more

Physical books still outsell e-books — and here’s why

CNBC
Do you prefer reading an e-book or a physical version? It might be a surprise, but for most people, old school print on paper still wins.

Publishers of books in all formats made almost $26 billion in revenue last year in the U.S., with print making up $22.6 billion and e-books taking $2.04 billion, according to the Association of American Publishers’ annual report 2019. Those figures include trade and educational books, as well as fiction.. . . more

At Home Group adding four more locations

Chain Store Age
September is shaping up as a busy month for At Home Group.

The value home décor retailer is opening four new stores this month, growing its national footprint to 209 locations across 39 states by the end of September.. . . more

Market Basket Will Anchor 306,000-Square-Foot Mixed-Use Development in Maynard, Massachusetts

Shopping Center Business
Market Basket Supermarket will anchor the 306,000-square-foot Maynard Crossing mixed-use development currently under construction in Maynard, located approximately 23 miles west of Boston. The 70,000-square-foot store plans to hire 250 associates and will feature a full-service butcher and café with sandwiches, pizza and sushi. LeCesse Development Corp. is developing Maynard Crossing, which will include additional retail tenants and a 180-unit apartment complex called The Vue at Maynard Crossing.. . . more

Is Boston's Seaport the new SoHo?

Retail Dive
When I asked for tips about where to shop in Boston, I was almost unanimously told: "Anything outside of Newbury Street.""

Newbury was built in the 19th century and has been a go-to shopping district for decades​, but walking down the famous street, one gets the feeling Newbury faces the same conundrum New York's Fifth Avenue does: locals desperately avoid it and tourists flock to it.. . . more

Forever 21 Is in Talks to Give Landlords a Stake in Bankruptcy

NREI
Forever 21 Inc. is in discussions to give a stake in the company to its two largest landlords as part of a restructuring that would allow co-founder Do Won Chang to retain a share, according to people familiar with the matter.

The ailing fast-fashion retailer is in talks with Simon Property Group Inc. and Brookfield Property Partners LP about the proposal, which would be part of a bankruptcy filing, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing a private matter. The negotiations are ongoing, and could end without a deal, they said.. . . more

More good holiday news for retailers — with a caveat

Chain Store Age
Another forecast bodes well for retailers’ holiday sales but warns of “unprecedented uncertainty.”

Retail sales in the U.S. are expected to rise 4.4% to 5.3% this holiday season, according to global consulting firm AlixPartners. The forecast is in line with Deloitte’s annual outlook, which was released on Tuesday.

However, AlixPartners is taking a more cautious stance with regards to the critical November-through-January shopping period.. . . more

A retail star that’s casually upstaging J. Crew

Boston Business Journal
When J. Crew started opening Madewell stores in 2006, the company declared that its new brand would deliver “real, honest women’s clothes” for hip 20- and 30-somethings. “Not too trendy, not too girly, just cool clothes infused with a modern upbeat attitude,” it said in a release at the time, promoting the worn-in feel of the retailer’s T-shirts, jeans and chinos.

The idea worked better, perhaps, than the company expected.. . . more

Garments for lease: 'rental' apparel brings new wrinkles for retail stores

Reuters
From New York & Company, owned by RTW Retailwinds Inc., to Bloomingdale’s and Banana Republic of Gap Inc., more retailers are offering to lend out their clothing for a monthly rental rate.

The services cater to a growing number of people  who want to purchase just a few items and rent the rest.. . . more

Gen Z shopping habits can fuel a brick-and-mortar resurgence, report says

CNBC
Brick-and-mortar stores may have a surprising saving grace: the teen shopper.

According to a new survey by A.T. Kearney, consumers ages 14 to 24 overwhelmingly prefer to do their shopping in stores, largely for mental health reasons. Eighty-one percent of Gen Z respondents said they prefer to purchase in stores, and 73% said they like to discover new products in stores.. . . more

Penney's first female CEO says her turnaround will be the one to work

SF GATE
Jill Soltau is making a long-shot bid at J.C. Penney Co. to do what her predecessors couldn’t: uncover what customers really want from the ailing department-store chain.

