New Jobs coming to Foley Outlet Center

WKRG.com News

A TJ Maxx superstore will open later this month at the Tanger Outlet Center in Foley. 200 people were hired for store set-up...the store will keep at least 75 employees on their full-time payroll.

SOURCE: WKRG News5

More shopping centers coming to Birmingham AL

Despite numerous shopping centers around the Birmingham area, more continue to open. The Shops of Grand River in Leeds is scheduled to open Oct. 28. And plans are also underway for a new shopping center in Cullman.

The Shops of Grand River will include 54 outlet stores, and developers believe it will be successful because it is different from anything else in the area.

"This center is unique to the area," sad Doug Neil, the Vice President of Development for Daniel Corporation. "The outlet center format allows the brands to communicate with consumer, and offer savvy shoppers great value, great brands, and great prices."

UAB's retail expert, Mickey Gee, said the market can still absorb some new shopping centers, and that it is not surprising to see all the new development in the current economy because costs are low. However, he said consumers are still guarding their money and store owners will have to target people who value convenience.

"In the retail business, it's all about product, price, promotion, and place," said Gee. "The first three P's have been taken care of. So now, it's all about place. Retailers are trying to move goods to consumer with hopes they will become the most convenient retailer."

Gee said he remains hopeful the economy will pick up in the 4th quarter of the year, and that will bring an additional boost to these new shopping centers.

SOURCE: WBRC FOX6 By Emily Luxen

Tanger Outlet What Not to Wear Style Getaway winners

Tom Tumbri of Cleveland, Ohio & his fiance Jennifer had a blast shopping at the Tanger Outlets in Riverhead and Deer Park, NY on Saturday, September 25. Tom was the lucky national grand prize winner of the WHAT NOT TO WEAR Style Getaway sponsored by Tanger Outlet Centers and TLC. As part of the grand prize, the couple received $2,500 in Tanger Gift Cards to spend and traveled in a limousine to the Tanger centers!

Watch for the WHAT NOT TO WEAR episode airing on November 5 that features Stacy London and Clinton Kelly venturing outside of Manhattan. Their destination will be the Tanger Outlet Center in Deer Park, NY. Airing in season eight, the WHAT NOT TO WEAR crew filmed this segment by choosing from the current, upscale fashion trends at a collection of hundreds of brand name and designer outlet stores at Tanger in Deer Park.

SOURCE: Tanger Outlet Facebook page.

Toys R Us doubles holiday work force.

With plans to operate 600 temporary toy shops for the holidays, Toys R Us Inc. said Monday that it would bulk up its workforce by hiring about 45,000 seasonal workers nationwide, more than it has hired during each of the last three Christmas seasons.

Toys R Us said the temporary employees would double its domestic workforce. In previous years, the company added about 35,000 employees during the Christmas season.

The Wayne, N.J., retailer said that 35,000 of this year's seasonal hires would staff the company's 587 traditional Toys R Us stores and that 10,000 of the temporary employees would work at the Toys R Us Express pop-up locations. Seasonal workers will also be hired to work in the company's nine distribution centers across the country.

The company said high-performing seasonal workers might be offered permanent positions after the holidays.

The aggressive expansion of the Express stores to 600 — there were only 90 of them nationwide last year — will bring about 70 pop-up shops to California, of which more than 40 will be in the Los Angeles area.

Toys R Us is also opening about 10 FAO Schwarz holiday pop-up shops around the country, including one at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times by Andrea Chang

Tanger outlet has a positive and detrimental effect on local economy.

A poor economy, lack of infrastructure and fierce competition turned what was supposed to be a 128-acre shopping center into a dead development.

Plans for the Buckhorn Village project, located near the southeast corner of Interstate 40 and Buckhorn Road in Orange County, have been abandoned, said Roger Perry, president of East West Partners and one of the project’s former developers.

The group decided not to purchase the land for the development although it is still approved by the Orange County Board of Commissioners for use.

The land would be suitable for functions like distribution, assembly and warehousing, Perry said.

“There are other uses for this property,” he said, “just not retail uses.”

The mixed-use project was approved after developers told county officials it would help reverse the county’s sluggish economic state.

But the same economy developers hoped to boost ultimately caused the demise of the project.

“When it was proposed, the economy was sort of in a different stage, and it was more hopeful than now,” said Margaret Cannell, executive director of Hillsborough-Orange County Chamber of Commerce.

Perry also said the county had plans to bring water and sewage service to the site, but the intentions never materialized.

“We thought there might be retail demand there, and we tried to see if there was,” Perry said. “It turned out that it was not.”

But in a couple of months, a similar development will open just across county lines.

Tanger Outlets is located near the border of Alamance and Orange counties, about 25 minutes from downtown Chapel Hill. The Mebane development will feature outlet stores like Banana Republic, Gap and Coach.

Cannell said Buckhorn probably suffered as a result of the outlet center’s opening, slated for Nov. 5. The project also quickly received permits and began building, she said.

“Given the overall condition of the economy, retailers are not interested in having to fight that competition,” Cannell said. “Developers know that. They are not going to push to try to get the retailers into Buckhorn Village knowing that Tanger Outlets is the next exit.”

Aaron Nelson, president and CEO of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce, said the outlets will have both positive and detrimental effects on Orange County economically.

“It will be helpful to promote our region as a great place to shop but has the negative impact on Orange County retail sales,” Nelson said.

SOURCE: Daily Tar Heel By YUNZHU ZHANG

Juicy Couture will open outlet in Waikele

Juicy Couture will open its first outlet store in Hawaii at the Waikele Premium Outlets in mid-November.

The Los Angeles-based retailer has two boutiques in Hawaii. The first opened at Ala Moana Center in 2006, followed by a boutique at Royal Hawaiian Center in Waikiki.

Juicy Couture, a contemporary retailer and cult favorite best known for its velour track suits, will occupy the 3,300-square-foot space vacated by Anne Klein just last month.

SOURCE: Pacific Business News

Great Lakes Crossings now offically an outlet center.

Great Lakes Crossing in Auburn Hills has a new name and mission as it moves away from entertainment and more toward brand-name discounts and dining, said Bill Taubman, chief operating officer of the mall’s owner.

And Great Lakes Crossing Outlets – at 1.4 million square feet – will be the largest outlet center in Michigan with 185 dining and retail options including 10 new stores expected to open for the celebration weekend Oct. 9-11.

New stores include Lord & Taylor Outlet, Hugo Boss Factory Store, Talbots Outlet, Movado Company Store, Polo Ralph Lauren Factory Store, Wilsons Leather Outlet, Lacoste Outlet, aerie outlet by American Eagle and Swim ‘n Sport Outlet.

