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Wearing it Forward: Goodwill(R) and the Bon-Ton Stores Encourage Spring Shopping to do Good
March 2, 2012

Goodwill and The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090716/DC47803LOGO) For each item of clothing or textile donated, shoppers will receive a discount coupon that can be used online or at any Bon-Ton, Bergner's, Boston Store, Carson's, Elder-Beerman, Herberger's, Younkers, and Parisian stores to purchase women's, men's and children's apparel, shoes, handbags, and more at a 20 percent discount, and cosmetics and fragrances at a 15 percent discount. Customers who donate during the Goodwill Sale can also take pride in knowing that

Nordstom Rack Invites Thrift Store Comparison
March 2, 2012

High-end department store Nordstrom is funneling its returned and worn shoes to its Nordstrom Rack outlet stores. This practice is surprising since outlet stores aren't known as secondhand stores.

Genesco Q4 income beats expectations
March 2, 2012

Nashville, Tenn. -- Footwear retailer Genesco Inc. said its fourth-quarter net income from continuing operations rose to $41.5 million from $31.4 million a year ago. Its results easily topped Wall Street expectations. Revenue in the quarter rose 29% to $723 million. Same-store sales increased 12%. By brand, same-store sales were up 13% at Lids Sports Group and 14% at the Journeys Group. Johnston & Murphy Retail’s sales increased by 8%, and Underground Station decreased by 4%.

CafePress Clobbered for Racist Merchandise
March 2, 2012

CafePress, the online store where independent artists and merchants can sell T-shirts, mugs and other collectibles, has removed pages promoting anti-Mexican products after Latino bloggers and news sites brought them to public light this week. 

Gordman’s expanding into Utah
March 1, 2012

New York City -- Gordman's will open its first stores in Utah, in March, according to The Salt Lake Tribune. The value-priced department store operator will open a store in Farmington’s Station Park shopping center on March 23, and also one in The District shopping center in South Jordan, the report said. A third store is set to open, in Riverdale, in July. “The Salt Lake MSA [metropolitan statistical area between Ogden and Provo] we see as a significant opportunity for us,” CEO Jeff Gordman said, in the report.

Kronos: Retail hiring on the rise
March 1, 2012

Chelmsford, Mass. -- The Kronox Retail Labor Index released by the company on Thursday showed that retail hiring is on the rise, even as fewer people seek jobs in the retail sector. The Index jumped to 4.2%, up nearly 7% from last year, indicating a potential recovery in the labor market. The number of applications edged down 1.3% , which is down nearly 6% from its level one year ago, pointing to applicants seeking employment in other growing industries. “Retail firms in the Kronos sample have faced modestly tightening hiring conditions in recent months, as the pool of applications

Target profit edges up in 2011; outlook bright
March 1, 2012

MINNEAPOLIS – Target Corp. executives entered the 2012 fiscal year upbeat despite an intensely competitive holiday season that restrained fourth-quarter sales growth. Net earnings decreased 5.2% to $981 million, or $1.45 per diluted share in the final quarter. That was still enough to beat the consensus estimate of $1.40 among analysts surveyed by FactSet. Full-year net income edged up 0.3% to $2.93 billion, or $4.28 per diluted share. Retail sales for the quarter gained 3.3% to $20.94 billion, driven by a 2.2% increase in comparable-store sales that fell well short of management’s goal. Full-year comparable-store sales, though, rose 3%

Gap Eyes Latin American Expansion
March 1, 2012

Gap plans to expand in Latin America after its first namesake store in the region topped sales expectations. The Gap store in Santiago, Chile, which opened in October, was among the leading franchise performers out of 200 stores worldwide, said Stefan Laban, managing director of strategic alliances for Gap.