Pep Boys announced this morning the purchase of privately held Just Brakes, an automotive repair and maintenance chain, increasing the number of Pep Boys auto service locations to over 900 locations. Just Brakes, in business for 36 years, has 134 locations and operates in eight states and 14 major metro markets. Total Retail's Take: Pep Boys,…
BCBG Max Azria Group Inc. is planning to close stores and restructure as the company deals with a debt burden. Bloomberg reports that BCBG will reduce its focus on brick-and-mortar and, instead, focus on e-commerce and selling through other retailers. The fashion retailer operates more than 570 stores worldwide and more than 175 in the…
J.C. Penney is cashing in on the "shop-within-a-shop" format. The department store announced Tuesday it will be featuring designated Nike shops within 600 of its stores. USA Today reports the shops will be 500-square-foot areas located within the J.C. Penney men's departments where shoppers can pick out clothing to wear for jogging, playing basketball or working…
The Limited, which has already shuttered its once ubiquitous stores, took another major step Tuesday toward fading from the retail landscape by filing for bankruptcy protection. Citing its declining financial performance, the Ohio-based women's clothing company filed for Chapter 11 protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. Before taking this latest step, the company had…
The NRF Foundation announced yesterday at the retail trade association's annual Big Show event in New York City that it has brought together dozens of retailers and nonprofits to launch RISE Up (Retail Industry Skills & Education), a new training and credentialing initiative designed by the retail industry to help people acquire the skills they…
Retailers collect a massive amount of data every day. That data gets turned into reports, which are distributed throughout different branches of the company, including store associates. However, do those store associates know what to do with all the reports sent to them? Most of the time the answer is “no.” In the session “Prescriptive…
Lowe’s Cos. is cutting thousands of jobs and shuffling thousands more around as it tries to adapt to shifting shopping habits. A source told MarketWatch that the home-improvement retailer plans to eliminate less than 1 percent of its workforce, or fewer than 3,000 jobs. Also, workers with “back-of-house responsibilities” will be shifted to consumer-facing roles,…
Fossil Group has laid off employees this week at its corporate headquarters in Richardson, Texas, according to The Dallas Morning News. The company didn't say how many employees were affected by these cuts. Company spokeswoman Ann Jane Draper said Fossil also has started closing stores — there are 284 locations in the U.S. Fossil reported a 70…
Teen apparel retailer Aéropostale is reopening 500 stores across the country, starting this week. The stores are relaunching with the latest spring 2017 apparel and accessories for boys and girls. In February, the retailer will begin its spring 2017 marketing campaign, featuring all new messaging that reflects the new free spirit of the brand. Total…
J.C. Penney’s top executive Marvin Ellison said that the company is planning to close some if its 1,014 stores. He didn’t give specifics on when the store closings will occur or how many stores will be closing, but last year, J.C. Penney closed seven stores mostly in smaller markets. Ellison said at a Dallas real…