J.C. Penney had work to do in every category, Soltau said in her first sit-down interview since she started the job. . . . more

Destination Maternity considers possible sale after dismal Q2

Retail Dive
Destination Maternity is exploring a possible sale or merger in addition to "value-enhancing initiatives" should the company remain independent. The latter includes capital structure "optimization," as well as the sale or disposition of some business assets, the company said Tuesday. No timeline was set for the strategic review.

The announcement comes as second quarter sales fell nearly 12% year over year to $84.9 million. Driving the decline were 61 store closures in Q2 and a 10.5% drop in comparable sales.. . . more

BJ’s names Lee Delaney as president

Supermarket News
Lee Delaney, chief commercial officer at BJ’s Wholesale Club, has been promoted to president.

Delaney joined Westborough, Mass.-based BJ’s in May 2016 as executive vice president and chief growth officer. He became executive VP and chief commercial officer in February 2018. Before coming to the warehouse club retailer, Delaney was a partner at the Boston office of Bain & Co., where he was a leader in the firm’s consumer products practice, and prior to that worked for Electronic Data Systems and Deloitte Consulting.. . . more

Crate & Barrel to expand in-store restaurant concept

Retail Dive
Crate & Barrel's first restaurant in Chicago did so well that the retailer plans to open up to 15 full-service restaurants inside its stores, CEO Neela Montgomery said during Fortune's MPW International Summit. She said the concept turned a profit by the second month. Montgomery didn't indicate a timeline for opening these restaurants.

Crate & Barrel opened its first full-service restaurant, called The Table at Crate, yesterday at its Oak Brook, Illinois store, according to a company release.. . . more

Retailers should be happy with holiday sales this year

Chain Store Age
According to Deloitte’s annual holiday forecast, holiday retail sales are likely to increase between 4.5% and 5% year-over-year in 2019. Overall, Deloitte’s retail and distribution practice projects that holiday sales will exceed $1.1 trillion during the November 2019-January 2020 timeframe.

Deloitte also forecasts that e-commerce sales will grow by 14%–18%, year-over-year, during the 2019–2020 holiday season, compared to e-commerce sales increasing by 11.2% in the 2018-2019 holiday period. This increase is expected to result in e-commerce holiday sales reaching between $144 billion–$149 billion this season.. . . more

Stage Stores goes all in on off-price

Chain Store Age
Stage Stores Inc. will close about 40 stores as part of a plan to substantially convert to its off-price Gordmans banner.

Stage plans to begin converting its remaining department stores in February 2020, and expects to be operating approximately 700 predominantly small-market Gordmans off-price stores by the third quarter of fiscal 2020. A limited number of stores may continue to operate under their existing department store nameplates until closure is permitted by lease.. . . more

Stop & Shop Announces Plans to Remodel 21 Long Island Stores

AndNowUKnow
Stop & Shop recently announced plans to invest $133 million in store remodels in 21 of its Suffolk County, Long Island locations.

“The remodeling of our Long Island stores is a key milestone in our journey to refresh the Stop & Shop brand for the future and to strengthen our position as market leader,” said Stop & Shop President Gordon Reid. “We’re excited for local customers to enjoy the changes we’ve brought to Long Island like even more fresh produce, lower prices, and new solutions to help make things easy for our customers to get their shopping done and get back to what matters most.” . . . more

Gap, J. Crew, Hudson’s Bay And The Unrelenting Collapse Of The Middle In Retail

Fortune
With few exceptions, retailers that execute well at either end of the value spectrum are doing pretty well. Those that are weak on price and convenience or, alternatively, fail to deliver a memorable more premium, differentiated product and shopping experience increasingly find themselves in an unsustainable no man’s land.

Recent earnings reports from Gap, J. Crew and Hudson Bay continue to reinforce the idea that physical retail isn’t dead, but boring retail is.. . . more

Walmart is bringing back trendy fashion brand Scoop in bid to juice its fashion business

CNBC
Walmart said Monday it’s relaunching the once-beloved trendy New York fashion brand, Scoop NYC, on its website and in select stores.

Scoop shuttered all 16 of its stores in New York City three years ago, having gained famed with its chunky black-and-white logo appearing across episodes of “Sex and the City” and on the arms of fashion influencers in the SoHo neighborhood of Manhattan.

