Department Stores

  • A mall entrance to a store whose sign says "OFF 5th" in black lettering and a red "5."
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    "Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th Outlet Dolphin Mall" by Phillip Pessar is licensed under CC BY 2.0
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    Saks Off 5th to close 9 stores, giving Nordstrom another opening

    Saks Global says the closures will help refine its off-price business. But its struggles with vendors may have played a role.

    By • Nov. 6, 2025
  • A Neiman Marcus storefront in downtown Chicago
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    Kaarin Moore/Retail Dive
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    Saks Global approaches merger anniversary with a whirlwind of executive changes

    Most surprising is last week’s exit of Emily Essner, who was aboard as Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus combined and whose duties just expanded.

    By • Nov. 5, 2025
  • The entrance to a mall, with a white pickup truck parked to the right. Explore the Trendline➔
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    "Dartmouth Mall, Dartmouth, Massachusetts" by JJBers is licensed under CC BY 2.0
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    Trendline

    Top 5 stories from Retail Dive

    From tariff challenges to DEI pressure, the industry is navigating a number of headwinds in 2025.

    By Retail Dive staff
  • A large downtown department store.
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    "Saks Fifth Avenue Chicago" by kzoocowboy is licensed under CC BY 2.0
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    Saks Global pins hope on stylists, top sellers

    The luxury conglomerate may be trying to woo top-notch stylists and their high-spending customers back to Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus. To succeed, the company will need inventory it may not have.

    By • Nov. 4, 2025
  • J.C. Penney's 2025 holiday campaign.
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    Permission granted by J.C. Penney
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    J.C. Penney, iHeartRadio partner on holiday collection

    The move is part of the department store’s broader plans for the season, which also include special 24-hour deals throughout November.

    By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Oct. 30, 2025
  • A downtown department store building
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    Daphne Howland/Retail Dive
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    Nordstrom relaunches holiday catalog

    The department store will host more than 1,500 events this year and will also have Santa Claus at all of its locations for the first time.

    By Howard Ruben • Oct. 29, 2025
  • An illustration of Scottsdale Fashion Square's plans for its lounge.
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    Permission granted by Scottsdale Fashion Square
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    Sponsored by Fashion Square

    Scottsdale Fashion Square redefines retail’s heart

    Luxury, design and dining converge in Palm Court transformation.

    Oct. 27, 2025
  • Bloomingdale's flagship in New York City, at night.
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    Daphne Howland/Retail Dive
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    Saks Global merchant jumps to Bloomingdale’s

    James Newell is the latest executive to leave the luxury conglomerate, which is working to capture synergies from its Saks-Neiman tie-up.

    By • Oct. 23, 2025
  • With puffy clouds in a blue sky, bushes surround a store with the name "JC Penney" in white letters. The store entrance is a brick arch.
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    "JC Penney" by Mike Mozart is licensed under CC BY 2.0
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    J.C. Penney slows declines in Q2, swings to profit

    The struggling department store said it was able to mitigate higher distribution costs and tariffs through better markdown management.

    By • Oct. 20, 2025
  • A Saks storefront in Chicago.
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    Kaarin Moore/Retail Dive
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    Saks Global Q2 revenue slumps, loss widens amid inventory woes

    Some vendors are still owed money, and a number have stopped shipping to the luxury retailer, a scenario analysts have warned about for months.

    By • Oct. 17, 2025
  • Gray clouds over a Kohl's store, with an entrance to Sephora.
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    Daphne Howland/Retail Dive
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    Kohl’s categorizes gift lists by budget to highlight value

    Gift ideas curated by price are part of the department store’s broader holiday plans, which also include expanding its assortment.

    By Howard Ruben • Oct. 14, 2025
  • A storefront, with the neighborhood reflected in the window.
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    Courtesy of Nordstrom
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    Nordstrom returns to San Francisco this week

    The department store’s service-oriented, merchandise-free concept will open two years after its downtown flagship and off-price stores shut down.

    By • Oct. 7, 2025
  • A store mannequin dressed in workout clothes stands in front of a rack of apparel.
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    Courtesy of Kohl's
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    Kohl’s expands private label athleisure line to kids

    The struggling department store is leaning on its proprietary brands to offer value while protecting margins.

