THE BLAY REPORT BY ZANDILE BLAY

SO.....DID YOU KNOW THESE STORES ARE CLOSING?

noreply@blogger.com (ZANDILE BLAY) — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 11:41:00 -0500

usa - by now i'm sure you've actually already gotten the forward, but i thought i'd just do you one better by posting it for you: tons of retailers in the states are closing and i'm guessing its a byproduct of the total economic melt down in the states right now? either way see below....true, most of them are not a fashionistas paradise, but chances are at least one of them made it onto your retail radar...

Ann Taylor closing 117 stores nationwide
...A company spokeswoman said the company hasn't revealed which stores will be shuttered. It will let the stores that will close this fiscal year know over the next month

Eddie Bauer to close more stores
...Eddie Bauer has already closed 27 shops in the first quarter and plans to close up to two more outlet stores by the end of the year.

Cache closing stores
...Women's retailer Cache announced that it is closing 20 to 23 stores this year.

Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug, Catherines closing 150 stores nationwide
...The owner of retailers Lane Bryant , Fashion Bug , Catherines Plus Sizes will close about 150 underperforming stores this year.The company hasn't provided a list of specific store closures and can't say when it will offer that info, spokeswoman Brooke Perry said today.

Talbots , J. Jill closing stores
...About a month ago, Talbots announced that it will be shuttering all 78 of its kids and men's stores. Now the company says it will close another 22 underperforming stores.. The 22 stores will be a mix of Talbots women's and J. Jill , another chain it owns. The closures will occur this fiscal year, according to a company press release.

Gap Inc. closing 85 stores
...In addition to its namesake chain, Gap also owns Old Navy and Banana Republic . The company said the closures - all planned for fiscal 2008 - will be weighted toward the Gap brand.

Foot Locker to close 140 stores
...In the company press release and during its conference call with analysts today, it did not specify where the future store closures - all planned in fiscal 2008 - will be. The company could not be immediately reached for comment.

Wickes is going out of business
...Wickes Furniture is going out of business and closing all of its stores, Wickes, a 37-year-old retailer that targets middle-income customers, filed for bankruptcy protection last month.

Goodbye Levitz / BOMBAY - closed already
...The furniture retailer, which is going out of business. Levitz first announced it was going out of business and closing all 76 of its stores in December. The retailer dates back to 1910 when Richard Levitz opened his first furniture store in Lebanon , PA. In the 1960s, the warehouse/showroom concept brought Levitz to the forefront of the furniture industry. The local Levitz closures will follow the shutdown of Bombay .

Zales, Piercing Pagoda closing stores
...The owner of Zales and Piercing Pagoda previously said it plans to close 82 stores by July 31. Today, it announced that it is closing another 23 underperforming stores. The company said it's n ot pro viding a list of specific store closures. Of the 105 locations planned for closure, 50 are kiosks and 55 are stores.

Disney Store owner has the right to close 98 stores
...The Walt Disney Company announced it acquired about 220 Disney Stores from subsidiaries of The Children's Place Retail Stores. The exact number of stores acquired will depend on negotiations with landlords. Those subsidiaries of Children's Place filed for bankruptcy protection in late March. Walt Disney in the news release said it has also obtained theright to close about 98 Disney Stores in the U.S. The press release didn't list those stores.

Home Depot store closings (E. Brunswick, Rt 18 just put up their closing sign)
...Nearly 7+ months after its chief executive said there were no plans to cut the number of its core retail stores, The Home Depot Inc. announced Thursday that it is shuttering 15 of them amid a slumping U.S. economy and housing market. The move will affect 1,300 employees. It is the first time the world's largest home improvement store chain has ever closed a flagship store for performance reasons. Its shares rose almost 5 percent. The Atlanta-based company said the underperforming U.S.stores being closed represent less than 1 percent of its existing stores. They will be shuttered within the next two months.

CompUSA (CLOSED)
...clarifies details on store closings Any extended warranties purchased for products through CompUSA will be honored by a third-party provider, Assurant Solutions. Gift cards, rain checks, and rebates purchased prior to December 12 can be redeemed at any time during the final sale. For those who have a gadget currently in for service with CompUSA, the repair will be completed and the gadget will be returned to owners.

Movie Gallery - 160 stores closed as part of reorganization plan to exit bankruptcy
...The video rental company plans to close 400 of 3,500 Movie Galleryand Hollywood Video stores in addition to the 520 locations the video rentalchain closed last fall.