Now, in a bid to build itself as a bigger fashion destination, Walmart has attained the rights to the Scoop name and is relaunching the brand — but at more affordable price points. . . . more

Floor and Decor to make NH debut in Nashua

Union Leader
Floor & Decor will make its New Hampshire debut in the former Bob’s and Staples stores on Amherst Street.

The vacant Bob’s and Staples stores will be converted into a new Floor & Decor retail center.

The Georgia-based retailer’s closest current locations are in Saugus and Avon, Mass.. . . more

Can J.C. Penney's Jill Soltau pull off the ultimate retail Hail Mary?

Retail Dive
J.C. Penney is still losing customers, sales and money as Soltau tries to pull off a lasting turnaround. The CEO has built out a team of new executives this year and has an eye both on finances and the need to invigorate the retailer's stores and offering.

The stakes are as high as they've ever been. Penney's bonds are rated as junk, its shares are traded at penny stock levels and, after news broke that it was working with financial advisors, the company had to tell a jittery world that it was specifically not working on a Chapter 11 filing.. . . more

J. Crew net loss grows in Q2

Chain Store Age
The specialty apparel retailer reported essentially flat total revenues of $588.8 million, while same-store sales declined 1% from the prior-year period. Net loss grew to $44.2 million compared to $6.1 million in the second quarter the previous year. J. Crew said net loss during fiscal 2019 and 2018 were impacted by transaction, transformation and severance costs and a benefit related to the lease termination payment.

One bright spot was performance of the company’s Madewell subsidiary, which it launched in 2006 as a separate, more casual and denim-based brand. Madewell sales increased 15% to $139.7 million from $121.6 million, and Madewell same-store sales rose 10%. . . . more

Walmart unveils enhanced supercenter

Chain Store Age
Walmart is upping its supercenter experience.

The retail giant officially opened its remodeled supercenter in Dallas, Georgia, on Sept. 13. The store offers an enhanced shopping experience in many departments, expanded assortment and displays.

Along with opening the doors to the supercenter, Walmart debuted its new standalone health clinic format, Walmart Health, which is adjacent to the remodeled store. It offers a full array of health and wellness services, with primary care, lab tests, X-rays, counseling, dental, optical, hearing and community health education.. . . more

Amazon wants to double its Locker program over the next year

CNET
Amazon for the past few years has installed its bright orange delivery lockers in many corners of the US, from hotel lobbies to convenience stores to supermarkets. Now, it's eyeing plans to install a lot more, hoping to use the lockers to speed up Prime shipments and bolster its logistics network.

The e-commerce giant is quietly working to vastly expand its Amazon Hub Locker network, according to a person familiar with the company's plans. It set a goal to evaluate over 1,000 new locations for its lockers every month, with expectations to approve a significant chunk of those sites, the person added. . . . more

Madewell, J Crew's denim brand, files for an IPO

CNN Business
Madewell, J Crew's fast-growing denim brand, plans to split from its struggling parent company and hit the public market.

Madewell reached more than $600 million in sales during its 2018 fiscal year, up from $248 million in 2014, according to the filings. As of August, Madewell company operated 132 small US stores, primarily in upscale shopping malls and on city street corners. Around 60% of Madewell's customers were in its membership program last year and 37% of its sales came online, it said.. . . more

US retail sales top forecasts in August as auto, online purchases rise

Boston Business Journal
US retail sales climbed more than expected last month driven by purchases at auto dealers and online retailers, however an underlying gauge of consumer demand grew at its slowest pace in six months.

Headline retail sales rose 0.4 per cent in August, the Commerce Department said on Friday, exceeding economists’ expectations for a 0.2 per cent increase, according to a Reuters poll.

