Content about Payless ShoeSource

New York -- Foot Locker announced Wednesday that it has appointed Maxine Clarke, founder and CEO of  Build-A-Bear Workshop, as a member of its board of directors. Clark recently announced that she will step down from her executive position at the toy-making chain as soon as a successor is found.

Clark has also served as president of Payless ShoeSource, and spent 19 years as an executive with May Department Stores Co.

Country Club Hills, Ill. -- Midwestern shopping center owner/developer Tucker Development announced that Le Club has signed a lease at Country Club Plaza, located in the southern portion of Country Club Hills, Ill.

The woman’s apparel retailer, which operates four locations throughout the Chicago metropolitan area, will occupy a 2,500-sq.-ft. inline space at the 450,000-sq.-ft. center. According to Tucker’s VP leasing Adam Moschin, approximately 5,600 sq. ft. of space remains available for lease.

New York -- Shoe manufacturer Wolverine Worldwide Inc. announced Tuesday that it has partnered with equity firms Blum Capital Partners and Golden Gate Capital to acquire Payless ShoeSource parent Collective Brands Inc. for about $1.3 billion.

Topeka, Kansas — Payless ShoeSource, a division of Collective Brands, announced that it has signed two new franchise agreements with partners Emart, a business unit of Shinsegae Group, Seoul, for stores in Korea, and Central Marketing Group, a business unit of Central Group, Bangkok, for stores in Thailand and Vietnam, bringing the total countries, which will have franchised Payless stores to 20 countries.

Payless and its partners said that in 2012 they expect six store openings in Korea, as well as five stores each to open in Thailand and Vietnam.

Topeka, Kan. -- Collective Brands Inc., parent of Payless ShoeSource, reported Monday that it swung to a loss of $114.3 million in the quarter ended Oct. 29, compared with a profit of $47.6 million in the year-ago period. Excluding a tax-related charge, the retailer would have gained $37.1 million in the quarter.

Topeka, Kan. -- Collective Brands, parent company of Payless and Stride Rite shoe chains, announced Wednesday that it would close 475 underperforming stores over the next three years and has hired a firm to help it explore its options.

The company hired Perella Weinberg Partners and Kurt Salmon as advisors to explore strategic alternatives.

Topeka, Kan. -- Collective Brands’ Payless ShoeSource announced that it will rebuild its tornado-demolished store in Joplin, Mo., with a new 3,100-sq.-ft. store at the same location.

Topeka, Kan. -- Collective Brands, parent to Payless ShoeSource, announced Thursday the opening of its 100th franchise store, which is located in Cirebon, Indonesia.

The store represents the seventh store in Indonesia to date and the overall rapid international expansion of the Payless store chain over the past two years through its franchise strategy.

Topeka, Kan. -- Collective Brands, parent to the Payless ShoeSource and StrideRite brands, announced Wednesday that its chairman and CEO Matthew E. Rubel has resigned, effective immediately.

Rubel said in a release that he is leaving to pursue “a new chapter” in his career, and the company has offered no additional explanation.

Collective Brands said it is searching for a permanent replacement.

Topeka, Kan. — Collective Brands reported that first-quarter 2011 net earnings were $26.4 million, or 42 cents per share, compared with $54.2 million, or 83 cents per share, in the first quarter of 2010.

The company reported that net sales decreased 1.1% to $869 million. Same-store sales were down 7.4%. 

Flushing, N.Y. -- Onex Real Estate Partners said that Payless ShoeSource has opened a new store at Sky View Center, the 800,000-sq.-ft shopping center located below Sky View Parc, Queens’ new mixed-used residential development.

The new 4,200-sq.-ft. Payless location, on level D of the Center, officially opens on April 9.

Topeka, Kan. -- Collective Brands, the parent company of Payless ShoeSource, said Wednesday that its net loss narrowed slightly in the fourth quarter as sales improved in its wholesale unit. The performance beat Wall Street expectations.

For the three months ended Jan. 29, Collective Brands lost $10.1 million, compared with a loss of $10.9 million in the year-ago period.