Art Van Furniture plans to open a 43,000-square-foot store at the mall on Nov. 26.

The mall’s sales have been growing at twice the rate of Taubman Centers' other malls.

“It’s all about merchandising,” Taubman said on a walk-through of the mall on today. “We haven’t stopped signing tenants. There are more to come.”

SOURCE: freep.com by GRETA GUEST

One Fashion Outlet invests in Slovakia - First Slovak outlet center

Trnava town tower

Planning of the much-anticipated One Fashion Outlet by property development specialists, Realiz is now underway. Working closely with retail factory outlet specialists at Rioja Developments, the 75 million euro investment in Voderady near Trnava, will be Slovakia’s first premium retail outlet centre and is set to create over 350 new jobs in the region.

Designed in conjunction with leading architects Holder Mathias and consultants Rohleder Lumby and SJ International, One Fashion Outlet will provide consumers with an area of 220 thousand square metres, within which will be over 100 retail and restaurant units comprising more than 36 thousand square metres. The design will feature a leisure area with a lake a children’s playground and a three-thousand vehicle car park surrounded by landscaping.

With Slovakia recently posting the best GDP growth in the EU (a rise of 4.6 per cent year-on-year for the second quarter) and forecasts for the remainder of 2010 looking strong, commercial investment in the country is an attractive option. Outlet shopping, in particular, is very popular with customers in Slovakia enabling buyers to purchase attractive high-quality branded products at affordable prices and is an important distribution channel for the brands.

The development of One Fashion Outlet will take place over three separate phases, with phase one providing consumers with 60 to 70 retail units featuring some of the world’s most attractive brands. Designed by Holder Mathias, One Fashion Outlet will be following a set of Sustainability Guidelines at each stage of the project. The guidelines are intended to help implement good environmental design in retail projects and cover a wide range of measure including water use, energy sources, materials and construction techniques as well as ecology and the long-term sustainability effects of the outlet. The outlet is scheduled to open at the end of 2011.

Vladimír Kozár, Project Manager for One Fashion Outlet is delighted to be introducing outlet shopping to Slovaks, who would previously have travelled to Austria and the Czech Republic. He commented: “The idea for One Fashion Outlet came from the desire to create a convenient shopping environment that Slovaks didn’t need to travel abroad to enjoy. It’s been exciting to see the project develop from the very beginning, working alongside well-known foreign consultants and architects who have implemented a number of successful outlets all over Europe. Thanks to the strong relationships with our partners, One Fashion Outlet will meet all the necessary attributes of a successful outlet: strategic location with excellent access, desirable tenants and a unique architectural concept. We’ve already received very strong interest from many international brands.”

One Fashion Outlet expects to attract a yearly average of between 1.5 and 2 million visitors from Slovakia, Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic, a figure that is considered highly achievable due to the centre’s convenient location. The municipality of Voderady near Trnava was selected as the best option due to its strategic positioning on the D1 motorway linking Bratislava with the north and east of Slovakia. According to a survey by GFK, the catchment area of this location is 6.7 million people with a travel time within 2 hours to the outlet.

“This investment will create more than 350 new jobs and provide the residents of Voderady with great leisure facilities. The municipality’s Mayor set strict conditions that this project should provide a pleasant environment and leisure opportunities for its inhabitants, featuring green areas, biking trails and generally revive the local area. We’re pleased to say that we are able to meet all these conditions and the new outlet is being received with great enthusiasm by both international brands and local country franchisees,” stated Simon Rohleder of international property consultants, Rohleder Lumby.

One Fashion Outlet submitted its project to the Slovak Ministry for the Environment for the EIA process and a request for the zoning decision in April. If the construction permit is issued according to the investor’s plans, construction of the outlet should start in early 2011 and phase one of the project should be launched in late 2011.

One Fashion Outlet will be exhibiting at Mapic in Cannes from 17 to 19 November

SOURCE: VPO and PR Newswire

Successful Bethenny Frankel event at Tanger Outlet center.

Tending to weekend promotional obligations, Bethenny Frankel was busy greeting fans at the Real Style Live event at Tanger Outlets in Deer Park, New York on Saturday (September 25).

Joined by husband Jason Hoppy, as well as Sue Blumenfeld, David Blumenfeld and Steve Tanger, the "Real Housewives" star dished out tips on fashion, food, fitness and motherhood while selling and signing copies of her book, The Skinny Girl Dish.

Getting quite the positive turnout, Miss Frankel tweeted, "I just signed 600 books&jason is sleeping.welcome to my marriage :)"

Once finished up, the 39-year-old joined her hubby for dinner, writing to her Twitter followers, "Feeling international: Japanese food last pm.ordering thai tonight.what r u guys having?"

SOURCE: Celebrity Gossip 

NJ Courts upholds Premium Outlets radius restrictions.

An appeals court today upheld deed restrictions that were designed to discourage some tenants at two out-of-state outlet malls from opening new stores at a proposed mall in Sussex County.

Despite the setback, Howard Buerkle, managing partner of the Secaucus-based Sussex Commons, said the 328,000-square-foot, 90-store project in Frankford would go forward.

"A lot has happened since we filed the appeal. There are a lot more tenants in the entire industry," he said. "The ruling is just a speed bump on the road of life."

Chelsea Property Group, of Roseland, imposed the "radius-clause" restrictions on some of its tenants at Woodbury Commons Premium Outlets in Central Valley, N.Y., and The Crossings Premium Outlets in Tannersville, Pa. about a year after Sussex Commons proposed in 2002 to build a $60 million mall at the junctions of routes 206, 15 and 565, known locally as Ross’ Corner.

The "radius-clause" restrictions, ranging from about 35 miles to 65 miles, attempt to discourage retailers from opening new stores within a certain distance from their current locations or face higher rents. Rent amounts in shopping center leases often include a percentage of the retailer’s sales at that location. Frankford is about 50 miles from Woodbury Commons and 100 miles from Tannersville, Pa.

The appeals court said the restrictions do not prohibit retailers from opening new stores near their current stores or at Sussex Commons.

"The purpose of the clause is to compensate defendant (Chelsea Property) for anticipated lost sales if the tenant opens an outlet store within the radius or at the specific site," according to the 25-page court ruling.

The decision noted that Sussex Commons, which had claimed the clauses were "anti-competitive," contained radius clauses in its own lease proposals to prospective tenants.

"A radius clause, which is commonly used in leases in the outlet center industry, protects landlord’s market trade area from competition, the landlord’s interest in percentage rent and the exclusivity of the landlord’s mix," the ruling states.

Buerkle declined to say when Sussex Commons Lifestyle Outlets may open, saying construction was contingent on getting approvals for a sewage treatment facility at the site.

