Off-price retailer T.J. Maxx will open a store in Burbank on Sunday, bringing its total number of Los Angeles-area locations to 37.
At nearly 25,000 square feet, the store will feature a new format including redesigned dressing rooms, a revamped checkout area and new store signage. The store will be located at 1651 N. Victory Place; grand opening hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The Framingham, Mass., retailer said the store would add about 60 full- and part-time jobs to the area and would receive 10,000 new items each week.
Cheap chic retailer H&M will open a store at Westfield Century City on Thursday.
To celebrate the opening, the store will offer the first 200 shoppers an H&M T-shirt and an Access to Fashion Pass, a shopping card containing a value from $10 to $300.
The store opens at noon at the mall, which is located at 10250 Santa Monica Blvd.
Kohl's will open 35 new stores in former Mervyns locations on Sept. 30, including 30 in California.
The department store chain has waited for years to make a big move into California. Currently, the company only has 91 stores in the state, and many of them are in outlying suburbs.
But Kohl's faces many of the same economic challenges that led to the collapse of Mervyns and other retailers.
With unemployment at 12.2% in California, many consumers are in no mood to spend on apparel and accessories -- the very kinds of merchandise Kohl's sells.
The retailer will also face stiff competition from sellers including JCPenney, Target and Ross.
But Chief Executive Kevin Mansell said the chain has already proven it can weather the recession and noted Kohl's has fresher merchandise than Mervyns and a lineup of exclusive, national and private brands. The chain, which has more than 1,000 stores in 49 states, has consistently beat Wall Street's sales expectations throughout the year.
Read the full story, with comments from Mansell and reality-TV-star-turned-fashion-designer Lauren Conrad, here.
-- Andrea Chang
Photo: Workers put the finishing touches on a new Kohl's store in Redondo Beach. Credit: Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times
Three more retailers have joined the lineup of stores at Santa Monica Place, which is scheduled to open next summer.
The open-air shopping center said today that Burberry, CB2 and Nike have signed leases and will together occupy more than 37,000 square feet of retail space.
Previously announced stores include Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom, Kitson, Joe’s Jeans and True Religion.
Santa Monica Place will be located two blocks from the beach and next to the Third Street Promenade. It is scheduled to open in August 2010.
-- Andrea Chang
Photo: Artist rendering of future CB2 store at Santa Monica Place. Credit: Santa Monica Place
Frugalists take note: Old Navy is holding a “One Day Wonder” sale this Saturday that’s sure to bring out the bargain hunters.
Visit your local Old Navy store and pick up socks for children for just $1 or basic t-shirts for $3 a pop. The limit on both bargains is five per customer. (Except if you’re buying the socks for toddlers.)
If you’re interested, Old Navy advises to "shop early because these are sure to go quickly.”
IKEA isn’t advertising just low prices on furniture any more. Now it’s touting its food as well.
Until Aug. 16, children can eat for free. Children under 12 can choose any three kid-size items -- like macaroni and cheese, two cookies and chocolate milk -- for a free meal. No adult meal purchase is necessary.
Here's some good news for job seekers: Kohl's is opening 12 new locations in the Los Angeles area next month and is planning to hire 1,800 employees to fill the stores.
Local job seekers are encouraged to apply for associate positions including customer service, cash register operation and early-morning stocking. New hires will receive the full Kohl's benefit package including competitive wages, health insurance and merchandise discounts.
New store locations are in Cypress, Downey, Fullerton, Huntington Beach, L.A., Monrovia, Northridge, Redondo Beach, Sun Valley, Tustin, Upland and Whittier.
Job fairs are scheduled for August 9-13. Applicants should visit www.kohlscareers.com or call (877) 639-5645 to schedule an interview and to obtain additional information.
Kohl’s is opening 30 new California stores this fall, increasing the number of outlets in the state to 121.
Ritzy Fashion Island in Newport Beach -- already home to Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale's and Juicy Couture -- today announced a massive renovation project to upgrade the beachfront shopping center.
Among the additions: a Nordstrom store, slated to open April 2010; a Dean & DeLuca gourmet grocery; hand-carved fountains and a 24-foot-high water wall; new cafes and outdoor seating areas; and more parking spaces.
The project will cost more than $100 million and is expected to be completed by mid-2011, according to executives at the Irvine Co., which owns the open-air shopping center.
"It's important for all retail centers to reinvent themselves over time," said Keith Eyrich, president of Irvine Co. Retail Properties, in an interview. "People are going to see something they wouldn't see anywhere else."
-- Andrea Chang
Photo: Shoppers -- and their pooches -- stroll one of Fashion Island's paseos. Credit: Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times
Alfalfa sprouts products sold in Southern California Gelson’s and Whole Foods Market grocery stores were recalled today by the California Department of Public Health because of possible salmonella contamination.
Mark Horton, director of the CDPH, warned consumers not to eat certain Kowalke Organics’ alfalfa products with sell-by dates between June 18 and June 30. Those products include:
The Culver City company that operates Kowalke Organics, Mike’s Produce Inc., said it was voluntarily recalling raw alfalfa sprouts products.
Mike Matthews, Kowalke’s owner, told the Associated Press that only one package -- with the sell-by date of June 21 -- tested positive for salmonella, so far. All the products with that date, Matthews said, have already been taken off store shelves.
CDPH recommends that if consumers have questions, they should contact Kowalke Family Sprouts at (310) 636-1924.
H&M continues its Southern California expansion tomorrow with a new store at the Westside Pavilion in Los Angeles.
The Swedish retailer, known for its trendy styles at affordable prices, will celebrate opening day by giving the first 100 customers an H&M T-shirt and an "Access to Fashion Pass" shopping card containing a hidden value of $10 to $100.
The store, which opens at noon, will offer clothing for men and women and will also carry accessories.
