illumiNITE Puts New Management Team in Place
A new management team has taken over at illumiNITE, the maker of reflective apparel for athletes. Led by industry apparel veteran Justin McCarthy, who has held key sales positions at Nike and New Balance, the team is initially focused on making some signi
Adventure Medical Kits Hires Alta Group
Adventure Medical Kits has tapped Seattle, WA-based Alta Group Inc. to represent its lines in Oregon and Washington. The Alta Group replaces Doug Nunn & Associates, which had represented AMK in both Oregon and Washington for the last 15 years…
McDavid Names Marketing Product Manager
McDavid named Melissa Poole to the newly created position of marketing product manager to support the company’s rapid growth of its protective apparel category, which features its patented HexPad technology. Prior to joining McDavid, Poole worked in packa
QBP Distributes SealLine Urban Line
Cascade Designs, Inc. announced the distribution of the SealLine Urban Line of gear protection through QBP (Quality Bicycle Products). A distributor to the cycling industry, QBP will stock the full SealLine Urban Line including…
McDavid Names Marketing Product Manager
McDavid has named Melissa Poole to the newly created position of marketing product manager to support the company’s rapid growth of its protective apparel category, which features its patented HexPad technology…
NRF: Retail Sales to Decline in 2009
Retail sales – excluding car sellers, gas stations and restaurants – are expected to decline 0.5% this year, according to the National Retail Federation’s 2009 economic forecast. This marks the first time the trade group projected a decline since it start
OR Winter Market Reports Lower Traffic; Focuses on Quality, Not Quantity
More than ever, the numbers defined the Outdoor Retailer Winter Market trade show. Attendance figures, purchase prices, sales forecasts and predicting the odds on how many outdoor industry brands would fail during 2009’s economic slowdown were mentioned i
ORWM Quietly Becomes THE Specialty Running Show for the Market
The Outdoor Retailer show has quietly become the place for running brands to connect with specialty retailers in the market. As more retailers start to blur the lines of running specialty and outdoor specialty (think Playmakers), more brands are taking t
Greg Norman Collection Sold to Tharanco
Greg Norman Collection has been acquired from the MacGregor Golf Company by The Tharanco Group. Greg Norman President and CEO Michael Setola will remain CEO and is a partner in the new company, Tharanco Lifestyle, LLC. Tharanco has owned such diverse bran
WSA Reports New Exhibitors
The WSA Show and The Collections at WSA (the luxury designer segment of the exhibition) will see a combined 87 new exhibitors at its upcoming show, according to the event's organizers. The show is being held in Las Vegas from February 12-14…
Escalade’s CFO Resigns
Escalade, Inc. said it has accepted the resignation of Terry D. Frandsen as vice president and chief financial officer. Robert J. Keller, Escalade's president and chief executive officer, said that the company and Frandsen had reached a mutual decis
When Trade Shows Feel More Like Job Fairs
Not unlike other trade shows this last month, the PGA Merchandise Show last week continued the mood as the usually festive atmosphere worked to fight its way to the surface. Thursday seemed slow and quiet, though weather and flight delays may have played
Delta Swings to Profit; Will Close Soffe Plant
Delta Apparel Inc. reported that sales growth for the fiscal second quarter ended December 27 was fueled by gains at the Retail-Ready division, which is comprised of the Soffe and Junkfood businesses, while the Activewear segment, comprised of the Delta a
Hartmarx Files for Chapter 11
Hartmarx Corp., which makes the Jack Nicklaus, Bobby Jones and Lyle & Scott golf apparel collections, filed for Chapter 11 protection in an Illinois federal bankruptcy court, citing a “substantial decline” in sales to consumers and retailers as well as li
Acushnet Sales Drop in Q4
Fortune Brands Inc., the parent of Acushnet Company's golf brands including Titleist, Cobra and FootJoy, reported that sales in its golf segment fell 13.4% in the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31, to $212.2 million from $245.1 million. The golf division