"Without a sewage plant, the project is going nowhere," he said.

SOURCE: NJ.com Joe Moszczynski/The Star-Ledger

First designer outlet in London

London is to gain its first designer outlet as part of the regeneration of the area around Wembley Stadium.

The London Designer Outlet will be positioned adjacent to Wembley Stadium and Wembley Arena, and include space for 85 fashion, sports, and homeware stores.

Designer outlets traditionally offer end-of-season goods at discounted rates, with McArthurGlen one of the biggest operators in the UK with sites at Cheshire Oaks and York.

The 350,000 sq.ft centre at Wembley will be the only one inside the M25 and is scheduled to be open by late 2013. Construction will begin in autumn 2011 and Quintain, the developer, has also signed up Cineworld for a new nine-screen cinema that will be based at the site. In addition, LDO will host 15 restaurants and bars.

Phil Cottingham, managing director of retail at Quintain, said: “It [the LDO] will be the capital’s first designer outlet centre and is the centrepiece of our ambitious 87-acre Wembley City regeneration scheme which is already well underway.

“Our vision for LDO is to create a unique mix of retail and leisure which, combined with its excellent transport links and close proximity to the National Stadium and world famous entertainment area will deliver the ultimate, retail, restaurant and entertainment lifestyle destination for London and the South East.”

SOURCE: Telegraph.co.uk by Graham Ruddick

600 Pounds of Marijuana Found near the Belz Factory Outlet Mall

The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office says officers discovered 600 pounds of marijuana in a dumpster near the Belz Factory Outlet Mall.

According to a Sheriff’s spokesperson, an unidentified person flagged down authorities, Thursday, September 23, 2010. The person told officers a Hispanic man was seen taking several large items out of a semi truck and putting them in a dumpster in the area of I-40 and Canada Road.

Authorities say when officers from the Interstate Criminal Interdiction Unit arrived at the scene, they discovered several boxes of marijuana, weighing 600 pounds, in the dumpster.

The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office says the truck and driver were not found. The investigation is ongoing

SOURCE: My Eyewitness News by Shane Myers 

VRN 2010 Fall Outlet Convention in Secaucus

I hope to see you all Monday and Tuesday at the convention.

Mark Libell

Joe's Jeans Opens at Philadelphia Premium Outlets

Joe's Jeans Inc. announced that it has opened its sixteenth store and its ninth store since March 2010. Joe's newest boutique is located at Philadelphia Premium Outlets, home to 150 of the finest branded outlet stores, and 35 miles from downtown Philadelphia.

Marc Crossman, President and CEO, commented, "Our Philadelphia store rounds out our 2010 expansion in the mid-Atlantic region, home to a substantial group of eager Joe's loyalists." Crossman added, "We are excited about continuing to open stores within the family of centers designated as Premium Outlets, a division of Simon Property Group . Our locations in the Premium Outlets(R) centers have exceeded our expectations and we look forward to our Philadelphia store adding to our retail sales and store portfolio."

SOURCE: MarketWatch

Coach men’s store opens at Chicago Premium Outlets

If the constant long lines at Coach Factory Store at the Chicago Premium Outlets mean anything, the newest store at Aurora's outlet mall may be just as popular.

A Coach Men's Factory Store has opened at the Aurora outlet mall off Interstate 88 and Farnsworth Avenue. Other Coach Factory stores across the country tend to sell leather belts, briefcases, tote bags, luggage, sunglasses and some apparel.

The store  announced its grand opening in an e-mail to subscribers of announcements from Coach Factory Stores.

Corporate owner of the upscale outlet mall, Premium Outlets, opened one other Coach Men's Factory Store throughout its chain in Woodbury, N.Y., two weeks ago. Another is planned for Orlando, Fla., next month.

On any given weekend at Chicago Premium Outlets, shoppers wait in lines snaking around the mall to gain access to the popular women's Coach Factory Store. It is usually one of the only retailers with a wait time to shop inside the store.

In the past 15 months, Chicago Premium Outlets has welcomed handbag boutique Vera Bradley, watch designer Skagen, women's retailer Talbots, shoe store Merrell and jeweler David Yurman Holiday Outlet.

SOURCE: Suburban Chicago news

5 NEW MENS COACH STORES OPEN

Gap Factory Store to open in Canada.

Gap Factory Store will open its doors at RioCan Centre in Sudbury on Friday at 10 a.m.

In a release, Gap Factory said the store will offer clothing and accessories for the entire family. The opening marks Gap Factory Store's sixth store in Canada and further broadens the accessibility of Gap Inc. brands.

"We're extremely excited to bring Gap and Banana Republic Factory Stores to Sudbury RioCan," said Jim Lain, regional director of Gap and Banana Republic Factory Stores, Canada and Midwest.

"Gap Factory Store offers great prices on modern classics year round and I'm confident shoppers will be pleasantly surprised by the combination of style and value."

To celebrate the opening, the store will offer 40% off its entire assortment.

SOURCE: The Sudbury Star

More crime at the Gaffney Premium Outlets

Five vehicles parked outside the Gaffney Premium Outlets on Sunday were targeted for break-in and in almost every case the thief or thieves seemed to be going after small but pricey electronics, according to reports on file at the Gaffney Police Department.

SOURCE: The Gaffney Ledger by TIM GULLA

Also, recently there was an armed robbery at a jewelry store in this center. For that story click here.

$200,000 in advertising removed from San Marcos Premium Outlets.

The San Marcos City Council approved a $147 million budget.

The final budget total came in at $147,782,007, city officials said. The amount was settled after Council Member Chris Jones moved to remove about $200,000 in advertising funding to one of the outlet malls. The money would have advertised the city along with Premium Outlets, Jones said, an agreement that has been in place in years past.

But city officials haven’t heard from the new management of the Premium Outlets, formerly known as Prime Outlets, so council members agreed to hold off on funding for now.

SOURCE: The Statesman by Patrick George

Colonial offers lifeline to DFO

THE retail property arm of global investment manager Colonial First State is expected to undertake a capital raising to fund the $600 million purchase of four Direct Factory Outlet centres, throwing a lifeline to the debt-laden retail chain.

CFS Retail Trust is likely to announce tomorrow its plans to buy the Homebush DFO outlet in Sydney, the new South Wharf centre in Melbourne's Docklands and the Essendon and Moorabbin outlets in Victoria, from the chain's parent company, Austexx.

The fund was yesterday placed in a trading halt ''pending the announcement of a significant transaction''.

A Goldman Sachs analyst, Simon Wheatley, said CFS Retail would need to raise about $415 million if it wanted to maintain its present gearing ratio.

