Content about Ames Department Stores Inc.

New York City -- Gap reaffirmed the company’s commitment to reducing square footage at home while aggressively growing its online revenue and international presence during a presentation to investors in New York City. Gap also revealed that it will explore a brick-and-mortar store for its online-only Piperlime division next year.

Bensalem, Pa. -- Charming Shoppes said it would close 240 unprofitable stores in 2011, or nearly 12% of its total outlets, and that more than half of those would be Fashion Bug stores.
 
The locations were not disclosed.

The company said all 30 of its Catherines Plus Sizes stores in outlet locations would be shuttered over a two-year period.
 

Grapevine, Texas -- GameStop Corp. reported Thursday that net earnings for the quarter ended Jan. 29 rose 10.1% to $237.8 million, compared with $215.9 million in the year-ago period.

Total sales increased 4.8% to $3.69 billion, from $3.52 billion. Same-store sales increased 2.6%.

For the year, total sales increased 4.3% to an all-time high of $9.47 billion, in comparison to $9.08 billion in fiscal 2009. Same-store sales increased 1.1%. Net earnings increased 8.1% to a record $408 million.

The annual Big Builders Survey measures new stores opened in 2009 and 2010, including relocations, and highlights retailers with notable construction activity. Although not a comprehensive ranking of all retail construction activity, the Big Builders report chronicles key leaders in select categories: department stores, discount stores, do-it-yourself stores, drug stores, food stores, specialty hardlines and specialty softlines.



Minneapolis -- Target announced that more than 55 of its stores in the Chicago area have been redesigned to further deliver one-stop shopping convenience for guests. The stores have been updated to feature the retailer’s open-market grocery layout, with an expanded selection of fresh produce, fresh meat and baked goods.