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Friday, February 20, 2009

02/20/09 GREENWICH ROUNDUP EXCLUSIVE: J. Crew's Tests New Concept In Greenwich.Madewell Is Launching On Greenwich Avenue

You won't read this headline at the Greenwich citizen .....

J. Crew To Launch New Retail Brand In Greenwich


You won't read this headline at the Greenwich Post .....
Greenwich J.Crew-Aholics To Become Madewell Ginny Pigs


You won't read this headline at the Greenwich Time .....
Greenwichites To Help Give Thumbs Up Or Thumbs Down On New Retail Concept


You won't hear Tony Savino at WGCH read this headline .....
J. Crew to Debut Less-Expensive Madewell Chain On Greenwich Avenue


You won't read this headline at any Greenwich blog .....
A sassy kid sister's coming out on Greenwich Avenue


But Greenwich Roundup, the leading guide to chic destinations in town and advisor of fashion-savvy members of Greenwich society reports that.....
J.Crew Aficionados Like Michelle Obama Can See The New Madewell Collection On Greenwich Avenue In 10 Days !!!!


Millard Drexler, who was formerly CEO of Gap and is revitalizing J. Crew Group Inc. as its chairman and CEO, is developing a new chain of casual women’s clothing stores called Madewell.


The New York-based clothier unveiling the first Madewell store in August in Dallas, followed by another store in Los Angeles. The company having a A Madewell opening at 256 Greenwich Avenue, on March 3.


Store officials have declined to say how many stores the company envisions.

Store Officials have also said that they see Madewell and J. Crew complementing each other, not competing with each other.


Madewell is targeted to the affluent high school/college student- who wants to look great in basics and vintage inspired pieces, who can not only afford great quality but desires it.


Madewell will cater to the younger female customer because of its lower prices and style.


J. Crew currently operates eight Madewell stores in the United States, with two more scheduled to debut this year. A Madewell online store has partially launched and will expand in July or August.


The company started developing the lower-priced offshoot in 2006, and still classifies the line as "research and development.


But the big question is will the fashion gods smile on the new retailer's colorful and classic styles.


In the second half of this year J Crew is going to make a 'go or no go' decision on the Madewell concept. Jim Scully, CFO of the company, recently said during the Wachovia Nantucket Equity Conference:


"One thing we won't do is lose $15 million a year, we'll either lose zero or ramp up and be profitable."


Any expansion would occur in 2010 due to real estate factors.


The Big Question Is Can The Preppy J Crew Somehow Get The First Family To Somehow Promote The Newer Sister Store Called Madewell.


J Crew did see a spike in traffic when Michelle Obama donned that first, now famous, J.Crew getup on Jay Leno.

J Crew also received a boost when the Obama girls wore their Crewcuts get ups to the inauguration and when Michelle Obama wore J.Crew the weekend before at the "Kids Inaugural: We Are the Future" concert. (Crewcuts is another J crew concept store format that will target kids)

The Big Question Is......


Can J Crew Get An Obama Reletive To Wear The Hippie-Chic Look Of Madewell And Then Somehow Appear On National TV.


Madewell is targeted to the affluent high school/college student- who wants to look great in basics and vintage inspired pieces, who can not only afford great quality but desires it (in terms of fabric and stitch).


J. Crew is relatively small - its revenues last year were just over a billion, and its entire retail square footage would fit into the space of just 13 Sam's Clubs.


So many in the retail industry wonder if it wise for retailing icon Mickey Drexler to double down in the worst retail environment in 40 years.


Is It Really wise to launch this a new, somewhat upscale brand called Madewell.


The fledgling Madewell chain - which has opened at ten locations, including New York City, Los Angeles, and Dallas - is aimed at the J. Crew customer's edgier siblings. Think jeans and boots rather than skirts and sweater sets. Madewell's name has a deliberate throwback quality that often appeals to a youthful craving for authenticity.


Madewell was a a defunct New England manufacturer.


The script logo - reminiscent of the Peterbilt truck's typography - actually dates back to 1937. Drexler bought the rights to the name shortly after he joined J. Crew.


Is J. Crew trying to pick up the American Eagle And Abercrombie & Fitch graduates.


The children of the baby-boomers are three years away from getting into their 20s.


Madewell will have a women's-only line will focused on "timeless and ageless" casual merchandise, with price points 20- to 30% lower than J. Crew.