However, so-called control retail sales, which strip out volatile items such as food, petrol and building materials and offers a picture of underlying sales, rose 0.3 per cent last month in line with forecasts. That marked the slowest pace of growth since February.. . . more

Old Navy to almost double the size of store fleet

CSA
Old Navy, which will soon be spun off by parent Gap Inc. as an independent public company, is feeling bullish on brick-and-mortar.. . . more

Walmart going national with ‘unlimited’ grocery delivery subscription program

CSA
Walmart is not ceding the lucrative grocery delivery subscription market to Amazon or other rivals.
The discount giant plans to expand its grocery delivery membership program, called “Delivery Unlimited,” to 1,400 stores later this fall. For a fee of $98 per year or $12.95 per month, customers can purchase groceries online and either have them delivered to their home or pick them up at a local Walmart store, with no per-order charge. Customers will continue to have the option to pay a per-delivery fee (typically $9.95), without a membership.. . . more

Gap Inc. to grow Athleta, Janie & Jack globally via franchising

CSA
Gap Inc. is expanding its already robust franchise business with the addition of two brands.

The retailer announced it will begin franchising its Athleta and Janie & Jack brands internationally, starting with online and in shop-in-shop formats. Gap Inc. said it will eventually open brick-and-mortar stores with proven partners. . . . more

Tru Kids taps toy industry vet to head joint venture to open Toys ‘R’ Us stores

CSA
Plans to revive the Toys “R” Us banner in the U.S. are gaining momentum with the appointment of a veteran from the bankrupt chain to lead the new initiative.. . . more

Beloved Nantucket Restaurant the Nautilus Is Adding a Boston Seaport Location

Boston Magazine
Next summer, Bostonians might not have to board a ferry to get a taste of one of Nantucket’s best restaurants. The Nautilus, which serves up vibrant small plates with a coastal bent on the tiny Massachusetts island, is opening a larger, second location in the Boston Seaport in spring 2020. Called the Nautilus Pier 4, the waterfront outpost will offer a similarly stellar wine and cocktail list and seasonal menu favorites as the Nantucket original. . . . more

Cape Cod Mall Announces Extensive Renovations

BRET
Simon announced that Cape Cod Mall will begin an extensive interior and exterior renovation complete with elevated finishes, modern décor, fresh landscaping featuring an outdoor gathering space, a new custom themed play area, and more. . . . more

Amazon's inventory value up 25% as it begins next-day shipping

Retail Dive
Amazon's inventory value has ballooned over the last year compared to some of its retail competitors, increasing 25% up to nearly $18.6 billion in its latest quarterly report from more than $14.8 billion during the same period a year ago, according to a review by Supply Chain Dive.

The increase in inventory is a result of Amazon's plan to roll out next-day delivery, according to Moody's retail analyst Charles O'Shea. "In order to do next day delivery, you've got to have the stuff in the system," O'Shea said in an interview with Supply Chain Dive. "So you've got to buy more because you don't know how much you need.". . . more

Neighborhood Goods expanding; raises $11 million in funding

Chain Store Age
Neighborhood Goods is expanding its department store of the future concept.

The retail start-up will open its third location, in a new mixed-use development in Austin, Texas. The 10,000-sq.-ft. store is due to open in 2020.

Designed as a modern alternative to the traditional department store, Neighborhood Goods combines an ever-changing line-up of contemporary brands — many of them cult faves and/or digital natives — along with events and services. The company offers a variety of leasing and space options that make it easy for brands to set up shop and rotate in and out.. . . more

Anytime Fitness’ Parent Company Acquires The Bar Method

SGB Media
Self Esteem Brands, the parent company of Anytime Fitness, has purchased The Bar Method – a popular, low-impact fitness franchise with 123 studios across 30 states and Canada. Self Esteem Brands will initially offer new franchise territories throughout North America, while exploring additional franchising opportunities internationally.

“We’re excited to add The Bar Method to our rapidly-expanding portfolio of franchises, which also includes Anytime Fitness, the world’s largest and fastest-growing fitness chain, Basecamp Fitness, a high-intensity class-based fitness concept, and Waxing the City, a franchise devoted to the art of waxing,” said Chuck Runyon, Co-founder and CEO of Self Esteem Brands and Anytime Fitness.. . . more

Bondholders With $1.1 Billion Riding on N.J. Mall Get a Peek

NREI
Wall Street has over $1.1 billion riding on the success of New Jersey’s American Dream mega mall, the massive consumer utopia outside New York City that’s been in the works for nearly two decades.

