Donnybrook Fair will open its fifth fine food store in Dublin, creating up to 20 new jobs in May. The new shop will be located at Gallery Quay in Dublin and will create up to 20 new jobs, bringing the total number employed by Donnybrook Fair to over 280. The new store will be managed... Continue Reading →

Deira City Centre is set to become the latest of Dubai's older malls to receive a multimillion dirham upgrade. The Dh22 million (US$5.9m) project will revamp the centre court to make it more airy, create easier metro access and upgrade the food court. "This announcement is in line with Deira City Centre's vision to transform... Continue Reading →

[Cape Town, 21 March 2013] As part of its strategic expansion into Africa Pick n Pay will open its sixth Zambian store in Luanshya – in the country’s Copper Belt Province. This is a signal of confidence in Zambia’s economic future and takes the total number of Pick n Pay stores outside of South Africa... Continue Reading →

Majid Al Futtaim Properties, the Dubai-based mall developer, announced on Wednesday that its $350m Beirut City Centre will open on April 4. Beirut City Centre is Majid Al Futtaim's first mall to open in the Levant region and is spread over 60,000 sq m. The flagship mall will feature more than 200 specialty stores including... Continue Reading →

MAF Fashion says store confirmed for 2014 opening Majid Al Futtaim (MAF) Fashion has signed an agreement with Abercrombie & Fitch Co. to see iconic American lifestyle brand make its Middle East debut. Hot on the heels of its recent announcement to bring Hollister to the region, Majid Al Futtaim Fashion, the retail arm of... Continue Reading →

For the first time, those wanting to snap up Victoria's Beckham's creations will be able to do so directly from the designer herself from today. Victoriabeckham.com has evolved from an online Lookbook to an e-commerce site housing the Spice Girl-turned-designer's handbags, denim, sunglasses and Victoria, Victoria Beckham line. The site will be t he only... Continue Reading →

American fast-fashion retailer Forever 21 has unveiled is latest UK store on one of Scotland’s busiest shopping streets in Glasgow. Located within the new 70 million pounds retail development, Buchanan Quarter on Buchanan Street in Glasgow, Forever 21 has opened a 61,000 square foot store to mark the largest-ever letting on the street. The store... Continue Reading →

Super-fast network 4G could boost the UK retail sector by £1.8 billion, new research released today reveals. Representing a 113 per cent year-on-year rise in mobile shopping, the introduction of 4G will compliment changing consumer behaviour, according to online marketplace eBay, which commissioned analyst firm Conlumino to conduct the survey. Using your mobile to shop... Continue Reading →

Fashion and homewares retailer Cath Kidston is to expand into Spain as it looks to roll out concessions across the El Corte Ingles chain of department stores. The move represents the retailer's first entry into continental Europe. According to The Telegraph, the retailer is in talks to extend its concessions to around 80 El Corte... Continue Reading →

More than 2,500 people queued for over 12 hours for the opening of H&M's first store in Chile at the weekend. The 2,600 sq ft flagship store in Santiago’s Costanera Center carries H&M’s complete range of fashion and accessories for women, men, and children as well an exclusive collection created for the Chilean market. Macu... Continue Reading →

Apple’s retail strategy has been one of its great successes. In fact Apple has done to retail what it did to mobile – shown other companies the way. In total, they now have around 400 stores, the majority of them in the USA, and they are wildly successful. But is it enough? Phones, the actual... Continue Reading →

AS PART of its expansion into Africa, Pick n Pay on Thursday said it had opened a store in Luanshya, Zambia. This is the group’s sixth Zambian store and takes the total of outlets outside South Africa to 95 across eight countries. Retailers are increasingly expanding their operations in African countries in the hopes of... Continue Reading →

Global retail and wholesale growth and gains in footwear and leather goods lifted Salvatore Ferragamo SpA’s net profit 30 percent in 2012 to 106 million euros, or $135.7 million, compared with 81 million euros, or $112.6 million, in the previous year. The Florence-based company also attributed the improvement to a 10 percent reduction in the... Continue Reading →

The UAE's Landmark Group is looking to boost its online sales by introducing more of its brands and shops to the Middle East e-commerce market. The company, which in December launched e-commerce sites for three of its retail brands, Emax, Babyshop and Splash, is focusing on the online world to drive growth. "The plan is... Continue Reading →

Hermès International said net profits shot up 24.6 percent last year thanks to robust demand for its leather goods, silk scarves and perfumes. The luxury firm said net income totaled 740 million euros, or $951.5 million, versus 594 million euros, or $827.1 million, in the year-ago period. Hermès also noted its operating margin, which widened... Continue Reading →

Google Shopping Express helps local retail stores sell products online and have the items delivered to shoppers the same day, according to a person familiar with the test. Google arranges for third parties, such as couriers, to pick the products up from local stores and deliver the items to shoppers. Neither the stores nor Google... Continue Reading →

Lord Wolfson, the chief executive of Next, has accused local councils of “Luddite intransigence and incompetence” for rejecting planning permission for new stores and threatening Britain’s economic recovery. Lord Wolfson warned that 2013 had so far been “quiet” with Next’s sales “at the bottom of our target range” He said planning “remains a problem” for... Continue Reading →