''Based on the speculated deal size of $600 million, if we assume that CFS wants to keep gearing unchanged, it is implied the company may need to raise about $415 million, which is reasonably sizeable,'' Mr Wheatley said.

He said there were a number of properties within the DFO portfolio which ''have some onerous underlying land rent arrangements'', contributing to CFS's decision to acquire only part of the DFO empire.

''We expect that CFS will cherry-pick the portfolio in order to avoid these assets, which are likely to be challenged for growth.''

CFS Retail's fund manager, Michael Gorman, and head of property, Darren Steinberg, were not available for comment yesterday.

Negotiations are ongoing and a collapse of the deal could still see the chain tipped into administration. But it will come as a huge relief for Austexx if it proceeds.

Austexx has teetered on the brink of collapse since August, requiring last-minute financial assistance from its lenders to complete its South Wharf development.

The company, which is owned by the Melbourne businessmen David Goldberger and David Wieland, owes creditors more than $1 billion.

Austexx has been seeking a buyer for its assets for the past six months as its debt woes mounted.

The mooted deal represents a departure from the traditional shopping centre layout CFS Retail is accustomed to. The fund owns some of the largest retail centres in the country.

Mr Steinberg said in August the group was interested in expanding into factory outlet stores as a business, but ''no transactions had been entered into with the Melbourne DFO group''.

However, CFS Retail has been keen to increase its assets under management, although it lost out last year in the battle for the $1.4 billion ING Retail Fund to Lend Lease.

Austexx will continue to operate its remaining DFO stores as it looks for buyers for its Cairns, Jindalee, Brisbane Airport and Canberra outlets. It also owns the former DFO site on Melbourne's Spencer Street.

SOURCE: The Sydney Morning Herald by Philip Wen and Carolyn Cummins

Ground breaking at Merrimack Premium Outlets

Simon Property Group, Inc., the country's largest owner, developer and manager of high quality retail real estate, announced that its Premium Outlets® division held ceremonies Wednesday to mark the start of construction of Merrimack Premium Outlets®, an upscale outlet shopping center serving the Greater Boston and Nashua markets.

The center will be located on a 170 acre site in Merrimack off the F.E. Everett Turnpike at exit 10 (Industrial Drive) in Hillsborough County. Phase 1 of the project will be comprised of 380,000 square feet housing approximately 100 outlet stores featuring high-quality designer and name brands. Opening is scheduled for 2012.

"Merrimack Premium Outlets will bring together an impressive collection of many of the finest brands, offering value, quality and selection all in one convenient location. The Merrimack site is centrally located between Boston, the seacoast and the mountains, providing a great location to serve the area residents and numerous visitors," remarked John R. Klein, CEO of Premium Outlets, Simon. "We are also pleased to begin a new project that is creating hundreds of new jobs and significant economic development for the area."

SOURCE: PRNewswire

Merrimack Premium Outlets miss water testing deadline.

With groundbreaking approaching, town officials say a testing issue raised at Merrimack Premium Outlets is water under the bridge.

Officials behind the 130-store outlet mall, which is planned off Industrial Drive near Exit 10 of the F.E. Everett Turnpike, have strayed from the water sampling conditions agreed upon in the project’s development agreement, town officials and water consultants have acknowledged.

But the deviations, which broke the timing, frequency and other sampling conditions, have no bearing on the outcome of the water tests and will not cause any delay in the construction work, officials said.

Project planners, at work for several months preparing the site, plan to hold a formal groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday morning.

“While there were some deviations to the required protocols, they were not deemed to have any material impact on the (water testing) results,” Town Manager Keith Hickey said earlier this month. “(Premium Outlets) and consultants have been advised to adhere to protocols in the future.”

Project opponents George Mitsch and Mike Mills, who live within a mile of the construction site, raised questions about the water testing earlier this summer before the Town Council, among other boards. Mitsch and Mills claimed that the project developer, Premium Outlets, failed to adhere to the schedule, the limits or the terms of water sampling defined in their 2008 agreement with the Merrimack Planning Board.

The tests are intended to provide a baseline to measure against the impacts of the project, and the breaches could leave the town without legal recourse should the project impact the water supply, said Mills and Mitsch, both members of the Concerned Citizens of Merrimack Alliance. The group was formed in opposition to the project after it was introduced in 2004.

“My belief is they should not start until there’s a real record of those water levels,” Mitsch said last week. “But I don’t know if the town has (courage) enough to stand up to these folks.”

Development group officials defended their efforts this week, saying they have been working closely with the necessary agencies to meet the testing obligations and schedules. And their efforts have shown “No significant water-quality issues of concern have been identified during the background sampling,” James McSweeney, superintendent of the Merrimack Village District, the town’s water supplier, wrote in response to the inquiries.

Emery and Garrett Groundwater Inc., the town’s water consultant, acknowledged that the developer did not conduct the sampling on the schedule defined by the agreement. Premium Outlets did not complete a round of testing in November, and the developer failed to conduct any sampling this spring, among other deviations, company President James Emery and project geologist Jeff Marts wrote in response to the inquiry.

But with baseline water results already in place, the deviations are more the result of unrealistic scheduling demands than lapses in the testing, Emery and Marts wrote. “It is (our) professional opinion that the timing of the proposed sampling events ... is not a reasonable expectation and furthermore is not critical to further understanding the groundwater quality underlying this site,” they wrote.

With the testing questions answered, developers intend to move forward with the $100 million project, in the works since 2004. Work crews started preparing the land in July, and Wednesday’s groundbreaking will mark the start of phase I, to include the construction of the first 100 stores spread over 392,000 square feet, according to Michele Rothstein, senior vice president of marketing for Premium Outlets, a division of the Simon Property Group.

Company officials will consider the next phase after the first stores open, likely in 2012, Rothstein said.

In total, the project will create about 500 construction jobs and 1,000 full or part-time service jobs, she said.

“We are very excited to be moving forward,” Rothstein wrote earlier this summer in an e-mail to The Telegraph. “The start of construction will not only mean that we are closer to bringing great outlet shopping to the area, but it will immediately represent construction jobs and good retail jobs when we open.”

SOURCE: Nashua Telegraph By JAKE BERRY

Clothing prices could rise as cotton hits 15-year high

Clothes prices could be set to rise after cotton futures hit a 15-year high yesterday.

Flooding in Pakistan and China - two of the world's biggest growers - have sparked concerns about supplies, sending the price surging.

In New York on Monday, cotton topped $1 per pound for the first time since 1995. Cotton for December delivery advanced to $1.0198 - before dropping back to $1.006.

