The store in Bridgewater will offer customers easy access to Washington Valley Park, Duke Farm and paddling routes along the Raritan River. The location will be L.L.Bean’s fourth store in New Jersey.
Author: SGB Media

SRAM Acquires Italian Company Ochain
Chicago-based bike parts manufacturer SRAM acquired Ochain, the Italian manufacturer of chainring spiders that enable a bike’s chainring to move independently of the cranks, improving mountain bike suspension feel and performance.

Eastside Golf Opens First Retail Store
Located at the Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW), the store opening comes as the golf lifestyle brand recently launched at Nordstrom, Golf Galaxy, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and House of Sport earlier this year and PGA Tour in 2024.

Lacoste Appoints New CEO
Éric Vallat, a former LVMH executive, was appointed as the company’s new CEO, starting September 1. He succeeds Thierry Guibert, who has held the position since 2015.

Perfect Moment Opens European Distribution Hub
The new facility for the luxury skiwear and lifestyle brand will replace its former warehouses in the UK and Hong Kong, which it plans to close as part of a broader restructuring initiative aimed at streamlining operations, reducing costs and enhancing the customer experience.

Survey: Women’s Interest in Outdoor Activities Remains Strong
Winnebago Industries’ Annual Spotlight Survey found that 52 percent of women plan to increase their outdoor activities in 2025—a six-point jump from last year, with over half (55 percent) spending six hours or more outside each week. The survey from the RV and boat manufacturer examined the benefits and barriers to getting more women outdoors.

Bodybar Pilates Surpasses 150 Franchise Agreements
Former Navy SEAL Jeremy Beal and his wife, Erica, signed the brand’s 150th franchise agreement, which will bring two new locations to the Houston, TX market in Tomball and Magnolia.

Fitness Ventures Opens 60th Crunch Fitness Location
Crunch Fitness’ second largest franchisee opened its 60th Crunch Fitness location with a 60,000-square-foot facility in Des Moines, IA. Fitness Ventures reports it is on pace to reach 75 open clubs by the end of 2025.

Jetset Pilates to Open 12 Franchise Studios In Philadelphia Region
The Miami-based reformer Pilates franchise officially signed a 12-unit agreement to open locations in the Greater Philadelphia area. It currently has plans to open studios across the U.S. and Australia, with over 100 studios in development.

Crunch Fitness Franchise to Open in Pearland, Texas
Crunch franchisee Tony Hartle announced plans to open a 30,000-square-foot Crunch gym in Pearland, TX, this coming fall.

Canada’s Holt Renfrew Department Store CEO Steps Down
Holt Renfrew, the Canadian luxury department store chain, reported Sebastian Picardo plans to step down as president and CEO, effective Sept. 30, 2025. He has served in the role since 2020.

Nordstrom to Close Two Stores
The retailer plans to close its Santa Monica, CA store at Santa Monica Place and its St. Louis, MO location at Saint Louis Galleria in late August of this year.

Nike Virtual Studios Vice President Exits
Ron Faris, who served as vice president and general manager of Nike Virtual Studios, has joined Disney Consumer Products as VP of global marketing.

Report: Back-to-School Spending to Surge 17 Percent, Shopping Starts Earlier
JLL’s 2025 Back-to-School survey of 1,010 parents found a 17.3 percent increase in planned spending this year, with respondents shifting toward in-store shopping while adopting earlier purchasing patterns and becoming more sensitive to higher prices.

509 Recalls Nearly 230,00 Helmets Due to Risk of Head Injury
The helmet maker, in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and its counterpart in Canada, has issued a recall on three “populations” of 509 and 509 for Polaris branded helmets, as the helmets may not provide sufficient protection in the event of a crash.