So on Thursday, bondholders will get a sneak peek at the retail and entertainment hub to see what their investments helped create. . . . more

Hudson’s Bay Co losses widen on lower sales and heavy discounts

Ottawa Citizen
Canadian department store operator Hudson’s Bay Co reported a wider second-quarter loss on Thursday, hurt by several shuttered stores, heavy discounting and declining sales at the retailer’s namesake brand.

The Toronto-based company has been fighting a tough retail environment as e-commerce behemoth Amazon.com Inc and other department stores such as Macy’s and Nordstrom Inc continue to swoop up more customers with discounts.. . . more

At Home Rethinks Its No-E-commerce Strategy

Fortune
After At Home Group Inc. lost half its market value in one day this June, its CEO Lee Bird decided to reconsider everything at the home decor chain of 200 stores across 40 states.

In response, the home-goods retailer has slowed its ambitious addition of 400 more stores, which now will gradually open over the next decade. The chain will also revamp marketing to tout what it claims are the lowest prices in the industry. And, crucially, after staying out of the e-commerce fray because the cost of implementation and shipping could hamper profit, the company now plans a full online offering by 2022.. . . more

Forever 21 says reports are wrong, company is 'not planning to file for bankruptcy Sunday'

USA Today
While reports are circulating that Forever 21 Inc. could file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as early as Sunday, the fashion retailer told USA TODAY that's not the case.

"The reports are inaccurate; Forever 21 is not planning to file for bankruptcy on Sunday," the company said in a statement. "Our stores are open and it is our intention to continue to operate the vast majority of U.S. stores, as well as a smaller amount of international stores.". . . more

New Tenant Mixes Drive Retail Redevelopments

REBUSINESS ONLINE
A persistent need for a tenant mix that is resistant to e-commerce and which facilitates a unique, authentic experience is prompting owners of older retail centers and malls to assume high levels of risk and redevelop their properties.

While there can be a plethora of non-tenant-related factors that spur redevelopment projects — the basic need to charge higher rents, the structural and aesthetic deterioration over time, a desire to restore a public perception of vibrancy — the ultimate success of almost every retail redevelopment project hinges on the tenancy. . . . more

Millennials, Gen X are the most activist shoppers

Retail Dive
Aligning shopping with values is emerging as a hallmark of U.S. consumerism, with millennials aged 25 to 34 dominating that trend, according to a report emailed to Retail Dive from consumer intelligence platform Resonate.

Gen Xers also make their mark in what Resonate calls activist shopping, especially when it comes to a brand’s ethics. Those shoppers, mostly Gen X women with older children, favor companies "that treat their employees fairly, are honest and trustworthy, have truthful advertising and price products fairly," and are the largest segment Resonate found.. . . more

Francesca's shares rise on profit surge

Retail Dive
Francesca's on Tuesday said that second quarter net sales fell 6% to $106 million from $113 million in the year-ago quarter.

Comparable sales fell 5%, due to lower average unit prices from "deeper markdowns on legacy product," partially offset by higher conversion rates and average units per transaction, according to a press release.

Gross profit as a percent of net sales fell to 38.2% from 39% a year ago because the deeper markdowns lowered margins. Net income rose to $1.8 million from $0.5 million in the prior-year quarter. The company opened one store and closed five during the period for a total of 718.. . . more

GameStop to close up to 200 stores

Engadget
Just two months after GameStop announced ambitious plans to breathe new life into its stores, the company has announced that between 180 and 200 stores around the world will be closing their doors for good before the year is out -- and more closures are coming.

The company's balance sheet has not looked healthy in recent times -- its second quarter global sales decreased 14.3 percent, marking an adjusted net loss of $32 million. As such, GameStop CFO James Bell announced that up to 200 "underperforming" stores will be closed between now and the end of the year. . . . more

L Brands promises an ‘evolution’ is ahead for Victoria’s Secret brand

CNBC
If there was one clear theme at Tuesday’s L Brands’ investor day, it was that it was time to move beyond past mistakes — both personal and corporate — that have lopped off nearly a third of the company’s value over the past year.

