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With Holiday Sales Up, Now Retailers Must Strategize for 2021
By Andrew Asch | January 7, 2021
Initial reports from the 2020 holiday season were recently released, and retail sales experienced growth during a year fraught with challenges. Retail sales charted from Oct. 11 to Dec. 24 grew 3 percent, according to Mastercard SpendingPulse, which researches consumer spending on the Mastercard payments network.
Brixton Charts a New Course With a Bricks-and-Mortar and New Lines
After some 16 years in business, Brixton, headquartered in Oceanside, Calif., is going for a rebrand. The label with roots in action sports will unveil its new outlook with a bricks-and-mortar store in Encinitas, Calif., a town known for its surf shops such as the pioneering core board shop Hansen Surfboards.
Fashion to Rally After COVID-19 but Must Make Changes, Report Says
PreciseTarget, a data-science and machine-learning market-research company headquartered in Bethesda, Md., recently released a forecast that predicted a recovery pathway for the fashion industry after the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the study also forecasted that the pandemic would force the fashion business to make big changes.
July Retail Sales Up
Retail sales showed some momentum last month. The U.S. Census Bureau released numbers Aug. 14 that found overall retail sales during July increasing 2.7 percent in a year-over-year comparison and 1.2 percent compared to June.
Michael Relich to Helm PSEB, PacSun and Eddie Bauer Operator
Michael Relich was named interim chief executive officer for PSEB LLC, the operating company for Eddie Bauer LLC and Pacific Sunwear. Relich served as PSEB’s chief operating officer.
Lucky Brand Acquired by Group Including ABG and Simon Property
After a month following downtown Los Angeles–headquartered Lucky Brand Jeans' LLC’s chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, the stalking-horse bidders Authentic Brands Group and Simon Property Group completed a deal to acquire the prominent jeans brand and retailer, according to an Aug. 14 ABG announcement.
Chicago’s High-End Miracle Mile Neighborhood Looted
Some 100 people were arrested in Chicago Aug. 10 for charges including looting high-end boutiques of the city’s Magnificent Mile neighborhood.
New Name, $100 Million Remodel Announced for Hollywood & Highland
The new owners of the Hollywood & Highland retail and entertainment center recently unveiled a new name, Ovation, and details of a $100-million overhaul to the sprawling complex that dominates the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue in Los Angeles amid the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Men’s Warehouse Parent, Tailored Brands, Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy
A string of high-profile bankruptcies caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have been filed, and the latest is Tailored Brands, Inc.
‘Making the Cut’ Winner Jonny Cota Opens Store to Build New Brand Experience
A few months after his victory on “Making the Cut,” a fashion-competition show produced by Amazon Prime, Los Angeles designer Jonny Cota opened a new, self-named store on Aug. 1 at the Row DTLA campus of retail, dining and creative offices in downtown Los Angeles.
Melanie Cox Named to Board of Revolve Group, Inc.
Revolve Group, Inc., an influential e-tailer of fashions for young women, announced July 29 that Melanie Cox would join the board of directors of the Cerritos, Calif.–based company.
Ascena Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, Announces Closures of Justice, Ann Taylor and Others
Ann Taylor and Justice brand’s parent company, Ascena Retail Group, Inc., is the latest specialty retailer to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
After Facing COVID‑19 Shutdowns, Swim Retailers Look Toward Digital Opportunities
Since its founding in 2015, the swimwear shop Coast by Coast has always been a small operation. When sisters and co-owners Kristen and Lauren Cleary launched the store, they found themselves too busy to start an e-commerce shop.
Retail Crime At All Time High, According to NRF Survey
Retail crime, such as theft and online fraud, rose to $61.7 billion in 2019, an increase from the previous year when it was $50.6 billion, according to the annual National Retail Security Survey, which was released by the Washington, D.C., trade group National Retail Federation.
Gov. Newsom Orders COVID-19 Retail Closures Again
California Governor Gavin Newsom announced July 13 that malls in 30 California counties, which include some of the state’s major population centers such as Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties, must close due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Levi’s, Macy’s Sales Results Reflect Ongoing COVID-19 Challenges
Levi Strauss & Co. and Macy’s Inc. recently released results from the past financial quarter, which was dominated by store closures due to the pandemic.