Hedge fund managers and other large speculators increased their net-long positions in New York futures by 2pc in the week ending September 14, according to data from the US Futures Trading Commission.

Kantilal Shah, chairman of Gill & Co, which has been trading cotton for more than a century, told Bloomberg: "You've never seen such a hectic rise. It has broken the rules.

"Everybody is looking out for cotton because everybody is short," he said. "Supplies all over the world are tight."

He predicted prices could climb by a further 10 to 15 cents over the next 15 days to a month.

SOURCE: Telegraph CO UK By Rachel Cooper

The Outlets at Castle Rock Shopping Extravaganza

The fifth annual Outlets at Castle Rock Shopping Extravaganza takes place on Saturday, September 25, and will feature savings at favorite retailers, more than $30,000 in giveaways, support of local charities, and a day of lunch, music and fun.

The first of three fall Shopping Extravaganzas, hosted annually by the Outlets of Colorado, will take place at the Front Range center, the Outlets at Castle Rock, on Saturday, September 25, from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Shoppers already benefit from 30 to 70 percent off name brand retail every day at the Outlets, but at the Shopping Extravaganza there are additional exclusive shopping discounts, a catered lunch, dessert bar, art show, goodie bag and live jazz music. All 88 retailers at Outlets of Castle Rock have contributed gift certificates for giveaways to shoppers which take place throughout the day– for a total of $30,000 in retail value. In addition, merchandise and trips from the Outlets' partners will also be raffled. Tickets for the full day of festivity are $20 each, and proceeds from ticket sales benefit eleven local and regional charities.

"In its fifth year, the Shopping Extravaganza is shaping up to be the best one yet with even more added value from our partners and the momentum of returning shoppers who rave about this event year after year, get it on their calendar, and come back the next time with friends," says Peggy Ziglin, Colorado Regional Public Relations/Tourism Director for the Outlets of Colorado. "Last year there were 1,300 guests for the Shopping Extravaganza at the Outlets at Castle Rock, and it seems everyone wins one or more prizes. Our guests have also said it's a great way to get a jump on holiday shopping."

Stores offering additional exclusive discounts during this day-long event include Ralph Lauren, Guess, J. Crew, Calvin Klein, Chico's, Nine West, Tommy Hilfiger and more. Gift cards totaling $30,000 in value come from Tommy Hilfiger, Kenneth Cole, Guess, Ann Taylor, CAbi (fashion from former Nordstrom designer Carol Anderson) and all other retailers at the Outlets at Castle Rock. Additional giveaways include a Las Vegas 3-day, 2-night vacation, with accommodations at Tropicana Resort and two tickets to Brad Garrett's Comedy Club, a Coach™ handbag, Calphalon™ cookware and a Columbia™ backpack. Guests may purchase additional raffle tickets for $1 each to increase their odds of winning. All raffle ticket proceeds will be donated to the beneficiary charity partners of the Shopping Extravaganza.

Taste This! Catering will provide a delicious lunch and dessert; rounding out the dessert bar will be additional offerings from Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, The Cafe, and Harry & David. "We are gearing up for this amazing event and getting ready to roll out the red carpet for all attendees,” says Lisa Zetah, Marketing Director at the Outlets at Castle Rock. An art show by Celebrate Ability and live jazz music by Have Piano Will Travel will add to the celebratory atmosphere. Eleven participating charities and causes will benefit from Shopping Extravaganza ticket sales, including the American Cancer Society, Autism Speaks, Gabriel's Gift, Legend High School Library, Castle View High School Cheer Squad, Denver Dumb Friends League, Special Olympics, Women's Crisis and Outreach Center, Castle Rock Adventist Health Foundation, Rowan Tree Foundation and Mom's Club of Castle Rock.

The Outlets at Castle Rock Shopping Extravaganza takes place Saturday, September 25, 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM, with registration from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Tickets are $20 and include exclusive shopping discounts, catered lunch, desserts, inclusion in all prize drawings, live music, an art show and goodie bag. Advance tickets may be purchased online at http://www.outletsatcastlerock.com/, the Outlets at Castle Rock customer service center, or from one of the beneficiary charities and causes associated with the event.

Two more Shopping Extravaganza events will take place at the Outlets of Colorado centers this fall, on October 23 at the Outlets at Loveland, and November 20 at the Outlets at Silverthorne.

SOURCE: jazz basketball news update

Come on Gabriola, take a leaf from Bowen's book

It's almost two years now since Gabriola floated the idea of Car Stops - a concept pioneered by the local community on Pender Island which, like Gabriola, has no public transportation.

The Pender Car Stops scheme started back in 2008 with 16 signs funded jointly by the Regional District and the Lions Club of BC. Because these were permanent signs, permission had to be obtained from the Ministry of Transportation & Infrastructure (MOTI) before they could be erected. A further 13 Car Stops were added in 2009, with the aim that there should be a Car Stop within walking distance of every home on the island.

Gabriola's hopes of establishing a similar scheme in 2009 were dashed by bureaucracy - when a generous $3,500 grant offered by MOTI flew straight out the window while we waited in vain for the Regional District of Nanaimo to issue permits for the signs and to decide whether they would accept liability and maintenance responsibility. Since then - nothing. Despite every good intention, the community seems to have accepted that the whole idea is just too complex and there's nothing we can do about it.

Back in the UK, hundreds of small rural communities have developed voluntary car schemes with no formal signage and no intervention required from local government. So why can't Gabriola do the same, I asked. No, it can't be done here, I was told - the insurance regulations wouldn't allow it. And anyway, there's probably no-one with the time to co-ordinate such a scheme.

Then, along comes Bowen Island with a voluntary lift-giving scheme that does just what it says on the tin

Launching their new website this week, Bowen LIFT needs no roadside signs, no co-ordinator, no funding from MOTI and no government permits. It's just a self-help website on which offers or requests for rides can be posted, and self-printed car signs to let folks know that you're able to offer a ride in the direction indicated on the sign. So simple, it could have been invented for Gabriola.

How often have we walked onto the ferry and trekked the lines of cars hoping to see a friend or neighbour who can offer a ride home? Or set off up the hill, telling ourselves that there's no point thumbing a ride until we've made the turn into Taylor Bay, North or South Road? With a small sign in the front of the car, it would be so easy to spot cars heading in the right direction - even on the ferry.

So come on Gabriola, don't sit there with your head in your hands saying it's all too complicated. It can be done - and I, for one, will be watching with interest to see how Bowen Island's initiative pays off. And if, like me, you think this is a scheme worth promoting, let me know by email at john@islandtransportsolutions.com . We could have this up and running in no time!

