Retail briefs

Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 12/10/2001 12:00:00 AM

Ames closings continue

Ames Department Stores announced its second round of store closings within a month, scheduling 54 locations for liquidation beginning Dec. 30. Those stores are expected to close in February or March. Ames said that its analysis of the store sales volumes, local demographics and market potential of its remaining 333 stores would have a sales per square foot figure that is 22 percent higher than the current average, as a result of these closings. In voluntary Chapter 11 since August, Ames has announced the closings of a total of 117 stores this year, as well as a distribution center. The upcoming store closings will affect one store each in Delaware, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Rhode Island, two stores each in Maryland and Maine, four each in New York and Virginia, six in West Virginia, 14 in Ohio and 18 in Pennsylvania.

Jo-Ann Stores hires senior vp, marketing.

Jo-Ann Stores has named Bill Dandy as senior vp, marketing. Previously, Dandy was senior vp, retail sales and operations, at Famous Footwear, a $1 billion division of Brown Shoe Company. From 1993 to 1997, he was vp of marketing/advertising at Michaels Stores. His retail background also includes stints at Ames Department Stores, Miller's Outpost and Mervyn's Department Stores.