Legal

Pier 1 Imports Plans to Shut Down Permanently After Not Finding a Buyer
May 20, 2020 at 7:05 pm

Pier 1 Imports announced this week that it's seeking bankruptcy court approval to shut down its business permanently after it wasn't able to find a buyer, CNBC reported. The home goods retailer said in a press release that it has been trying to find a buyer for months which would continue operating the business, but…

J.C. Penney Files for Bankruptcy Protection
May 17, 2020 at 4:48 pm

J.C. Penney filed for bankruptcy protection on Friday with plans to permanently close some stores and also explore a possible sale. The department store chain, known for selling family apparel, cosmetics and jewelry at 850 locations, said it reached an agreement with existing lenders for $900 million of debtor-in-possession financing to aid operations while it navigates…

Stage Stores Files for Chapter 11, Plans to Liquidate
May 12, 2020 at 6:51 pm

Stage Stores filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy late Sunday, making it the third large retailer to do so in the past week, reports The Washington Post. The company, which operates 738 stores in 42 states under Palais Royal, Gordmans and other nameplates, said it is searching for a buyer and plans to reopen and liquidate…

Neiman Marcus Files for Bankruptcy; No Plans to Liquidate
May 7, 2020 at 4:15 pm

Neiman Marcus Group on Thursday became the first major department store chain to file for bankruptcy protection during the coronavirus pandemic. It’s a stunning fall that follows the collapse of Barneys New York late last year and comes as bankruptcy rumors persist for chains like Lord & Taylor and J.C. Penney. In a statement, the company said it received $675 million…

J.C. Penney Takes Sephora to Court Over Reopening Stores
May 5, 2020 at 7:38 pm

J.C. Penney has filed a temporary restraining order against Sephora, asking a judge to stop the makeup seller from leaving the retailer’s stores, reports CNBC. The ailing department store chain is trying to avoid a major blow to its recovery prospects from the coronavirus pandemic while in the process of reopening stores. According to Dallas Morning…

COVID-19 Resources: Legislative Updates, Leadership Strategies and Fun Stuff
April 26, 2020 at 6:58 pm

Welcome to this week's Retail Resources, a blog created to offer retailers the most relevant information and resources from the past week to help you lead during this challenging time. If there's anything you would like me to share in a future post, please let me know by dropping me a line at mcampanelli@napco.com. Legislative Updates…

True Religion Files for Chapter 11, More COVID-19 Retail News
April 14, 2020 at 7:50 pm

Here are the latest stories to emerge as retailers and brands deal with the impact that the global spread of the coronavirus has had on their businesses. This daily update offers retail executives the chance to stay-up-to-date on all that's happening within the retail industry, particularly as they put into motion their own COVID-19 response…

What SMBs Need to Know About the CARES Act
April 10, 2020 at 3:10 am

Small business retailers have been hit particularly hard with the impact of COVID-19. Government-ordered shutdowns have resulted in furloughs and the inability to meet ongoing obligations. With the enactment of the Coronovirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, and, in particular, the implementation of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loans (up to $349 billion…

Uncovering the Factors Changing the Face of Retail, Part 1
April 3, 2020 at 12:25 pm

The retail industry is changing, fast. Over the past decade, we've seen this sector move to a primarily online function and innovate to meet the needs of an ever-shifting assortment of consumers. In fact, 2019 showed great progress for e-commerce to close the gap in total market share of sales compared to brick-and-mortar retail. Furthermore,…

What Changes to the FLSA Exemption Salary Threshold Mean for Retailers
March 27, 2020 at 10:38 am

On Sept. 24, 2019, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced a final rule to revise Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) regulations (29 CFR 541 et seq.) to modify the criteria to be classified as exempt from the FLSA (“2019 Rules”). The most notable change in the 2019 Rules is an increase to the minimum…