Report: Sears Hires Bankruptcy Professionals
Sears Holdings Corporation, the parent of Sears and Kmart, is considering filing for bankruptcy protection as soon as this week as it faces a large debt repayment on Monday, reports The Wall Street Journal. Advisory firm M-III Partners LLC has been hired to prepare the bankruptcy filing, according to the report.
September Retail Jobs Increase More Than 25,000 Over 2017
Retail industry employment in September increased by 25,600 jobs unadjusted over the same time last year despite a seasonally adjusted drop of 23,600 jobs from August, the National Retail Federation said.
Vibram Announces Management Changes
Vibram Corp., North Brookfield, MA, said Tuesday that Michael Gionfriddo has announced his retirement as the company’s president and CEO effective December 31, and that Fabrizio Gamberini has been appointed the new president of Vibram in the United States.
Adidas CEO Sees U.S. Share Gains Continuing
In an interview Tuesday on CNBC, Adidas CEO Kasper Rorsted admitted that Nike has improved its competitive positioning in the U.S. marketplace but he said the Adidas Brand is still gobbling up share in the region. Said Rorsted, “For the third year in a row, there’s no doubt that we are taking share in America.” Rorstead also discussed tariffs, Kanye West and Colin Kaepernick.
P.W. Minor Closes After 151 Years In Business
P.W. Minor, the second oldest footwear maker in the U.S., based in Batavia, NY, closed down operations and laid off all 82 of the company’s employees.
Oofos Supports Beyond Type 1
Oofos, the maker of recovery footwear, has partnered with Beyond Type 1 as the official recovery shoe for the Beyond Type Run marathon team.
Polygiene Makes New Hires
Polygiene, the provider of “stays fresh” technology, said Rebecka Harvyl joined the office in Sweden as the new marketing manager, and Bobby Howell will come on as the commercial director of North America, located in Vancouver, Canada.
Altra Signs Kara Goucher
Altra announced the addition of Kara Goucher to the company’s Elite Team of professional athletes. Goucher had been with Skechers.
Altra Releases “Balance”: A Documentary of Three Athletes On Their Western States Journey
Altra released an inspiring short documentary called “Balance” about the different sides of an ultrarunner. The video follows three Altra athletes in their pursuit of finishing the legendary Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run while balancing careers, families and their own personal running goals.
How To Navigate The Trade War
Companies that are subject to new tariffs on Chinese-made products might be able to mitigate some or all of the financial impact, according to David Cohen, a Washington, DC-based international trade lawyer, who spoke at the recent SFIA Industry Leaders Summit. “You’re not sitting ducks. There are ways, there are countermeasures, that companies can take.”
Community Engagement Pays Off
Whether its coaches for BSN Sports, runners for Fleet Feet or the local Latino community for WSS, the benefits of engaging communities was spelled out loudly at a session featuring a number of retailers at the SFIA’s recent Industry Leaders Summit in Denver. The challenges in driving consistent engagement were also heard.
Dick’s Sporting Goods Announces Grand Opening Of Four Stores In October
Dick’s Sporting Goods will be opening two new Dick’s Sporting Goods and two new Golf Galaxy stores in October. Dick’s will now have 733 Dick’s Sporting Goods stores and 96 Golf Galaxy stores nationwide in 47 states.
Phil Knight Donates Nearly $1B In Nike Stock To Philanthropy
Nike co-founder and chairman emeritus, Phil Knight, gave 12 million shares of Nike stock valued at $990 million to an unnamed charity, according to a regulatory filing.
Puma Launches #REFORM Platform To Drive Social Change
Puma has launched #REFORM, a new platform that will give activists from the worlds of sports, music and entertainment support in championing causes and encouraging conversations around issues such as universal equality and criminal justice reform.
