SGB Update Sports & Fitness
Tilly’s, Inc. Appoints New Chief Merchant
Tilly’s, Inc. hired Laura Janney as EFP and chief merchandising officer, effective May 8, overseeing the retailer’s buying, sourcing and product development and coordinating consistency in its in-store and online consumer merchandising experience.
Walmart’s Chief Merchandising Officer To Depart
Walmart’s Chief Merchandising Officer, Charles Redfield, is stepping down next month. The announcement came from Walmart’s U.S. CEO, John Furner, in a memo to employees dated April 14.
U.S. Retail Sales Slip 1 Percent Amid High Inflation, Rising Rates
The U.S. Census Bureau reported overall retail sales in March were down 1 percent from February but up 2.9 percent year-over-year. In February, sales were down 0.2 percent month over month but up 5.9 percent year-over-year.
TYR Named Exclusive Outfitter Of USA Swimming National Team
USA Swimming, the national governing body for the sport, and TYR reported expanding its partnership naming Tyr the exclusive outfitter of the National Team and the National Junior Team through December 31, 2024.
PGA VP Appointed To Arizona Lodging And Tourism Association Board
The PGA of America and the Arizona Lodging and Tourism Association (AzLTA) appointed PGA Vice President Don Rea, Jr. to its Board of Directors.
CivicScience: Nike And Target Top Athleisure Preference Of Gen-Z
Recent polling data from CivicScience found that the Gen-Z generation turned to Nike as its brand of choice for athleisure, followed by (in order) Target, Adidas, Old Navy, and Lululemon.
JD Sports Appoints General Counsel
JD Sports Fashion Plc, parent company for Finish Line, Shoe Palace and DTLR retail brands in the U.S., hired Theresa Casey as general counsel and company secretary of JD, effective immediately.
NRF Report: Organized Retail Crime A Growing Threat For U.S. Retailers
Organized retail crime is a perpetual and burgeoning problem for the U.S. retail industry, and evidence suggests it is growing in scope and complexity, according to a recently released report from the National Retail Federation (NRF).
Fitstop To Expand Into U.S. Market; Hires NA Athletic Director
Fitstop, the Australia-based fitness chain, will open a flagship location in Santa Monica, CA in May. The company hired Peter Pisani as North America Athletic Director.
Walmart Closes Four Stores In Chicago
Walmart reported it will close four of its eight stores in Chicago after stating the stores were losing “tens of millions of dollars a year, and the retailer’s annual losses nearly doubled in just the last five years.”
Dick’s SG Signs Multi-Year Partnership With Boston Athletic Association
Dick’s Sporting Goods reported signing a multi-year agreement to be the official retail sponsor of the Boston Marathon and the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) Distance Medley events ahead of opening a Dick’s House of Sport in spring 2024.
Dillard’s Debt Ratings Upgraded
S&P Global Ratings raised the debt ratings on Dillard’s Inc. as the department store chain has maintained a “stable performance and a conservative financial policy even in the volatile retail operating environment of the past year.”
Topo Athletic Appoints U.S. Wholesale Sales Director
Topo Athletic hired Ashleigh Cook as sales director of U.S. Wholesale, leading its domestic sales team to grow its network of retailer accounts and independent sales agents.
Self Esteem Brands Expands In Europe, Adds Anytime Fitness Master Franchisee
Self Esteem Brands, the parent company of a global portfolio of fitness, health and wellness franchise brands, reported that Manfred Mitterlehner, the fitness and personal training operator of Austria-based Mitterlehner Fitness, joined Anytime Fitness as a master franchisee.
Yue Yuen Manufacturing Business Falls 21.3 Percent In March
Yue Yuen Industrial (Holdings) Limited, the subsidiary of Pou Chen Corporation that manufactures a large percentage of global athletic and outdoor footwear, reported that its net consolidated operating revenue for March was $696.5 million, a 10.0 percent decline versus the year-ago month.