“There’s a big belief in the company that we need to evolve,” said John Mehas, head of Victoria’s Secret Lingerie, speaking at the Hilton Columbus at Easton.. . . more

Amazon Probed by U.S. Antitrust Officials Over Marketplace

Bloomberg
A team of Federal Trade Commission investigators has begun interviewing small businesses that sell products on Amazon.com Inc. to determine whether the e-commerce giant is using its market power to hurt competition.

Several attorneys and at least one economist have been conducting interviews that typically last about 90 minutes and cover a range of topics, according to three merchants. All were asked what percentage of revenue their businesses derive from Amazon versus other online marketplaces like Walmart Inc. and EBay Inc., suggesting regulators are skeptical about Amazon’s claims that shoppers and suppliers have real alternatives to the Seattle-based company. . . . more

J.C. Penney looks to outdoor sports enthusiasts to reel in more consumer spending

The Dallas Morning News
Plano-based J.C. Penney will be going up against sporting goods retailers such as Bass Pro Shops and Academy Sports + Outdoors for a piece of the men's outdoor lifestyle category.

Penney is expanding into the more rugged clothing with its own St. John's Bay brand, both online and in about 600 of its 830 stores starting Thursday. The new merchandise, which Penney's in-house product development and designers created, includes shirts, sweaters, jackets and pants in functional and durable styles.. . . more

Lululemon’s first new brand, 10 years in the making, is here

Fast Company
For the last decade, Lululemon has been quietly tinkering with a luxury streetwear label called Lab. The $3.8 billion sportswear giant first piloted the concept in 2009, opening a store in Vancouver. Then, over the last three years, it opened two more Lab stores in New York. Until now, these were the only places to catch a peek at the project and buy a few limited-edition pieces. But today, Lab hits prime time: The newest 44-piece collection will be available online and at 45 stores across North America, Europe, and Asia.

Lab will exist as a separate brand from Lululemon, one that is both more expensive—items range from $80 to more than $500, prices that run approximately 30% higher than existing Lululemon products—and more exclusive, given that it will only be available at about 10% of Lululemon stores. . . . more

Kohl's president departs

Retail Dive
Kohl's on Friday said that President Sona Chawla will step down from that role in mid-October "to pursue new opportunities." The company didn't name a replacement, according to its press release.

Chawla's departure likely won't surprise many — in fact, some analysts have been more surprised that she stayed at Kohl's for as long as she did, considering that she was once viewed as taking over as chief executive herself.. . . more

Wendy's is launching breakfast nationwide in 2020 and will hire 20,000 new employees

USA Today
Wendy's is taking its breakfast menu nationwide in 2020 and will hire 20,000 new employees to support the morning meal, the company announced Monday.

The fast-food chain, which has been a holdout in the breakfast area among major national chains, currently has breakfast in 300-plus restaurants . . . more

Dollar Tree CEO on mitigating tariffs on Chinese imports: ‘We play hardball’

Dollar Tree
It might look easy, but Dollar Tree has used “a lot of discipline” over the past year to mitigate the impact of tariffs on the products the company sells, CEO Gary Philbin told CNBC on Monday.

He said the discount retailer has worked with vendors to adjust its approach to shipping products from China, where the U.S. earlier this month imposed a fresh round of duties on imports. Dollar Tree negotiated prices, canceled orders and diversified vendors in order to mitigate costs, Philbin said, and is keeping a watch on the impact of new tariffs.. . . more

Christmas Tree Shops exits a major sales channel

Chain Store Age
Christmas Tree Shops is making a significant change to its e-commerce strategy.

In an undated statement on its FAQ page, the retailer, best known for its bargain-priced home décor and seasonal items, says it is no longer selling products on its christmastreeshops.com site. However, customers can still browse the site to find items sold in stores, as well as content such as product previews, trends and tips.

According to Christmas Tree Shops, customer desire for an exciting, unpredictable shopping experience led to its decision to curtail online sales.. . . more

Target to hire 130,000-plus workers for holidays to handle more online orders

StarTribune
While job growth has been slowing nationwide, Target Corp. is planning to once again boost its holiday hiring this year.