Pep Boys - 33 stores

Sprint Nextel
...125 retail locations New Sprint Nextel CEO Dan Hesse appears to have inherited a company bleeding subscribers by the thousands, and will now officially be dropping the ax on4,000 employees and 125 retail locations. Amid the loss of 639,000 postpaid customers in the fourth quarter, Sprint will be cutting a total of 6.7% of its work force (following the 5,000 layoffs last year) and 8% of company-owned brick-and-mortar stores, while remaining mute on other rumors that it will consolidate its headquarters in Kansas . Sprint Nextel shares are down $2.89, or nearly 25%, at the time of this writing.

J. C. Penney, Lowe's and Office Depot are scaling back

Ethan Allen Interiors
... The company announced plans to close 12 of 300+stores in an effort to cut costs.

Wilsons the Leather Experts - 158 stores

Pacific Sunwear will close its 154 Demo stores
...after a review of strategic alternatives for the urban-apparel brand. Seventy-four underperforming Demo stores closed last May.

Sharper Image closing 90 stores
...The company recently filed for bankruptcy protection and announced that 90 of its 184 stores are closing. The retailer will still operate 94 stores to pay off debts, but 90 of these stores have performed poorly and also may close.

Bombay Company: (Freehold Mall store closed)
...The company unveiled plans to close all 384 U.S.-based Bombay Company stores. The company's online storefront has discontinued operations.

KB Toys posted a list of 356 stores that it is closing
...around the United States as part of its bankruptcy reorganization. To see the list of store closings, go to the KB Toys Information web site, and click on Press Information

Dillard's to Close More Stores
...Dillard's Inc. said it will continue to focus on closing underperforming stores, reducing expenses and improving its merchandise in 2008. At the company's annual shareholder meeting, CEO William Dillard II said the company will close another six underperforming stores this year.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING MONDAY AFTER WORK? IF YOU ARE IN NEW YORK CITY, YOU NEED TO BE HERE: THE BAG TRENDS ARM CANDY PARTY

noreply@blogger.com (ZANDILE BLAY) — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 08:26:00 -0500

new york - my wonderful friend pamela peckerman is throwing her second annual bag trends arm candy party. the event attracts all the bag loving fashionistas in new york and beyond and is a great place to meet wonderful fashion professionals, designers, while enjoying great drinks and spectacular fashion. it is the premier shopping event of the season. check out the invitation for rsvp and location details or log on here. i wish i could be there with yall!

I AM OFF TO ITALY, YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS...

noreply@blogger.com (ZANDILE BLAY) — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 08:17:00 -0500

london - no my dears! i am not going to elope with a hot italian (i'm still trying to make it work with my hot dominican.) but what it does mean is that i will probably not blog for a week as i have no computer access in italy. if anything changes though, please believe that i will be posting pictures, etc for you guys. i am going there for six days to check out the fashion industry in southern italy and in milan. it will be a good time and i can't wait to share all the photos and stories with you when i return. i love you to bits. xx, zb

LAST NIGHT @ ISSA: THE BEST BACK STAGE OF ANY FASHION SHOW AT LFW

noreply@blogger.com (ZANDILE BLAY) — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 05:09:00 -0500

me & pat mcgrath.

me and edward enninful.

chanel iman, me and her mom. (isn't this lady gorgeous!?)

me and jourdan dunn! she was super nice.

london - ohmygod! blaynistas, i am having mobile phone drama in the u.k at the moment, which is why i was not able to twitter blow by blow accounts to you last night, but i had the best and most surreal evening ever. i went backstage at issa to report on the show for paper magazine. more than any other show, i was thrilled to be at this one, why? because edward enninful (major stylist for vogue and fashion director at i.d), pat mcgrath (i mean....you gotta know who this make up maverick for vogue, vanity fair, etc is) and guido (legendary hair stylist) were all back stage. what i didn't know was that so was naomi campbell (who i totally walked in on while pat mcgrath was doing her make up....i quickly left when i saw it was her. i don't want no drama!) jourdan dunn and chanel iman.) i just cant take. being around these legends and watching them work was just the high point of my eve....i don't even know what more to say. enjoy the pics readers. xo, zb

TYRA BANKS IN V MAGAZINE: I LIKE

noreply@blogger.com (ZANDILE BLAY) — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 05:09:00 -0500

BTW - ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A FAB FASHION INTERNSHIP? TRY ME!