Saks Fifth Avenue is accelerating the rollout of its men’s private label. Starting this fall, the line will have a new name, three subbrands and devoted shops in key markets. And the retailer did not rule out the possibility that it would wholesale the collection in the near future. “We are a brand,” said Richard... Continue Reading →

Freemans Sporting Club is headed east � Far East. The trendy New York City-based retailer will open a flagship in Tokyo next month and two additional stores in Japan over the next two years. Freemans, a favorite of hipsters since opening on the Lower East Side seven years ago, currently operates two stores in New... Continue Reading →

Greggs, the bakery chain which won a U-turn from George Osborne over his pasty tax in last year’s Budget, is to slow new store openings amid falling sales and footfall on the high street Greggs has cut plans for new store openings this year after a dip in like-for-like sales Photo: PA By Graham Ruddick12:21PM... Continue Reading →

Paris Gallery eyes South Africa expansion CEO Mohammed AR Al Fahim Dubai-based luxury retailer Paris Gallery, well known for its perfumes, is close to signing a deal to open two stores in South Africa in what will be the company’s first move outside the Middle East. Paris Gallery CEO Mohammed Abdul Rahim Al Fahim told... Continue Reading →

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When Helen Hunt stepped out onto the Oscars red carpet wearing eco-friendly H&M , the Swedish high-street brand promised us that similar celebrity-worthy pieces would be hitting stores soon - and they've kept their word. Today the chain unveiled their Conscious Exclusive Collection, which will land in stores on April 4. As part of H&M's... Continue Reading →

Wahat Hili Mall, a new shopping mall project in Al Ain, will be completed and opened to the public in August, officials have announced. Saeed Al Dhaheri, CEO of Wahat Hili Mall, said he expected 175,000 visitors per week to the shopping centre by the end of this year. Wahat Hili Mall's biggest anchor, Géant... Continue Reading →

Trinity Leeds, the £378m scheme developed by FTSE 100 property company Land Securities, will attract an estimated 23m visitors a year, and feature a large range of major retail names including Primark, Topshop, Mango, Next and Urban Outfitters. The 1m sq ft centre is already 90pc let, with around 120 shops, restaurants, bars and coffee... Continue Reading →

Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund is eyeing UK retail chain Marks & Spencer in a GBP £8bn (US$12bn) deal, according to London’s The Sun newspaper. Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) purchased London luxury store Harrods for GBP£1.5bn in 2010 and already owns a string of other assets in the UK, including a 26 percent stake in supermarket... Continue Reading →

JCPenney is on the brink, and now, all eyes are on the struggling retailer's gigantic launch of a new shop. Canadian fashion brand Joe Fresh will be entering a whopping 681 JCPenney stores simultaneously Friday morning. When the deal was announced last July, it was just one of many moves CEO Ron Johnson was making... Continue Reading →

H&M has a major presence in the U.S. market, but now that the brand is firmly embedded in the minds of Americans, it's about to crank things up, Sharon Edelson at Women's Wear Daily reported. “We’ve established a strong brand,” said Daniel Kulle, U.S. president of H&M, told Women's Wear Daily. “Now we can see... Continue Reading →

UK supermarket chain Morrisons (LSE:MRW) announced today that it will start selling groceries online by the end of January 2014 in an effort to catch up with its rivals. Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda have been selling over the Internet and delivering to customers for a number of years and the sector is growing fast. Morrisons,... Continue Reading →

Johannesburg - Truworths International Ltd. led a decline in South Africa’s consumer stocks, which fell the most in a month as spending contracted for the first time since 2009. The FTSE/JSE Africa General Retailers Index dropped as much as 2.6 percent, the biggest intraday fall since February 14, and traded 1.4 percent lower at 62,886.01... Continue Reading →

Inditex SA, Europe’s largest clothing retailer, is charging full-steam ahead, expanding its physical stores as well as its online presence worldwide. In tandem with reporting a 22 percent jump in 2012 net profits, the parent of the Zara chain said it would open between 440 and 480 new locations this year. “There is room for... Continue Reading →

Italy’s tax police have confiscated real estate properties, including a site in Rome's Via dei Condotti, life insurance policies and corporate investments traceable to Bulgari executives for a total value of 46 million euros, or $60 million at current exchange, according to a release issued by the Guardia di Finanza, an Italian police force under... Continue Reading →

Sprinkles Cupcakes, a Beverly Hills-based bakery said to be popular with Hollywood stars, has opened its first Gulf outlet in Kuwait. The brand, which was founded in 2005 and has 11 bakeries across the US, has been brought to the region via a franchise agreement with MH Alshaya Co. Sprinkles claims it was the original... Continue Reading →

Related articles Morrisons admitted today that its performance fell short of expectations after reporting a 7% drop in full-year profits to £879 million. The supermarket, which generated sales of £18.1 billion in the year, said it had not done enough to communicate its promotions and suffered because it still lacked a meaningful presence in the... Continue Reading →