First McArthurGlen Spirit of Fashion Awards announced

On Thursday September 16th the three recipients of the first McArthurGlen Spirit of Fashion Awards were announced by McArthurGlen, Europe’s leader in designer outlet retailing, in partnership with the Royal College of Art (RCA), the world’s most influential postgraduate art and design school.

Rachael Barrett is a recent graduate from the Royal College of Art and Lady Gaga has worn several of the pieces from her graduation show.

The three Award recipients are: womenswear designer Rachael Barrett, with her pieces sought after by some of the biggest names in the music industry; Carolyn Massey, among the first-ever NEWGEN menswear designers, showing on Men’s Day at London Fashion Week 22nd September 2010, and Matthew Miller, sponsored by Fashion East at MAN this month.

McArthurGlen and the RCA conceived the Awards to help further the fashion careers of three young designers, serving to shape the future face of fashion. The Awards are open to alumni of the RCA, which has fostered such world-renowned luminaries as Christopher Bailey of Burberry, Erdem Moralioglu and milliner Philip Treacy.

The Award recipients were selected by a judging panel of leading figures in the worlds of fashion and retail. The panel was made up of Professor Wendy Dagworthy, The RCA’s Head of Fashion and Textiles; renowned fashion designer Betty Jackson; Tristan Webber and Ike Rust, both Senior RCA Tutors; Peter Sidell, co-owner of menswear boutique The Library and visiting RCA Professor; and Shaeren McKenzie, Group Marketing Director of McArthurGlen.

The Awards provide the three recipients with 12 months’ PR agency support and mentoring. In addition, the recipients will embark on a live creative brief, with their designs potentially produced in a limited edition and sold directly to the consumer via McArthurGlen’s Designer Outlets.

Shaeren McKenzie, Group Marketing Director of McArthurGlen, says: “We bring many leading International Designer Brands to the consumer via our designer outlets and in working with these brands, we understand the care and attention it takes to build a brand that stands the test of time. We created these Awards as a means to help three gifted young designers make inroads in a highly oversubscribed industry which is notoriously hard to break into. We were overwhelmed not only by the quality of the work and the creativity displayed but also the sheer professionalism of all three designers. We hope that over the course of the year we can help them to make real progress towards growing successful businesses.”

Professor Wendy Dagworthy, the RCA’s Head of Fashion and Textiles, comments: “To be able to access the broad retailing knowledge of McArthurGlen, and the expert advice of some of the brands they work with, as well as dedicated PR services for a year is an invaluable resource which will deliver incredible insight along with much-needed support for the designers as they progress on this journey.”

McArthurGlen has seven designer outlet centres in the UK and a further twelve across Continental Europe, working alongside the leading brand names in designer fashion retailing including Burberry, Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi, Gucci, Missoni and Mulberry, as well as high street favourites such as All Saints, French Connection, Gap, Kurt Geiger and Warehouse.

For further information about the McArthurGlen Spirit of Fashion Awards or the designers please contact Liz Bolton or Frankie Mercieca at ICECREAM: Email: Liz@icecreamagency.co.uk/ Frankie@icecreamagency.co.uk or telephone: 020 7485 0100/ 07803 158 813

SOURCE: responsesource

4000 applicants for 800 jobs at Tanger Outlet job fair

Thousands of job seekers endured gridlock traffic and some waited for hours Thursday for the chance to apply for one of 800 jobs at the soon-to-open Tanger Outlets shopping center.

By noon, the line of people waiting to get inside the Mebane Arts & Community Center stretched around the building and into a neighboring baseball field. Some people reported waiting almost two hours to get in the door.

"I almost turned around and left," said Linda Ferro, 48, who lives in Elon. "But I need a job."

That's the reality as unemployment remains painfully high. In July the state unemployment rate was 9.8 percent, above the national average. The state's rate for August is due today.

In the Burlington area, which includes Mebane, the unemployment rate was even higher in July: 10.8 percent.

Once inside, job seekers flocked to booths representing more than 50 of the center's 80 shops and restaurants. Tanger also was hiring 30 to 40 people for maintenance and security positions.

Popular booths included Banana Republic, Gap, Nike and Saks Fifth Avenue, which will open one of its Off Fifth outlets to anchor the center, which is scheduled to open Nov. 5.

Many were simply collecting résumés and doing brief interviews on the spot. Others were scheduling chats with strong candidates.

Though some of the jobs were managerial with higher pay, the majority of the positions were hourly sales jobs, generally in the $8- to $12-an-hour range.

"We're very happy with the quality of the candidates," said Kathleen Hackshaw, manager of the new $60 million center. "The good news is that a lot of people here will get hired." 

Facing stiff competition 

Still, those who came to apply couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by the competition. Tanger officials said that 3,000 to 4,000 people came to the eight-hour job fair.

The quantity of people and the quick interviews frustrated some applicants. "It's discouraging, and there's no way to stand out because they're not really interviewing," said Jill Komanetsky, 50, who lives in Mebane. "It's hit or miss. It's like winning the lotto."

The number of people who turned out for the fair is indicative of how tough it is to get any job, she said. "You're just not getting hired unless you want to work at Bojangles'," Komanetsky said.

Employers with jobs to fill had their pick among hundreds of applicants.

By 1 p.m. Bonnie Rhudy had 250 applications for the six jobs she had to fill at her University Wearhouse store, which will sell college-themed licensed apparel and gift items.

"We've had a huge variety of young and old, experienced and not experienced," she said. "We've had people from as far away as New York whose relatives have told them there's jobs here, and they're willing to relocate if they can get a job." 

Success of a sort 

For some, attending the job fair Thursday paid off.

Daniel Cruz from Burlington plans to accept a job offer from the Gap. With experience at Winn-Dixie, Food Lion and a current job at OfficeMax, Cruz said he felt he was a qualified candidate for many jobs.

But scoring a Gap job did not mean Cruz was going to quit OfficeMax. The economy, he said, is still too tight.

"The last 21/2 years, OfficeMax hasn't given pay raises," he said. "I would have been making $10 an hour, but I've been stuck at $8.50."

For now he'll work both jobs and save money. "I'm 25 now, and I've worked in retail since I was 16," Cruz said.

For other job seekers he offered this advice: "I've got to compete with 3,000 other people, that's true. But at some point, you have to suck it up and be confident."

SOURCE: Newsobserver

Ohio Outlet Malls changing strategies

The outlet malls along I-71 near Jeffersonville could not be more different - one a bustling hub of retail activity and the other struggling to find an identity.

But they have more in common than their proximity: Ownership of each changed this summer, and the new owners each say they plan to reinvest in the properties.

The former Jeffersonville II/Home Goods center on the west side of I-71 was sold for $1.8 million in June, according to Fayette County auditor's records. The buyer is a partnership that includes the owners of Coughlin Automotive and R&L Carriers, a trucking firm.

