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After the golden age: Why department stores are no longer glamorous

Inside Retail

When Laura Peden was growing up in the 1970s, department stores were a special place. Decades later, she still vividly remembers how she and her grandmother would travel into Myer’s city store at Christmas to see the “insanely fascinating” windows. The department store was no longer the star attraction.

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Showfields and the bankruptcy of the ‘most interesting store in the world’

Inside Retail

Showfields closed its Miami and New York City locations in July and September, respectively. It has three remaining bricks-and-mortar locations, in Los Angeles, Washington DC, and Brooklyn. The Brooklyn store will be expanded by 2,500 sq feet, to 14,000 sq feet, to accommodate brands relocating from the two stores that closed.

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US mall giant Simon’s latest results reveal four issues facing the sector

Inside Retail

One of the key issues facing Simon and other mall operators is that they are still joined at the hip to department store anchors. Seven of Simon’s top 10 anchors are mainstream department store chains, headed by Macy’s (97 stores) and JCPenney (53 stores).

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The Western retail rush: how India’s middle class is drawing iconic brands

Inside Retail

In April of this year, Levi’s opened its largest bricks-and-mortar location in Asia in the Indian city of Bangalore. Featuring the brand’s NextGen store concept, the space was designed to redefine the Indian shopping experience.

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How Taking Shape is leveraging backend efficiency gains to grow overseas

Inside Retail

It wasn’t even necessarily a scan and pick-by-location system, it was almost paper-based. Founded in 1985, Taking Shape is the market leader in the plus-size fashion space in Australia and New Zealand, with around 150 bricks-and-mortar stores across the two markets, including about 60 concessions in Myer department stores.

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Sombre finish to a solid year for Levi’s, but denim retains its lustre

Inside Retail

That said, we also maintain our view that many sellers of Levi’s products, especially department stores, are not doing anywhere near enough to push products in a compelling way. This is an issue for Levi’s, which is one of the reasons it has pushed direct distribution much harder, including opening up more stores in select locations.

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Here’s how Best & Less plans to stand out in the crowded discount sector

Inside Retail

The company, which operates 246 bricks-and-mortar stores and a fast-growing online platform across the Best & Less and Postie chains in Australia and New Zealand, primarily targets women shopping for their families with its strong baby and kids apparel offering. On being everyday low cost.

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