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Von Maur has announced plans to launch a mall-based specialty concept for young women. The first store is scheduled to open this fall at Westfield Fox Valley in Aurora, Ill., under the nameplate “Dry Goods.”The name and design of the store were inspired by Von Maur’s heritage as a dry goods store established in 1872 in downtown Davenport. Although the 4,200-sq.-ft. space will have a vintage, turn-of-the-century aesthetic, the merchandise will feature a constant flow of fashion-forward clothing and accessories targeted at young-adult females.The company intends to open additional Dry Goods stores within the next year. Future locations will

VISTA, CA (BRAIN)—K2 Sports has named Shawn O’Shea to the newly created position of director of apparel for its Zoot Sports division. “Zoot has a history of creating performance-enhancing designs for professional triathletes, runners, swimmers, bikers and adventure racers whether it’s through advanced fabrics, innovative designs or new construction technologies,” said Anthony De Rocco, K2 Sports executive vice president of product development and marketing. “It was imperative for us to bring on a talent that would continue to drive innovation and deliver products that work exceptionally well in tough environments and various disciplines. Shawn has the energy and experience

New York-based Barnes & Noble put itself up for sale on Aug. 3, according to The Wall Street Journal. With its struggle in the battle for a leading role in the digital books market, the bookstore chain is considering strategic alternatives and ways to increase shareholder value. Company founder and top shareholder Leonard Riggio is considering the possibility of forming an investor group to acquire the company. The company operates approximately 720 stores and has a value of more than $700 million. SAVE| EMAIL | PRINT | MOST POPULAR | RSS | REPRINTS DDI's RetailDesignDiva blog is dedicated

Local shops nationwide are pulling in thousands of new customers with group coupons online, but the deals can sometimes work too well, turning marketing into a game of retail roulette.

NEW YORK -- Office-supplies retailer OfficeMax Inc. swung to a second-quarter profit of $11.8 million, or 14 cents a share, from a loss of $17.7 million, or 23 cents, a year earlier. Sales fell slightly to $1.653 billion from $1.658 billion, the Naperville, Ill.-based company said on Tuesday. Excluding non-recurring items, the company said it would have earned 12 cents a share. Analysts, on average, estimated OfficeMax to break even on sales of $1.67 billion, according to FactSet. "We expect to face headwinds in the second half of the year including challenging global macroeconomic conditions and continued weak U.S.

Dueling pieces of legislation, both of which were introduced in Congress in July, address the issue of whether to close the loophole that allows online shoppers in most states to avoid paying sales tax.

J.C. Penney Co. announced that Michael T. Theilmann and Thomas M. Nealon, have been named group executive VPs of the company, each assuming expanded operational responsibilities. Under this new senior operating leadership structure, Theilmann will take on responsibility for the company’s stores organization, as well as have continued leadership of supply chain, human resources and administration. Nealon will now oversee J.C. Penney’s Internet site, jcp.com, in addition to his current responsibility for IT, corporate strategy and J.C. Penney’s digital ventures organization, which is charged with exploring strategic digital opportunities and growth initiatives.

DOW JONES NEWSWIRES Coach Inc.'s (COH) fiscal fourth-quarter profit jumped 34%, as sales continued to rebound, with results topping expectations. The luxury handbag and leather-goods maker has seen sales increase since late 2009 as consumers started to become more confident in the economy. But a recent dip occurred in such confidence as the economic recovery was believed to have shifted into a lower gear. Despite consumer uncertainties that drove down retail sales since May in the U.S., Chairman and Chief Executive Lew Frankfort said that in the fourth quarter, Coach's market share expanded across all geographies.

LONDON -- Department store retailer Marks & Spencer said Tuesday that it has appointed Alan Stewart as its chief finance officer. Stewart will join the company by the the end of October. He is currently chief financial officer at aircraft leasing company AWAS. Copyright © 2010 MarketWatch, Inc.

Why there's no sign of a turnaround for American Apparel, with Hitha Prabhakar, Style File Group Retail Analyst