Management

Amazon Sues Former Exec Recently Hired by Target
March 22, 2016 at 11:11 am

Amazon.com filed suit against a longtime logistics and supply chain executive recently hired by rival Target Corp. over what it said was a violation of a noncompete agreement. In the lawsuit, the Seattle retailer said Arthur Valdez, employed by Amazon for 16 years, was in a position to reveal confidential strategy to its rival. Target touted Valdezโ€™sโ€ฆ

Big Lotsโ€™ Turnaround Hasn't Come at Expense of Workers
March 21, 2016 at 12:02 pm

When Sports Authority filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy recently, some of the headlines blamed the retailer's woes on the shift to online shopping. While that's a convenient excuse โ€” and no doubt has some validity โ€” retailers both local and national have shown that online shopping isn't necessarily the be-all, end-all. Consider Big Lots.

Why J.C. Penney Store Managers Were Receptive to CEO Marvin Ellisonโ€™s โ€˜BSโ€™
March 17, 2016 at 10:28 am

J.C. Penney CEO Marvin Ellison started day three of its annual store managers meeting on Wednesday talking about BS (business simplification). Just in case Penney store managers had any doubts about what they heard the day before, there was a bright red BS stamp covering old rules and titles of cumbersome reports on a screen behindโ€ฆ

Stein Mart Names New CEO
March 16, 2016 at 9:51 am

Stein Mart announced Tuesday that it named Dawn Robertson as its new CEO. Robertson is replacing Jay Stein, who was the founder and longtime CEO of the company. Stein told the Stein Mart board of directors he wanted a reduced role in the company, but would remain as chairman of the board, a company news releaseโ€ฆ

Avon to Move Headquarters to UK and Cut 2,500 Jobs
March 15, 2016 at 11:05 am

Avon Products Inc., which split off its North American operations earlier this month, plans to eliminate about 2,500 jobs and shift its headquarters to the U.K. in a cost-cutting move. The shake-up will generate one-time expenses of about $60 million in the first quarter from severance and other costs, the New York-based cosmetics company said inโ€ฆ

Nordstrom Lays Off 120 IT Staffers Amid Investment Slowdown
March 15, 2016 at 10:40 am

Nordstrom has laid off more than a hundred staffers in its technology operations as the company steps off the investment pedal in the midst of a surprisingly tough retail environment. A person familiar with the company said 120 employees were laid off last week from the companyโ€™s tech department. The move comes in the wake ofโ€ฆ

Ulta Beauty to Open 100 New Stores This Year
March 14, 2016 at 11:06 am

Ulta Beauty's hot streak continues. The beauty retailer, which has been on a tear since CEO Mary Dillon took over in 2013, says it will continue its expansion in 2016. In its fourth-quarter earnings announcement last week, Ulta said it would add 100 stores in 2016. The continued expansion is part of a five-year plan toโ€ฆ

1-800-Flowers.com Makes Executive Changes
March 10, 2016 at 12:42 pm

1-800-Flowers.com, a gourmet food and floral gift provider, today announced that, effective June 30, 2016, Jim McCann, founder, chairman and CEO, will transition to the position of executive chairman and Chris McCann, president, will add the title of chief executive officer. The announcement coincides with the 40th anniversary of the company's founding and is anโ€ฆ

AutoZone to Hire 10,000 Nationwide
March 9, 2016 at 11:27 am

AutoZone Inc. said it will hire 10,000 more retail workers to staff stores nationwide during the height of its selling season. The Memphis-based auto parts retailer, which employs about 47,000 workers, released a statement Tuesday saying the additional full- and part-time staff will ensure customer service remains strong. The statement says markets most in need of additionalโ€ฆ

Tommy Hilfiger is Getting Into the Hotel Business
March 8, 2016 at 9:54 am

The American clothing mogul purchased the Raleigh Hotel in Miami's South Beach for $70 million in 2014, with plans to convert it into a membership-based luxury boutique hotel, offering exclusive benefits to those who pay a yearly fee. "It's a dream come true for me," said Hilfiger. "I thought for many years it would beโ€ฆ