Madewell stores will be 3,000-sq.-ft., about half the size of J. Crew stores


More Information:






IN THE NEXT GREENWICH ROUNDUP FASHION REPORT
WE WILL REVIEW A $1,000 PAIR OF GLOVES AT
RICHARDS ON GREENWICH AVENUE
A pair of gloves for $1,000 they have to be kidding me ..... thats $500 a hand ...... or $100 a finger ..... I'll give them a $100 finger ..... How about a middle finger !!!!!!
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02/20/09 Greenwich Blogger Forces Greenwich Real Estate Professionals To Seek Help At Local Bread Lines

Newly Poor Swell Lines At Americaa s Food Banks
The Tech




By Julie Bosman
THE NEW YORK TIMES



Once a crutch for the most needy, food pantries have responded to the deepening recession by opening their doors to what Rosemary Gilmartin, who runs the Interfaith Food Pantry here, described as “the next layer of people” — a rapidly expanding roster of child-care workers, nurse’s aides, real estate agents and secretaries facing a financial crisis for the first time.

Demand at food banks across the country increased by 30 percent in 2008 from the previous year, according to a survey by Feeding America, which distributes more than 2 billion pounds of food every year. And instead of their usual drop in customers after the holidays, many pantries in upscale suburbs this year are seeing the opposite......

... In Greenwich, Conn., a pantry organizer reported a “tremendous” increase in demand for food since December, with out-of-work landscapers and housekeepers as well as real estate professionals who have not made a sale in months filling the line ....

COMMENT:


Obviously, More Collateral Damage From
Greenwich Blogger Chris Fountain's Postings.




THIS BLOGGER IS DANGEROUS !!!!!!
LOCAL REALESTATE BROKERS SAY TOWN GADFLY AND REAL ESTATE BLOGGER CHRIS FOUNTAIN MUST BE STOPPED BEFORE GREENWICH HOUSES LOOSE EVEN MORE VALUE

PLEASE ALSO SEE:


2/18/09 Chris Fountain Says Don't Blame Him for the Greenwich Real Estate Crisis


The power of blogs


Train wreck coming or just a rest stop? « For What It’s Worth
Many of my colleagues who berate me for my “negativism” will, if pressed even a little bit, readily admit that the Greenwich housing market is in the toilet, and why shouldn’t they? That’s the truth. And here’s another truth: for at ...


MORE INFO:


Attn. Greenwich Realtors: Don’t Look!
Thanks to a reader I was reminded to check out “Seeking Alpha” and this article by a James Quinn. Fun bedtime reading and if you want to stay up tonight, take a gander at this chart from Shiller. Bummer....

===============================================================Please send your comments to GrrenwichRoundup@gmail.com or click on the comments link at the end of this post.

02/20/08 The Raw Greenwich News Feed - Greenwich Citizen News Links

Office thefts on rise; be vigilant
In a time of mounting economic pressure, Greenwich police are reporting an increase in office thefts and recommend that business owners and operators be vigilant to safeguard their property.

Det. Timothy Powell's alert includes such helpful tips as to "not bring unnecessary valuables to the workplace; know the serial numbers of laptops and all electronics; engrave an identifier onto property without serial numbers," and "lock the valuables you do bring to work in a locker or desk"

"Criminals can claim," said Powell, "or pretend to be with another employee, purport to be looking for another office, or give an appearance of authorized purpose, such as a repairman or delivery ruse."

A young footballer likes gifts that keep on giving...to others
... Feb. 7 by accepting clothing donations for the homeless in lieu of traditional presents. (Anne W. Semmes / for the Greenwich Citizen) Marc DeMartis, son of Gina and Vincent DeMartis of western Greenwich, celebrated his 10th birthday on Feb. 7 in an ...

Young Cardinal grapplers grow up at FCIACs
Just one season ago, the Greenwich High wrestling team placed seventh in the Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference championships.

Athletic training gaining ground
It's just about a quarter past 2 p.m. and a rag-tag, single-file line grows in the dank corridor outside the boys' locker rooms at Greenwich High.

Tracking the green trail of stimulus bill to our own backyard
... degradation affecting Connecticut waters and Long Island Sound. "We have 12 months," said Tom Baptist, the Audubon Greenwich-based executive director of Audubon Connecticut. "We're at a place at the table where priorities will be established for ...

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02/20/08 The Raw Greenwich News Feed - Greenwich Time News Links

Movie expert and Abilis client Oren Gershberg gives his picks for Oscar winners. (Bob Luckey Jr./Greenwich Time Photo)


By Colin Gustafson
Staff Writer

When it comes to trivia, few can hold a candle to Oren Gershberg. Ask the 45-year-old Glenville resident about upcoming film releases, for instance, and he'll rattle off nearly a dozen titles and dates in under a minute.

