George Whalin
George Whalin
chicago deciding presence sell stores wants
I think May deciding to sell its Chicago stores to Federated is a very real possibility, ... Federated desperately wants more of a presence in the Midwestern market.
attracting good mall problem stores
If the mall has other good stores in it, they shouldn't have any problem attracting other retailers.
employees generally good holidays near retailers staff store stores weather
Generally retailers would like to have employees come to the store when they most need them. They want to staff stores when they are the busiest, like on weekends, near the holidays or when the weather is good or bad.
challenges convert easy loyal stores
They have significant challenges ahead. May stores had a lot of loyal customers, and it won't be easy to convert them.
affluent business cities driving general major retail san stores york
The retail business in general is strong, and Federated is doing well, considering it has stores in major cities such as New York and San Francisco, where the affluent shopper is driving a lot of sales.
business changes consumers decided department enormous favorite format future gone great last places retail store stores
The department store business has gone through enormous changes in the last 10 years and we aren't through yet. It's a retail format that doesn't have a great future in it. Consumers have decided traditional department stores aren't their favorite places to shop.
begun business extension natural record seem selection tougher track
I think the women's business is much tougher than anything else they have been in. It doesn't seem like a natural extension to me. They have begun to get a better selection of merchandise and the business is getting better, but they don't have a real track record here yet.
benefits customer driven great objective putting reduce retailers saying service spin
Retailers are putting a great spin on this, saying that the customer benefits in the end. However, the self-checkout is not driven by customer service but by the retailer's objective to reduce costs.
careful jobs nervous people
I think people are nervous about their jobs and when people get nervous about their jobs, they get very careful about spending.
center except fashion issue maybe risk shopping
When you look at any shopping center these days, the risk issue is significant. Except maybe at Fashion Valley.
falls hard mall torn
Typically, when a mall falls on hard times, it never recovers. They end up being torn down.
figure jury trying whether
We're still trying to figure out what they're doing. The jury is still out on whether Kmart is even going to survive.
finding fit local location major networks promotions retailers tailor united
China's distribution networks aren't as sophisticated as in the United States, especially away from the major cities. Finding the right location is critical. Retailers will have to tailor their marketing, promotions and merchandising to fit local tastes.
complete finish investment middle realize shopping stop until
If they're in the middle of remodeling this shopping center, they're not going to stop until they finish it. They can't realize their investment until they complete construction.