SGB Update Footwear
SGB Updates Will Not Publish on Regular Schedule This Week; Website is Live
SGB Media will not publish its regular SGB Morning Update or SGB Evening Update newsletter cadence the week of Independence Day, July 4, 2025. SGB Media will resume normal distribution on Monday, July 7.
Champs Sports Reopens Tampa and Portland Stores with “Reimagined” Concept
The Tampa and Portland stores are located in “dynamic markets, making them ideal locations to unveil a new store experience that reflects our brand ethos. —Tony Aversa, senior vice president and general manager of Champs Sports
Altri Acquires Majority Stake in Fiber Specialist AeoniQ
Portuguese fiber producer Altri SGPS S.A. has agreed to acquire a majority interest in Swiss clean technology company AeoniQ to support the commercial-scale development of a biodegradable cellulose-based filament designed to replace polyester and nylon.
StockX Names Senior Director of Customer Community and Engagement
Brendan Dunne will oversee editorial content and deepen the company’s connection with its audience of primarily Millennials, Gen Z, and increasingly, Generation Alpha. Previously, Dunne worked at Complex, overseeing editorial strategy, partnerships and content.
Cascale Appoints Former Nike Senior Exec as Interim CEO
Harsh Saini, who currently serves on Cascale’s Board of Directors, will lead the non-profit in advancing its key 2025 strategic priorities while it continues its global search for a permanent CEO.
Allbirds Secures $75M Credit Line, Launches Stock Sale Program
The footwear brand secured a new $75 million asset-based revolving credit facility while introducing a program to sell up $50 million in stock with TD Cowen. The financing provides additional liquidity and financial flexibility to support plans to reignite growth.
Report: Back-to-School Expected to Benefit from ‘Resilient’ Consumer
Placer.ai reported that overall U.S. retail traffic in early 2025 shows modest growth so far this year, boding well for the upcoming back-to-school season. Traditional back-to-school categories, such as sportswear and footwear, are expected to remain strong.
Lululemon Sues Costco Over Alleged Copycat Yoga Pants
The brand is seeking a court order to prevent Costco from manufacturing, importing, advertising, and selling the alleged LULU counterfeit products. It also wants Costco to pull all ads that promote the products and is asking for compensation for lost profits.
Caleres Amends and Extends Credit Agreement
The parent company of Famous Footwear and the Naturalizer, Vionic, Allen Edmonds, Blowfish Malibu, and Sam Edelman brands, has entered into an amendment of its credit agreement, which extends its senior secured asset-based revolving credit facility to June 2030.
Big 5 Sporting Goods to Go Private via Acquisition by Specialty Golf Retailer and PE Firm
The retailer has entered into a definitive merger agreement to be acquired by a partnership comprised of Worldwide Golf and Capitol Hill Group, in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $112.7 million in enterprise value, including the assumption of roughly $71.4 million in credit line borrowings as of June 29, 2025.
Saucony Opens London Flagship in Covent Garden
The store, spanning 3,695 square feet over two floors, is located at 4 James Street and was designed to serve as a hub for the local running community.
Nike, Inc. Beats Wall Street Estimates for Q4 Top- and Bottom-Line Declines
While the company produced a beat on both the top- and bottom-line consensus Wall Street estimates for the period, many analysts appeared more interested in the fiscal 2026 full-year guidance, which was not provided in the initial release of Q4 and full-year figures.
U.K.-Based Footwear Distributor Gardiners Acquires Dubois
U.K.-based footwear distributor Gardiners Group has acquired European footwear distributor Dubois in a strategic move to expand its offering into Europe.
FDRA Elects New Board Leadership for 2025/27 Term
The newly elected leadership for the 2025–2027 term includes Josue Solano, CEO of BBC International, as Board chair; Dan Friedman, chief sourcing and supply chain officer at Caleres, as vice chair; and Lisa Tucker, president of Shoe Show, Inc. as treasurer.
Survey: Early Back-To-School Shoppers Noticing Higher Prices
A survey of parents who have started back-to-school shopping conducted by Morning Consult found that 57 percent believe school supplies cost more this year than they did last year. A majority (59 percent) noted that inflation in general as the cause for the price increases, while 37 percent cited tariffs specifically.
