Executive Suite

Plastic’s Comeback?

More promise for consumer credit market in 2012

From Feb 2012 | By Craig Guillot | Tags: Credit, Executive Suite

Research Sidebar

Craig Guillot

More promise for consumer credit market in 2012

The past decade saw a lot of dramatic changes in the consumer credit market. As late as 2005, banks and retailers were handing out plastic to just about anyone who wanted it. Then the housing bubble burst in 2007, the financial crisis struck in 2008, the Credit Card Act was passed in 2009 and the recession and high unemployment continued into 2010.

Record Crowds, Former President Clinton Mark 101st BIG Show

The NRF Annual Convention entered its second century by setting an attendance record and welcoming a former U.S. president for the first time in its history

From Feb 2012 | By Susan Reda | Tags: Executive Suite, NRF News

BIG Show Wrap-up

Susan Reda

The NRF Annual Convention entered its second century by setting an attendance record and welcoming a former U.S. president for the first time in its history

Approximately 25,500 participants from 85 countries attended Retail’s BIG Show in New York City last month, which NRF president and CEO Matthew Shay formally opened by addressing the state of NRF and the retail industry.

A&P and the Struggles of Small Business

Marc Levinson: Economist, historian, author

From Feb 2012 | By Janet Groeber | Tags: Executive Suite, Merchandising

Retail People

Janet Groeber

Marc Levinson: Economist, historian, author

Marc Levinson
Economist, historian, author
Glen Ridge, N.J.

Marc Levinson’s journalism career includes reporting on business and economics for magazines like Time and Newsweek.

In The Great A&P and the Struggle for Small Business in America, Levinson tells the story of the company that once was the world’s largest retailer.

Which areas of your expertise helped in writing The Great A&P?

Rethinking Priorities

Consumers sustain careful spending habits

From Feb 2012 | By Sandy Smith | Tags: Business and Strategy, Executive Suite

Research

Sandy Smith

Consumers sustain careful spending habits

M ove the belt over another notch; the budget tightening that consumers have endured for four years isn’t showing signs of stopping. Despite positive holiday sales figures, it appears that many of the changes that consumers have made in spending habits are becoming hardened, according to an exclusive consumer survey conducted for STORES by BIGinsight.

Global Powers of Retailing Top 250

From Jan 2012 | By Deloitte and STORES Media | Tags: Executive Suite, Top 100

Top 250 Annual List

Deloitte and ST...

Owning It

Journelle's Founder/CEO Claire Chambers

From Jan 2012 | By Janet Groeber | Tags: Executive Suite

Retail People

Janet Groeber

Journelle's Founder/CEO Claire Chambers

Claire Chambers
Founder/CEO
Journelle
New York City

Claire Chambers characterizes designer lingerie chain Journelle as the result of having married her love of fashion with a desire to control her career. Today Journelle (from the archaic French word journellement, which means “daily”) has three stores in New York City and one in Miami, an online retail operation and plans for a national roll out.

Upping Its Game

Modell’s remodeled flagship goes for the gold

From Jan 2012 | By Susan Reda | Tags: Executive Suite, Merchandising

First Look

Susan Reda

Modell’s remodeled flagship goes for the gold

If you want to be No. 1, you must continually and consistently raise your game to the next level. Athletes know it. Retailers know it. And Mitch Modell, CEO of Modell’s Sporting Goods, lives it.

With nearly 150 stores in the Northeast, Modell oversees the nation’s oldest family-owned and -operated retailer of sporting goods, sports apparel and athletic footwear. In the fall of 2010, he proudly unveiled the chain’s newly renovated 20,000-sq.-ft. Times Square flagship.

Man vs. Machine

What does the future hold for self-service POS?

From Jan 2012 | By Lauri Giesen | Tags: Executive Suite, Information Technology

Self-Checkout

Lauri Giesen

What does the future hold for self-service POS?

The rumors of self-checkout’s demise are greatly exaggerated.

Despite announcements that a few retailers were removing self-service kiosks, IHL Consulting Group is predicting an 8 to 10 percent increase in the number of self-checkout units deployed throughout North America over the next several years, with particularly high growth expected in convenience, hardware and drug stores, says Greg Buzek, IHL founder and president.

Driving the Recovery

NRF initiative aims to leverage retail’s economic engine

From Jan 2012 | By Susan Reda | Tags: Executive Suite, NRF News

Retail Means Jobs

Susan Reda

NRF initiative aims to leverage retail’s economic engine

Lost among the headlines that have typically framed discussions of the now years-long “recovery” — the continuing high rates of unemployment and under-employment, a stagnant housing market and ongoing public sector austerity measures — is a bona fide economic success story: The retail industry has delivered 17 consecutive months of sales increases.

To be sure, there were some months where the lift was barely perceptible, but against the current economic backdrop, sustained growth — however modest — stands out.

Karstadt: New Beginnings, or Last Chance Saloon?

The future looked bleak for German department store operator Karstadt in 2009, when parent company Arcandor filed for bankruptcy protection.

From Dec 2011 | By Niklas Reinecke | Tags: Business and Strategy, Executive Suite

End Cap

Niklas Reinecke

The future looked bleak for German department store operator Karstadt in 2009, when parent company Arcandor filed for bankruptcy protection.

Metro Group was reportedly interested in acquiring selected Karstadt stores for its Galeria Kaufhof banner, but the future for the chain as a whole was far from certain. Only when investor Nicolas Berggruen acquired Karstadt in September 2010 did it become clear that the retailer would stay in business.