Retail Stores

With holiday planning already underway, retailers are looking for different ways to reach consumers and drive sales during the 2011 holiday season. Typically, retailers play to the traditional themes of the season to engage with consumers. However, new data released by Motista suggests that retailers should look beyond the traditional set of holiday emotions such as family and giving to understand what’s really motivating consumers to spend more.

vineyard vines will open its newest retail stores in Massachusetts, Texas, Virginia and New Jersey. With these additions, vineyard vines will now have 20 retail locations across the country, including the previously announced Fashion Island store in Newport Beach, Calif.

The oppressive heat waves across the country have ended. Summer camps are coming to a close and children are scrambling to finish the reading lists they've ignored all summer. This can only mean one thing — the first day of school is just around the corner.

The recession has encouraged a host of deal-seeking behavior among consumers, including searching out online and mobile coupons as well as taking advantage of daily-deal offers, which have risen in popularity dramatically.

Hot Topic reported that it tightened its loss in the second quarter to $6.2 million, compared with a loss of $6.3 million a year earlier. The retailer said it will open up to 45 Torrid stores in fiscal 2012.

Park & Bond has teamed up with GQ to launch GQ Selects, a monthly collection of handpicked and curated items from the magazine. 

Lowe’s reported that profit for the quarter ended July 29 was $830 million, down from $832 million in the year-ago period. The home improvement retailer closed seven underperforming stores on Aug. 17 and trimmed its earnings forecast for the year.

PetSmart reported that net income for its second quarter rose 26 percent to $61.2 million, up from $48.4 million in the year-ago period. Revenue increased 7 percent to $1.49 billion, matching Wall Street expectations. Same-store sales grew 5 percent.

Kris Jenner will launch her own line for QVC, Kris Jenner Kollection, during the channel’s live New York Fashion Week broadcast on Sept. 8. Previewing the line last week, Jenner descended from a spiral staircase in a burgundy knee-length dress from the collection with a drawstring waist and cutouts along the arms.

Weather and climate remain major factors driving economic dynamics at every level. For many retailers, climate can massively impact their businesses, the way they relate to their customers and the pace of their development.