SGB Update Apparel

Target, Ulta Beauty, Walmart, And WeWork To Keynote ICSC’s Virtual Conference
ICSC announced a new virtual conference, Now & Next: Retail in the Age of COVID-19 to be held September 29 to 30, 2020. Keynote speakers include Brian Cornell, board chairman and CEO of Target; Mary Dillon, CEO of Ulta Beauty; Sandeep Mathrani, CEO of WeWork; and Judith McKenna, president and CEO of Walmart International.

NFL Jersey Sales Off To Strong Start
Fanatics, the NFL’s e-commerce partner, said NFL sales grew more than 35 percent over opening weekend against last year’s numbers and set a record for the best start ever to a season.

August Retail Sales Grow As Pandemic Recovery Continues
Retail sales continued to recover from COVID-19 in August, showing a gradual improvement from July and larger gains year-over-year, the National Retail Federation said.

Dick’s SG Settles $2.9 Million Wage Deal
Dick’s Sporting Goods agreed to pay $2.9 million in a settlement between the retailer and California retail workers over apparel costs and mandatory off-the-clock security checks according to a report from HR Dive.

Apex Global Brand’s Q2 Sales Slip 21 Percent
Apex Global Brands reported sales declined 21.4 percent in the second quarter ending August 1. The net loss came to $1.3 million, or $2.38 a share, in-line with the year-ago period. The owner of Hi-Tec, Magnum, Tony Hawk and other lifestyle brands also said it entered into an amended forbearance agreement with senior secured lender on September 1.

VF Releases 2020 VF Global Inclusion And Diversity Annual Profile
VF Corp. released the second edition of its VF Global Inclusion & Diversity Annual Profile. The report is public for the first time.

Hestra Splits Growing Western Territory, Adds New Reps
Hestra, the maker of gloves for outdoor activities, announced the division of its western territory and the hiring of Shannon Carey and Chuck Gerst to manage the new territories.

PrimaLoft And Shanghai Challenge Textile Co. Enter Global Partnership Agreement
PrimaLoft, Inc. has entered into a partnership with fabric manufacturer Shanghai Challenge Textile Co., LTD to exclusively produce PrimaLoft performance fabrics.

Canada’s MEC To Be Acquired By U.S. PE Firm
Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC), Canada’s largest outdoor chain with 22 stores, announced its board of directors has unanimously approved a deal in which a Los Angeles-based private investment firm will acquire MEC’s assets, including the majority of its retail stores. Vancouver-based MEC said the transition from a co-operative structure to a subsidiary of Kingswood Capital Management is needed to ensure a stable future for the business.

Texworld USA And Apparel Sourcing USA Reformat Show
The largest sourcing event on the East Coast returns to the Javits Center in January 2021 with new dates, a new name and three ways to participate: Pop-up Sourcing Showcase, Traditional Exhibition and Virtual Platform.

Simon Will Not Open Properties On Thanksgiving Day
Simon Property Group, one of the largest mall operators in the country, announced it will not open properties on Thanksgiving Day.

Sportsman’s Warehouse To Open In Chambersburg, PA
Sportsman’s Warehouse Holdings, Inc. plans to open a new store in Chambersburg, PA this month with a grand opening celebration to be held September 24 to 26.

Amazon To Hire 100,000 To Keep Up With Online Shopping Surge
Amazon announced that it is hiring an additional 100,000 regular employees throughout the U.S. and Canada on top of the 33,000 Corporate and Technology jobs announced last week.

CODI Appoints Managing Director And Head Of Business Development
Compass Diversified Holdings (CODI), the parent of 5.11, Liberty Safe, Marucci Sports and Velocity Outdoor, appointed Katie Melzer as managing director and head of business development. She was at Robert W. Baird & Co.

REI Co-Op Sells Headquarters To Facebook
REI Co-op announced that it has completed the sale of its newly completed corporate campus in the Spring District neighborhood of Bellevue, WA, for a purchase price of $390 million. The 400,000-square-foot campus and approximately six acres of land were purchased by Facebook on September 14.