    By • Sept. 29, 2025
  • A quotation mark on a blue background.
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    Kendall Davis/Retail Dive
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    Podcast

    The Backroom: How the holidays are different this year

    Heading into the season, shoppers and retailers alike are getting squeezed by tariffs and mounting economic uncertainty.

    By Retail Dive Staff • Sept. 25, 2025
  • Two fashionable looking people, wearing sunglasses, cross a street in a crosswalk.
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    Courtesy of J.C. Penney
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    J.C. Penney furthers ‘It’s from where?’ campaign with exclusive Rebecca Minkoff tie-up

    The affordable line from the designer, like the department store’s Bob Mackie collection, is part of an effort to appeal to budget-minded fashionistas.

    By • Sept. 23, 2025
  • Gray clouds over a Kohl's store, with an entrance to Sephora.
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    Daphne Howland/Retail Dive
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    Kohl’s expands fall sales event to 4 days

    The department store is offering deals on thousands of products across apparel, beauty and more online and in stores.

    By Howard Ruben • Sept. 22, 2025
  • The outside of the Macy's store in Herald Square in NYC during the holidays.
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    Kaarin Moore/Retail Dive
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    Macy’s kicks off ‘100 Days to Christmas’ with new merchandise, curated gift ideas

    The department store, which said its holiday assortment features more than 40% newness, will also expand its experiential Holiday Square concept.

    By Howard Ruben • Sept. 19, 2025
  • A massive downtown department store building.
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    "Exterior view of historic Neiman Marcus flagship store in Dallas, Texas as seen from Commerce Street." by Dfwcre8tive is licensed under CC BY 3.0
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    Dallas-area Neiman Marcus store will close after next year

    Owner Saks Global continues the renovation of the Neiman Marcus NorthPark anchor and a “potential reimagination” of the downtown store.

    By • Sept. 18, 2025
  • An Aéropostale storefront
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    Daphne Howland/Retail Dive
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    J.C. Penney operator names chief wholesale and business development officer

    Catalyst Brands has tapped Michael Fernandez, who previously worked at The Levy Group and Perry Ellis International, for the position.

    By • Sept. 18, 2025
  • People walking toward a Macy's store.
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    Daphne Howland/Retail Dive
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    Macy’s bets on automation to drive retail revival

    The retailer is moving workloads to the cloud, simplifying IT operations and adding AI to processes, executives said during an industry conference.

    By Lindsey Wilkinson • Sept. 18, 2025
  • Exterior of a Primark store in downtown Chicago.
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    Kaarin Moore/Retail Dive
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    Primark expands US footprint

    The global fashion retailer is celebrating 10 years in the country by taking on new leases and launching in Minnesota. 

    By • Sept. 15, 2025
  • A standup comedian performs in a JCPenney ad
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    Courtesy of JCPenney
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    Q&A

    How J.C. Penney is preparing for the holidays with laugh-out-loud deals

    Marketing chief Marisa Thalberg discusses how marketers can engage holiday shoppers amid economic uncertainty.

    By Chris Kelly • Sept. 15, 2025
  • People walking down the street, past storefronts.
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    Daphne Howland/Retail Dive
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    Macy’s Inc. in search of a new Bluemercury CEO

    Maly Bernstein, who has led the beauty business for four years, decided to step down and will leave the company at the end of September.

    By • Sept. 10, 2025
  • The tops of two city buildings, with blue sky in between.
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    Daphne Howland/Retail Dive
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    Macy’s posts first sales growth in years, but tariffs cast a shadow

    More staff and better visual merchandising in stores drove the namesake banner’s improvements, CEO Tony Spring said Wednesday.

    By • Sept. 3, 2025
  • A department entrance at a mall.
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    Getty Images
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    Can Dillard’s save the mall?

    The Southern department store’s investment in a Texas shopping center is a savvy business move that could spur the evolution of an aging retail model.

    By • Sept. 2, 2025
  • Pedestrians walk outside a Kohl’s store location.
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    Courtesy of Kohl's
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    Kohl’s pins recovery hopes on private label

    Despite top- and bottom-line declines, the department store beat its own expectations in Q2 and said various initiatives are bearing fruit.

    By • Aug. 27, 2025