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IN BRIEF

NEIMAN MARCUS’ GROWTH OUTLET

Neiman Marcus Group plans to grow its real estate base by opening more Last Call outlet stores, executives said on an earnings call in September. “We have 18 and plan to reach 30 within the next five years,” said Chairman and CEO Burt Tansky. “This can be a very important growth driver.” The Dallas-based luxury retailer currently operates one Last Call for every two or three Neiman Marcus stores, for selling off unsuccessful merchandise. Yet the full-price stores are so successful that the company will have to create new merchandise specifically for the Last Call units, he said. The chain, fueled by capital from its new owners — private equity firms Texas Pacific Group and Warburg Pincus — also plans to open eight more Neiman Marcus stores by 2010, Tansky said.

For the fiscal year ended July 29, revenues increased 7.9 percent to $4.1 billion, while same-store sales grew 6.8 percent. Sales per square foot rose to $611, up 6 percent. “It’s a level of productivity substantially higher than our competitors,” he said, adding that Neiman is keeping a close eye on rivals Barneys New York and Saks Fifth Avenue as they grow their businesses. The company’s new Cusp concept, meanwhile, aimed at younger shoppers, is “off to an encouraging start,” he said, “but we’re not going to make any commitment until we see how the experiment goes.” The first Cusp store opened in McLean, Va., in July, followed by a unit in Los Angeles. A third store is set to open in Washington, D.C.’s Georgetown district by year-end.

Saks plans Mexico unit

Saks Inc. signed a licensing deal with Mexico City-based Grupo Sanborns to expand its luxurious Saks Fifth Avenue brand into Mexico. The retailer will open its first Mexican Saks Fifth Avenue store, a 150,000-square-foot unit at the Santa Fe Shopping Center, in Mexico City, next September. Grupo Sanborns, which controls the Mexican licenses for Pier 1 Imports, Sears and others, also operates several retail chains, including Dorians department stores. The company will own and operate any new Saks Fifth Avenue stores that open in that country. “Based on the success of the Saks Fifth Avenue store in Mexico City, we will consider expansion into other cities in Mexico,” said Stephen Sadove, Saks Inc.’s CEO, in a press release. Saks Fifth Avenue, which operates 54 U.S. stores, also has stores in Dubai, United Arab Emirate; and Saudi Arabia, and it plans to open a store in Shanghai, China, by 2008.

Apple’s expansion plans

Apple Computer is the fastest-growing retailer in the U.S., with one new store opening every nine days, Ron Johnson, senior vice president of retail, told a group of investors. Johnson said the company, which expects to open 40 stores per year moving forward, will remodel its existing units in conformity to its new subterranean store on Fifth Avenue in New York City.

Diedrich sells out

Diedrich Coffee, the Southern California café chain that once sold T-shirts reading “Venti, Schmenti,” plans to sell its 47 company-owned stores to archrival Starbucks for about $13.5 million and focus on expanding its wholesale and franchise businesses. Diedrich has about 200 franchised stores under the Diedrich and Gloria Jean’s banners.

Luxottica sells Things Remembered

Italian retailer Luxottica sold Things Remembered, a U.S.-based, 653-store chain of gift stores, to GB Merchant Partners and Bruckmann, Rosser, Sherrill & Co. for about $200 million. Luxottica, which specializes in eyewear, acquired Things Remembered in 2004 through its purchase of conglomerate Cole National.