Utter the name "Liam Neeson," and he'll list every American film in which the actor has appeared, plus the names of his co-stars and biographical information about his upbringing in Ireland.

Try throwing him a random question -- What film won the Best Picture Oscar in 1997? -- and he'll answer without missing a beat -- "The English Patient," which, he notes, also won several more Oscars and two Golden Globes.


Oren's picks Best Picture: "Slumdog Millionaire" Best Director: Danny Boyle, "Slumdog Millionaire" Best Actor: Sean Penn, "Milk" Best Actress: Meryl Streep, "Doubt" Best Supporting Actor: Philip Seymour Hoffman, "Doubt" Best Supporting Actress: Taraji P.

Offering an insight into the Oracle of Omaha
Greenwich woman who spent five years chronicling the life of billionaire Warren Buffett said Thursday that her relationship with the investor has grown awkward since the best-selling biography was released last fall.

By Debra Friedman
Staff Writer

A dozen police officers have filed a motion to stop an injunction that would freeze promotions.

In the injunction filed last month, Berry's lawyer, Richard Gudis, said promotions should be halted for now. Any promotion to lieutenant or above before the 2007 lawsuit is settled would hurt his clients' professional standing, according to the injunction.

However, the attorney for the dozen officers wants the court to factor in his clients' interests before making a decision.
COMMENTS:

What Happened To All Of Those Greenwich Time Articles That Said Police Moral Is Hitting New Highs, Because The Police Union Fully Supports And Trusts Greenwich Police Chief David Ridberg?

The Greenwich Time Keeps Telling Us That Greenwich Police Chief David Ridberg Is Doing A Herculean Job All By Himself And The Rank And File Police Officers Are Living In A Virtual Disney Land.

There Were SOOOOOO Many Greenwich Time Articles Quoting Chief Ridberg And Other Town Big Shots, But I Guess The Greenwich Time Reporter Forgot To Ask The Cop On The Street Just How Happy He Is.

Now A Dozen "HAPPY" Police Officers Now Spending Their Hard Earned Money To Go To Bridgeport And Sue For Promotion.

Apparently The Officers Under Chief Ridberg's Command Do Not Trust Him To Do The Right Thing. It Looks Like That These Rank And File Officers Don't Think That Everything Will Done On The Up And Up Under Greenwich Police Chief David Ridberg.

If The Police Officers Are "SOOOOO "HAPPY UNDER RIDBERG", Then Why Is There A Need For More Very Expensive Litigation?

This Is What Greenwich Blogger Bill Clarke Means When He Calls The Greenwich Time The "Yellowich Time" And Jokes About The Paper Being Printed In The Basement Of Town Hall.

This Is Typical Of Chief Ridberg And The Town. They Love Having The Ability To Promote Who They Want Regardless Of True Merit Or The Testing Process.

A Dozen Officer Are Spending Their Hard Earned Cash In Court, Because They Believe That Police Chief Ridberg And The Town Will Tweak Test Scores In Favor Of The "Politically Correct" Candidates That They Want Or To Keep Someone They Don't Like Out.

This Is Just Another Case Of Chief Ridberg Showing His Lack Of Integrity And We Are All Going To Pay For It.

Yet The Greenwich Time Keeps Reporting Stories Generated From The Town About How Happy Everyone Is With Greenwich Police Chief David "I Am Not Releasing The 2007 And 2008 Crime Statistics" Ridberg.

Shame, Shame, Shame On Greenwich Police Chief David Ridberg

Police Chief David Ridberg Is Being Ignorant And Apathetic Towards His Obligation To The Rank And File Officers Who Were Serving Our Country Overseas.

In A Few Months Chief Ridberg And Other Town Officials Will Speak SOOOO Eloquently Of The Sacrifices That These Officers Made At Memorial Day Services And Then Later Have Backroom Meetings About Spending Hundreds Of Thousands Of Your Tax Dollars In Court Against The Officers They Just Praised.

Actions Speak Loader Than Words.

Chief Ridberg Should Open His Office Door And Meet With These 12 Police Officers And Work Out A Solution That Is Fair And Equitable.

Open Up The The Testing Process And Let The Cream Of The Crop Rise To The Top.

Greenwich Roundup Is The Father Of A 24 Year Old Who Earned A Bronze Star While Volunteering In Iraq And He Speaks From Experience When He Says Those Greenwich Officers Paid Their Dues In Defence Of This Town And Country.

