Saks Global Shuts Most Off-Price Stores to Refocus on Luxury Retail

According to Saks Global, they have made the decision to close the majority of their off-price locations. As a result, the majority of the Saks Off 5th stores and all of the Last Call stores will be permanently closed. Out of 69 Saks Off 5th stores, 12 will remain open and 57 will be closing. All five of the Last Call stores will also be closing. This comes after the closure of nine of the Saks Off 5th stores last November. E-Commerce Business to Shut Down Saks Off 5th’s online business is shutting down. The eCommerce division was separated from the brick & mortar stores five years ago and is now being liquidated. An online liquidation sale started recently. Saks Global recently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and this has greatly accelerated the decision-making process for these particular stores. Focus Shifts Back to Luxury According to Saks Global, the move is a step toward fully committing to the luxury retail segment, further solidifying their belief in the viability of the luxury retail segment despite other retail challenges throughout the industry. “As we focus on luxury retailers, we believe we can grow with our business and our high-end customers while also promoting more full-price sales of our core brands: Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, and Bergdorf Goodman.” He added, “With this emphasis, we are looking to sustain our growth for many years into the future.” Why Off-Price Is Hard to Manage According to retail specialists, it is challenging to have both a full-price and an off-price business. With proper management, off-price outlets do not negatively impact full-price sales, but with off-price outlets growing and traditional department stores shrinking, off-price retailers need to establish separate strategies and excellent execution to help them sell off excess inventory. New Role for Remaining Stores The other Saks Off Fifth locations will play an increasingly smaller role going forward. Rather than purchase brand new items specifically for an off-price environment, they will sell excess inventory from Saks Global’s portfolio of luxury brands. Most of the locations that remain open now are concentrated in Florida, with dispersed locations in New York, California, Georgia, New Jersey, and Texas. One of the New York stores is experiencing leasing issues due to lack of rent payments. What This Means for Competitors Nordstrom may gain customers by expanding its off-price Rack stores, which can help with this retreat. Retail armchair experts believe that there is a tremendous amount of opportunity for luxury off-price; however, the only way to take advantage of that opportunity is for companies to commit to having a complete off-price division.

Don Lemon Charged After Anti-ICE Protest Disrupts Minnesota Church Service

On January 18, when Don Lemon (a former CNN anchor) got arrested and charged in connection to this incident at Cities Church in St Paul, MN, Don and others were in attendance for an ongoing religious service. Don entered the church because he and others were protesting ICE. The group alleged that one of the pastors at the church had a working relationship with ICE. The protest led to escalating tensions between worshippers and protesters as the protest commenced and disrupted the service. Arrest and Court Appearance Federal agents arrested Lemon and eventually released him once he appeared in court; however, Lemon did not enter a plea. After being released, Lemon spoke with reporters and stated that he was arrested while doing his job as a journalist. He also stated that he was guilty only of reporting on the news and that he would not be silenced. Lemon described his arrest as an affront to the First Amendment. Charges Filed Against Lemon Prosecutors previously charged Lemon with both conspiracy to deprive rights and conspiracy to interfere with religious freedoms. Authorities have alleged that Lemon and others engaged in actions which amounted to a disruption of the church service; additionally, that they intimidated parishioners of the church and blocked access to the inside of the church to individuals who wished to move freely within its confines. The indictment described Lemon as assisting in maintaining confidentiality for the plan of the protest, as well as being a participant in a coordinated action when he entered the church on the date of the occurrence. What Prosecutors Are Alleging The authorities contend that Lemon and the other demonstrators occupied the primary aisle plus front seating areas of the church, creating chaos and creating fear. Additionally, prosecutors allege that Lemon confronted congregants at the church entrance and physically impeded the exiting congregants on the way out. Video evidence shows demonstrators and congregants arguing loudly with one another during the worship service. Lemon’s Response and Legal Defence Lemon claims that he was at the protest as a member of the press and is therefore not responsible for the actions of protesters. Lemon’s attorney has issued a statement indicating that Lemon will vigorously contest these charges in court and believes that this case represents an unprecedented assault on the First Amendment by the government and serves to draw attention away from other national issues. Political and Public Reactions Nationwide responses have been widespread. The Trump Administration is defending the charges as being related to an organised assault on the right to practise one’s religion freely. The White House posted a social media entry seemingly mocking Lemon’s arrest. At the same time, CNN stated that many of their journalists are extremely concerned regarding freedom of the press. Karen Bass, the Mayor of Los Angeles, stated that Lemon’s arrest was extremely shocking and very frightening. Broader Concerns About Press Freedom Recent events have brought new anxiety for free speech proponents. It also follows another very recent event in which a federal officer executed a search warrant at a journalist’s home. The ongoing protests in Minneapolis against Immigration and Customs Enforcement have added more drama to the struggle between government power and the ability for news organisations to conduct their business free from harassment.