The mall, which once hosted Liz Claiborne and Reebok outlets, had faltered as the outlet-mall industry cooled and consolidated after its boom in the 1980s and early 1990s. At that point, it had tried to reinvent itself as a home-goods shopping venue.

In recent years, it has mainly been a flea-market venue, with most vendors open only on weekends. Lucky You, a video-gaming parlor, is one of the few tenants that's open all week.

The mall has been renamed Jeffersonville Crossing. Bill Brown, who's been hired as its general manager, said the new owners are painting and repaving the 2,000-car parking lot at the 325,000-square-foot center, which overall is in "very good condition."

"We're aiming to be the bargain center of Ohio, with a mix of discount stores and a large, upscale flea market," Brown said.

"If people are really looking for a deal, it's not at the outlets anymore. You can't beat a vendor with almost no overhead, like we can offer here."

Brown plans an open house for interested vendors the week of Sept.21, with details offered at the center's website, www.jcohio.com.

The property's decline was partly the result of having an out-of-state "absentee owner," he said. Rudnick Development of Tallahassee, Fla., is the former owner.

Meanwhile, Prime Outlets Jeffersonville, the shopping venue 4 miles to the south, has continued to thrive. It was sold this month by Prime Outlets to Simon Property Group as part of Simon's $2.3billion acquisition of 21 Prime Outlets centers.

Simon is a major mall owner whose properties include the Mall at Tuttle Crossing near Dublin. It also once owned Columbus City Center mall.

Prime Outlets Jeffersonville spokeswoman Kristen Hauer said Simon has retained the center's management staff and plans to continue attracting upscale outlet stores to the mall. Currently, retailers operating there include Pottery Barn, Puma and Coach. She said the mall occupancy rate remains "well above" 90percent.

SOURCE: The Columbus Dispatch

"Simon Says" - Build more outlet centers

David Simon, CEO Simon Property Group

Simon Property Group chairman and CEO David Simon Thursday told the Economic Club of Indiana that there's demand to build more outlet malls.

"Full price retail, we don't see a lot of demand," he said.

Simon spoke to about 700 people in the Indiana Convention Center 500 Ballroom. He said the company focus is to make its diverse portfolio better.

The company had better-than-expected earnings last quarter. Simon reported a profit of $152.5 million for the second quarter, compared with a loss of $21 million a year ago. Its funds from operations, a key measure for REITs, jumped to $488 million from $313 million in the prior year period.





He also said today:

• An extremely high priority is redeveloping and reinvesting in existing properties.
• The real estate industry is not near as bad as it was in the early 1990s. The world of commercial real estate is clearly stabilized.
• There will not be a double-dip recession. The lack of job growth and inflation are big problems.
• Internet sales are Simon's biggest concern because no sales tax is collected. It makes for what he called an unlevel playing field.

Simon is an extremely private CEO who rarely talks to the media unless on a conference call discussing the financial results of his company --the nation's largest publicly traded real estate investment trust.

In today's speech, Simon did not discuss the ongoing feud between Simon family members over the will of his late billionaire father, Melvin Simon.

SOURCE: Indystar Written by Dana Hunsinger

Opry Mills to be closed for another year.

Opry Mills mall will not reopen for at least a year, possibly longer, owners said this week.

Officials with Simon Property Group, which has a 50 percent ownership stake in the shopping destination, said they never intended to reopen for this year’s Christmas shopping season and that their original goal of opening next summer is now in doubt, having filed a suit this week against its insurance providers.

“We were working toward a grand re-opening in August of 2011,” said Gregg Goodman, president of Simon subsidiary The Mills, in an e-mail, “but without receiving the funds from the insurance companies, we will be unable to make this date.”

Mall owners filed suit this week against 17 insurers, claiming they are withholding $150 million of the $200 million in coverage owners say they are due. Repair work at the mall is nearing the $50 million mark, at which point work will stop, Goodman said.

SOURCE: Nashville Business Journal - by Eric Snyder Staff Writer

Meet Bethenny Frankel at the Tanger Outlets at the Arches

She won over our humor and 'tell it like it is' side with her appearances on 'The Real Housewives of New York' and melted our hearts with 'Bethenny Getting Married?' Now you'll have a chance to get up close and personal with our beloved First Lady of Bravo. Bethenny Frankel will be making an appearance at the Tanger Outlets at the Arches. 

Tanger Outlets at the Arches will be hosting "Real Style Live," a day of shopping for a breast cancer cure with Bethenny on Saturday, September 25th from 2-6pm at Tanger Outlets at the Arches in Deer Park, Long Island .

Bethenny Frankel, best selling author and celebrity natural food chef, and Charla Krupp, best selling author and fashion expert, will be dishing easy tips on how to get your body and your wardrobe fit for fall while giving back to breast cancer research. 

Why You'll Want to Attend!

• The first 150 Shoppers to spend $30 or more at the Arches get an autographed copy of Bethenny Frankel’s book, The Skinny Girl Dish plus 5 Pink Style Cards (Each card gives you an additional 25% off a single item) 
• Get up close and personal with your favorite housewife. Ask Bethenny your burning questions about fitness, food, motherhood and fashion - which items to splurge and save on this Fall
• Tanger Outlets at the Arches offers shoppers incredible fall fashion from top brands at up to 70% off plus bonus savings from September 15th-October 25th through the Pink Card Program. Donate $1 to breast cancer research and get a Pink Card that gives you 25% additional savings off the already discounted item of your choice.

EVENT INFORMATION:

TITLE:

Real Style Live

WHEN:
Saturday, September 25th, 2010
2:00pm - Bethenny Frankel Q and A
4:00pm - Charla Krupp Q and A

WHERE:
Tanger Outlets at the Arches
152 The Arches Circle, Deer Park, NY 11729
 

DIRECTIONS:By train:
L.I.R.R. to the Deer Park NY stop. Free Shuttle bus from the L.I.R.R. Station.
By car:
Exit 52 South off the L.I.E. to Commack Road

* Proceeds from Pink Card sales benefit the Babylon Breast Cancer Coalition

SOURCE: Real Housewives Blog

Joy Bauer at Tangers Long Island Outlet

Joy Bauer, a nationally televised health expert and author of Slim & Scrumptious, a book of easy nutritious recipes for everyday, will be the Master of Ceremonies for this Sunday’s Tanger Fit for Families 5K Run/Walk.

Bauer will be giving her 10 Healthy Tips to Healthier, Happier Living at Sunday’s race.  She will also be on hand to answer questions about health and nutrition, Fitness for every family member or age group, and foods to enjoy this fall for health, beauty, and more.