It Is Time For Chief Ridberg To Put A Dozen More Chairs At The Testing Table And Let The Best Man Win. No Ifs, Ands Or Buts.

If Theses Greenwich Police Officers Remained Cool Calm And Collected In Middle Of An Overseas Guerrilla War Zone, They Can Handle The Mean Streets Of Greenwich Connecticut.

Idaho students to deliver helmet to widow
MIDDLETOWN, Conn.—A group of students from Idaho is in Middletown today to return a World War II helmet to the family of a Connecticut soldier.

Study: Tolls could hurt state's business climate
HARTFORD -- While some options for electronic tolling to create revenue for improved roads and reduce congestion would pull in billions of dollars, they also could backfire by souring the state's business climate and driving traffic onto local streets, consultants told state transportation officials.

Homeowners fight release of data
Opposition is mounting to a plan to post detailed property assessment information on the town's Web site, with three of the largest homeowner groups in town raising concerns about privacy and security.

Eurovision Song Contest beloved and belittled
When the representatives of 38 countries gather in Moscow for the Eurovision Song Contest this May, it will be the 53rd broadcast of Europe's annual celebration of pop music that is beloved and ridiculed in equal parts.
An international lottery scam has claimed a victim in town, police said, prompting the department to issue a warning to residents.

January rise in consumer prices largest since July
WASHINGTON—Consumer prices rose modestly in January, propelled by higher energy costs, but most economists and the government believe the recession will keep prices in check this year.

GHS boys and girls indoor track teams primed for State open meet
It has been a grueling three weeks for the Greenwich High School boys and girls indoor track teams. It began on the last day in January with the FCIAC Western Division Trials.

MORE SPORTS NEWS LNKS:

Chimp attack victim transferred to renowned transplant Clinic
STAMFORD -- Charla Nash, the 55-year-old Stamford woman mauled by a chimpanzee, remains in critical yet stable condition after her transfer Thursday to the hospital that performed the first near-total facial transplant in the United States last year.

Brocade posts 1Q loss; adjusted results top Street
SAN JOSE, Calif.—Brocade Communications Systems Inc. on Thursday reported a fiscal first-quarter loss on heavy legal fees and stock-compensation charges, but adjusted results beat Wall Street estimates.
A day after the New York Post ran a cartoon that critics said connected President Barack Obama to Stamford's violent chimpanzee attack, NAACP chapters are calling for a boycott of the paper. Full Story

Wall Street poised for losses amid global sell-off
NEW YORK—Wall Street is poised to extend its losses a day after the Dow sank to its lowest level in more than six years and triggered a global sell-off overnight.

Tips for recession-proofing your wardrobe
Before Diane Roth raided her closet, Laura Durkin had been coveting a black lace designer dress that came with all the accoutrements of its couture label, including a $1,400 price tag.

Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich has new librarian
New librarian The Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich, which recently celebrated the one-year anniversary of its library, has hired Ilana Klein as a part-time librarian.
STAMFORD -- A car fire on the Merritt Parkway shortly after noon between exits 34 and 35 initially shut down all lanes of traffic.

Local woman markets Gemvelopes
If you tend to misplace rings, earrings and other baubles, you may be interested in Gemvelopes, the creation of Greenwich resident Linda Janssen.

MORE BUSINESS NEWS LINKS:

New addition to Tesei family
There's a new addition to First Selectman Peter Tesei's family. The 39-year-old top elected official in Greenwich and his wife Jill welcomed a baby boy at 5:33 p.

Survey of NFL retirees links steroids to injuries
CHAPEL HILL, N.C.—The NFL's steroids era appears to have left a legacy of joint and ligament injuries as well as mental issues among those using the performance-enhancing drugs, according to a new survey.

"West Virginia? WOOF." This blunt and biting phrase is representative of my friends' response when I told them I'd be away for a couple of days on business in Charleston, W.
After six months without a permanent director, the Greenwich Library welcomed Carol Mahoney as its new leader this week.

N.Y. Post cartoon was sure to offend
To look at Wednesday's New York Post cartoon based on the mauling tragedy in Stamford and accept that no intentional parallel is being drawn between a dead chimpanzee and President Obama would require giving the cartoonist and Post editors the benefit of the doubt.

Letters from Readers - Lack of traffic officer
Surprised by the removal of a key traffic officer
To the editor:

You might think that in a town with a population of less than 60,000, "transparency" would not be an issue.
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