Retail briefs

Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 6/18/2001 12:00:00 AM

Anna's Linens to open its largest store

Anna's Linens, the 62-store, valued-oriented linens specialty chain, will hold a grand opening for its largest store this week in Huntington Beach, CA. At 19,000 square feet, the former Strouds unit tops the second-largest store in the chain, a 15,000-square-foot unit opened last month as part of Anna's entry into the Las Vegas market.

Hanover Direct sells Improvements catalog

Keeping with its realignment strategy of concentrating on home-style business, Hanover Direct announced that it is selling certain assets and liabilities of its Improvements business, which targets do-it-yourselfers, to HSN, a division of USA Networks, for $33.4 million. The deal is expected to be completed by the end of the month. As part of the deal, Hanover's Keystone subsidiary will provide fulfillment services for the Improvements business under a services agreement with the buyer for up to three years.

Coldwater Creek adds vp of merchandising

Matthew Dillon has joined Coldwater Creek as vp and director of merchandising. Dillon will be responsible for developing and selecting merchandise for the company's multi-channel retailing strategy, which includes the four catalog titles, the website and the full-line retail stores.

Dillon was most recently senior vp, merchandising and marketing for The Mark Group, which operates the Mark, Fore & Strike catalog and retail stores. He has spent 20 years in the apparel trade, holding executive and upper management posts at Bullock's, Spiegel and Bear Creek Corp.

He replaces Georgia Shonk-Simmons, who was elevated to ceo in January.