MANAGEMENT CHANGES
Justin Wartell was named managing director of Interbrand Design Forum (Dayton, Ohio). He will oversee the retail branding office’s day-to-day operations in his new position.
Pointsmith (Houston), a p-o-p management company, hired Ken Xie as its senior web application developer. He will support web and mobile applications, as well as managing databases, in his new role.
STORE OPENINGS
Dick’s Sporting Goods (Pittsburgh) is announcing its newest location in Northborough, Mass. The store is the retailer’s 17th in the state and its 489th worldwide.
A new West Elm shop will open at the Vernon Hills Shopping Center in Scarsdale, N.Y., this month. The brand, which specializes in home furnishings and decor, has 28 stores.
Whole Foods (Austin, Texas) opened a new store in Austin, Texas, on William Cannon Drive on Father’s Day, and plans to open a second store in the city later this year.
Conn’s Inc. (Beaumont, Texas) opened a new retail location in Waco, Texas, recently. The new Conn’s Home Plus measures 45,000 square feet space and includes a 23,000-square-foot furniture and mattress department. Conn’s has 65 stores in Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma.
Women’s fashion boutique retailer Aritzia (Vancouver) is planning to open a 13000-square-foot flagship in New York’s Rockefeller Center, according to Women’s Wear Daily. The flagship will be Aritzia’s largest venue to date.
BUSINESS BRIEFS
Columbia Forest Products (Greensboro, N.C.) won the International Wood Products Association’s Innovative Design award for its PureBond decorative plywood panels, which are formaldehyde-free and do not emit volatile organic compounds.
IDX Corp. (St. Louis) is expanding its management team and opening a Chicago office, along with expanding its fixture design and development services. Mayur Patadia will serve as general manager of this new division.