Tesco’s acquisition of Giraffe follows its purchase of a near-50% stake in Harris + Hoole coffee shops and an investment in Euphorium Bakery. Photograph: Alamy For two decades, supermarket chains Tesco and Asda have set Britain's shopping agenda, attracting hordes of customers to huge out-of-town stores to stock up on weekly groceries at unbeatable prices.... Continue Reading →

French Connection was founded by Stephen Marks in 1972 but endured a torrid 2012 French Connection has slumped to a £10.5m loss after suffering "very difficult" trading particularly at Christmas. Stephen Marks, the fashion chain's chairman and chief executive, hoped the company would return to profit by 2015 having lost £1m in the festive season... Continue Reading →

David Fitzsimons of Retail Excellence Ireland says unsustainable 'Celtic tiger rents' are causing a problem for many retailers, including Monsoon and Accessorize. Monsoon Accessorize, the women's clothing and accessories store, is seeking to be put into examinership by the High Court so it can continue as a going concern. The company employs 270 staff and... Continue Reading →

French fashion house Dior will take over iconic London department store Harrods for one month with a series of spectacular in-store exhibitions, events and exclusive products. French fashion house Dior will take over famed Knightsbridge department store Harrods this Saturday until April 14. The invasion will consists of nine separate pop-up shops-in-shop, exclusive products and... Continue Reading →

By Graham Ruddick9:45AM GMT 12 Mar 20135 Comments HMV collapsed into administration in January and more than 100 stores are set to be closed. Restructuring specialist Hilco has bought HMV's debt and is in pole position to acquire the retailer, however, Asda could now launch a late bid to try to take control of HMV.... Continue Reading →

Michael Buckner / Getty Images Forever 21 is growing like crazy, and the fast fashion retailer is becoming a major threat to the rest of the industry. Analysts Lorraine Hutchinson, Paul Alexander, and Jessica A. Lebo at Bank of America warned that competitors need to start paying attention to the privately-held retailer right now. They... Continue Reading →

WOOLWORTHS has big plans for the Witchery and Mimco brands in South Africa, according to group director of planning for clothing and general merchandise, Paula Disberry. "You’ll see us doing similar things that we’ve done with Country Road and Trenery. We are excited, in particular about Witchery in SA, as well as Australia. It’s becoming... Continue Reading →

Rent the Runway closed on its third round of financing, raising $24.4 million. The round was led by Advance Publications Inc., the parent company of Condé Nast and Fairchild Fashion Media, parent of WWD, and includes American Express and Novel TMT Ventures. Previous investors — Bain Capital Ventures, Highland Capital Partners and Kleiner Perkins Caufield... Continue Reading →

Shiseido Co. Ltd. said Monday that president and chief executive Hisayuki Suekawa is stepping down as of at the end of the month for health reasons. Shiseido said that chairman Shinzo Maeda will resume his role as president of the company as of April 1. Maeda, 66, was president and chief executive prior to Suekawa's... Continue Reading →

American Golf, which has 100 stores in the UK, said sales rose 3pc to £133m in the year to January 31. The profile of the sport was boosted last year by British golfers Mcllory and Donald battling between each other for the status of world number one and Europe winning the Ryder Cup against the... Continue Reading →

The ancient city of Petra is the region's biggest tourist draw A $1bn 475-room luxury hotel operated by Hilton Hotels, will be co-developed by Onix Investments and Koni Konsultants, both from Singapore and Koni Group of Orlando, in Jordan, the Jordan times reported. The hotel will be located at the southeast corner of the airport... Continue Reading →

KOCHI // The Abu Dhabi-based retail group Lulu is aiming to expand across India, after opening its first mall in the subcontinent. The group yesterday launched its 16 billion rupee (Dh1.08bn) shopping centre in Kochi, a port city on the Arabian Sea in the state of Kerala. "The chief minister [of Kerala] has requested me... Continue Reading →

UAE's Tejuri launches new online retail venture A new online retail venture selling more than 150 international and local brands has been launched in the UAE. Tejuri.com, an e-shopping mall, has been endorsed by the Department of Economic Development (DED) and features DED accredited retailers across many retail sectors. These include Sharaf DG, Reebok, Marina... Continue Reading →

VOX Cinemas has continued its ambitious 2013 expansion plan after opening its newest cinema in Mercato Mall, Dubai this week. The renovated seven-screen cinema at Jumeirah's shopping destination is the second opened this year after Fujairah City Centre and is VOX's seventh in the UAE, said Ahmed Galal Ismail, CEO of Majid Al Futtaim Ventures,... Continue Reading →

IRELAND'S 300 wealthiest people now have a combined fortune valued at more than the entire state of Ecuador. The Sunday Independent Rich List 2013 reveals that the country's billionaires and multi-millionaires have a net worth of more than €66bn, which is larger than the South American country's GDP. ALSO IN THIS SECTION Pixy must cast... Continue Reading →

The Gucci flagship store on Sloane Street in London was open for trading on Thursday after it was the victim of a ram-raid shortly before 10 p.m. GMT on Wednesday night. According to the Metropolitan Police, the thieves used a stolen black Mercedes to reverse into the store, smashing the doors. It is believed that... Continue Reading →