The Minneapolis-based retailer, one of the largest employers in the U.S., said Tuesday it will hire more than 130,000 seasonal workers in stores and distribution centers to help it stay on top of what it expects to be a busier holiday shopping season, especially when it comes to online orders.. . . more

Tractor Supply hits a store milestone

Chain Store Age
Tractor Supply Company’s expansion remains on track.

The rural lifestyle retailer has opened its 1,800 store, in Berkshire Township (Sunbury), Ohio. It is the 93rd Tractor Supply store in Ohio.

The company opened 80 new stores in 2018 and is continuing its strategic expansion in 2019, with 80 new store openings planned.. . . more

Amazon tops 53,500 local employees as it begins nationwide hiring push

Seattle Times
After a decade of torrid growth, Amazon now has more than 53,500 employees in its original headquarters region. It paid its local employees $9 billion last year.

On Monday, the commerce and technology giant is rolling out a new hiring push to fill some 10,000 openings in the Seattle area by 2020 — the majority for new positions rather than to backfill for attrition — as part of a larger national hiring initiative that includes job fairs next week here and in five other cities. . . . more

L Brands Investors Poised to Demand Answers After 35% Hammering

NREI
Many apparel retailers are having a rough go of it in 2019, but few have had as much trouble as L Brands Inc., the parent of embattled lingerie purveyor Victoria’s Secret.

From its outdated imagery to its stagnant sales, Victoria’s Secret was already in the hot seat with shareholders, culminating in a brief activist battle earlier this year -- and that was before founder Les Wexner’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein came under scrutiny.. . . more

Fred’s Bankruptcy Could Boost CVS, Walgreens Pharmacies

Forbes
News Fred’s Inc. will sell its remaining pharmacy assets as part of its bankruptcy filing could benefit drugstore giants CVS Health, Walgreens Boots Alliance and potentially other retail pharmacy chains.

Fred’s Monday announced it has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and will soon begin liquidating assets and selling off its pharmacies and related operations. The troubled Memphis retailer struggled to engineer a turnaround and failed to recover from an effort to expand deeper into personal healthcare under earlier management.. . . more

Macy's bets on 'Growth' stores

Retail Dive
Less than a month after reporting a bruising second quarter, Macy's said that it expects to fully complete the planned expansion of its Growth50 store remodels to an additional 100 locations this fall. CEO Jeff Gennette, speaking to analysts last month per a Motley Fool transcript, had promised the completion ahead of the holidays, noting that, all told, those 150 stores cough up half of the company's brick-and-mortar revenue.

The effort is part of the company's store strategy announced last year, a triad of concepts — flagships including its Herald Square icon, smaller neighborhood stores and the Growth "magnet" stores. . . . more

Target's back-to-school traffic hit 'torrid' pace in August

Retail Dive
Target's customer traffic is off to a "torrid" pace in the third quarter with sharp year-over-year spikes in the back-to-school season, according to research released this week by foot traffic analytics firm Placer.ai.

The firm found that customer visits to Target the week of Aug. 12 jumped 27.5% above the retailer's baseline, well over the previous year's back-to-school bump.. . . more

The downside of tradition at Dillard's

Retail Dive
Dillard's, a relatively youthful department store at 81 years old compared to many of its peers founded in the 19th century, is a Southern institution with a support system that includes a loyal customer base, firm family control and a whole lot of real estate.

The Arkansas-based company runs 260 full-line stores and 29 clearance centers spanning 29 states, mostly in the South and Southwest. Like rival Nordstrom, Dillard family members (who have the added advantage of control through Class B stock) run the C-suite, with eight in key positions, including chief executive. Like Macy's and Hudson's Bay Co., it's a major property holder, owning some 44.3 million square feet out of the 49 million in its operations, according to its most recent annual report.. . . more

Neiman Marcus dreams up new e-commerce venture

Chain Store Age
Neiman Marcus Group is reportedly partnering with four luxury mattress brands for online sales.

According to the Dallas Morning News, the upscale department store chain is now selling exclusive selections from Aireloom, Royal-Pedic, Sferra, and Shifman via NeimanMarcus.com and its Horchow.com specialty furniture and décor site. Offerings include mattresses, which customers can also pair with complementary products such as pillows and pajamas. Mattress prices range from $2,000 to almost $20,000.. . . more