Each Saturday, Tanger Outlets holds a Farmers Market with fresh local produce and healthy food options for the community.

The event on Sunday is about getting Long Island residents moving,  re-styling their Fall Fitness regimes, and feeling good both inside and out. All proceeds of the Run/Walk benefits Babylon Breast Cancer Coalition, and the event kicks of the Pink Card program.  For every $1 Pink Card sold, shoppers receive 25% off a single item at participating Tanger Outlets shops.

Tanger Outlets has raised more than 7 million dollars for breast cancer research. 

Tanger Outlets at the Arches 5K Run/Walk
Sunday, September 19th, 2010
Race begins at 8:30 a.m.
Tanger Outlets at the Arches
152 The Arches Circle, Deer Park
Registration Fee: $25
Register online at www.tangeroutlet.com/race

SOURCE: Long Island Press

Shop, Save & Help Find A Cure

At the Tanger Outlets

Mark Libell

Armed Robbery at Gaffney Premium Outlets

Police are looking for three men who robbed the Zales store at the Gaffney Premium Outlets, at about 7:45 p.m. Tuesday.

One of the men pointed a handgun at one of the two female clerks. The men then went behind the display case and removed items inside.

The men were all wearing baseball caps, dark short-sleeved shirts and athletic shoes.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Gaffney Police Department at (864) 206-3320 or (864)489-8115.

SOURCE: NEW CHANNEL 7

Will Waterfords Outlet Center be a white elephant?

While the Ferrybank Centre in south Kilkenny remains idle, less than a kilometre away Waterford City Council sits, contemplating whether or not to grant planning permission to a massive new factory outlet centre, with links to Bertie Ahern and Anglo Irish Bank.

The proposed new outlet centre is to be built five kilometres from the vacant Ferrybank centre, which was developed at a cost of millions and has become an empty monument to the Celtic Tiger.

Although initial planning permission for the outlet centre was denied as there was no environmental impact study provided, Bance Nolan, who also handle the public relations for Waterford City Council, announced that: "The promoters of a major factory outlet centre in Waterford that will create 300 jobs during the construction phase and more than 200 retail and supervisory positions when it is operational have confirmed today (Sept 8) that they intend lodging a full planning application for the project with Waterford City Council within the next eight weeks."

The promoters of the proposed new centre, Junction One Investments Ltd, are hoping to develop the centre on a site owned by Parker Green International.

Fine Gael Senator John Paul Phelan said that Waterford was in danger of building a white elephant across the river from an existing white elephant.

Senator Phelan said: "While nobody wants to turn down 300 badly-needed construction jobs and a further 200 retail positions, the stark commercial reality of the prevailing economic climate is that this proposed project would be yet another white elephant in a region that can ill afford to be developing such hubs.

"The Ferrybank Shopping Centre on the opposite side of the river already remains idle and the footfall in another, recently developed hub on the Cork road remains disappointing. We shouldn't be building these large outlet centres just for the sake of building."

SOURCE: Killkenny People

Opry Mills sues insurers over flood damage.

The owner of Opry Mills mall filed suit Tuesday against its insurers, accusing them of refusing to honor the mall’s $200 million coverage in flood insurance, further dimming prospects that the regional shopping destination will be open for the Christmas shopping season.

Opry Mills Mall Limited Partnership, a subsidiary of Simon Property Group, filed suit against 17 insurers in Davidson County Chancery Court, seeking to force them to provide coverage and asking for a jury trial.

According to the suit, Chicago-based Aon Corporation served as Simon’s principal insurance broker; Aon Risk Services Central Inc. is one of the named defendants.

The May flood caused more than $200 million in damage to the mall. According to the suit, the insurers “contend that Opry Mills is only entitled to $50 million in coverage under policies issued by other insurers and none of the $150 million in coverage provided by their policies.”

Without the insurance proceeds, the mall owners claim they cannot reopen. To date, $50 million in repairs have been made, according to the lawsuit.

The suit claims that some insurers are refusing more than $50 million in coverage because the mall falls in a “high hazard flood location,” though mall owners contend that the mall’s location was not included in the list of such locations in their insurance policy. The filing includes certificates of insurance from Aon showing $200 million in flood coverage for the mall, and a post-flood e-mail from Aon confirming $200 million in coverage.

In addition to seeking an enforcement of the full $200 million coverage, the suit requests judgment against the insurers “for three times Plaintiffs’ actual damages proven at trial and all other damages available under the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act.”

SOURCE: Nashville Business Journal

Do Real Men Wear Coral? - Perry Ellis Fashion Week

MY THOUGHTS:

As a former Senior Vice President for Perry Ellis I like the risk that John Crocco is taking. I think he is right on track when he says you wouldn't wear coral from head to toe. It looks great when he pairs it with the neutral basics in white and tan. Its pure updated classics and that is what Perry Ellis is all about.  I've also always been a sucker for sweaters and argyle.

I like the coral and tangerine, but John you got to change the creamsicle. Don't change the actual color, just the color name. Real men might wear coral, but I don't know about creamsicle.

Mark Libell




Here is the full Wall Street Journal article.
SOURCE: The Wall Street Journal 9/14/10 by Elizabeth Holmes

It’s been said that a real man will wear pink. But what about coral?

John Crocco’s Spring 2011 collection for Perry Ellis was heavy on the hue, as well as related shades of creamsicle and tangerine. Coral pleated shorts opened the show; a coral wool suit also made an appearance, as did a gingham coral blazer and a striped coral shirt.

“I just love that color this season,” Mr. Crocco said. “Not head to toe, but you can throw in a piece and it really works. In my experience, men are not afraid of color. You just have to show them how to wear it properly.”

Mr. Crocco paired his orangey hues with neutral bases in white and tan. Accent colors came in sky blue and a light lime green. He said the palette was inspired by the mid-century brights used in “Mon Oncle,” a French film by Jacques Tati.

Another work from the filmmaker, “Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot,” led to the refined yet comfortable aesthetic. “It was sort of a beachside romp,” Mr. Crocco said. “The styling and the mood of it was very dressed up and sophisticated. Even though it was on the beach, it was still really put together.”

Indeed, the line trousers with cableneck sweaters; argyle vests and double-breasted jackets paired with shorts. Many of the shorts were cuffed and nearly all of the looks were paired with clean Keds sneakers. Chambray and linen fabrics gave the show an ease. Featherweight V-neck sweaters looked effortless, either on their own or under a blazer.

It was also a nod to the original intention of the Perry Ellis brand, Mr. Crocco said. “American sportswear, it’s the idea that you could dress casually but they were still very nice pieces.”