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100 Fifth Ave, Suite 614
Pittsburgh, PA 15222





In this Issue:
Holiday Pop-Up Shop: The Vintage Valet and Magnolia on Main
By: Hattie Charney

Now that the Friday Fashion Markets and Saturday Night Markets are all wrapped up for the season, The Vintage Valet and Magnolia on Main, two fashion trucks, have decided to set-up in Fifth Avenue Place for the holiday season.

The two have unique and individual pieces available. Marissa Zimmerman from The Vintage Valet said, "We're both fashion trucks collaborating to do this pop-up shop."

The two boutiques will be at the lower level, Fifth Avenue Place location until Jan. 4, 2020. They have collaborated on a Holiday Pop-Up shop in the past so they are back as a must-see boutique in Downtown during the holiday season.

The store will be open Monday through Friday between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. and on Saturdays between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Beginning on Small Business Saturday (Nov. 30, 2019), and all Saturdays after, the store will be open from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.

The two traveling boutiques offer something a little different for their customers.

Kim DiMarco, one half of Magnolia on Main with Bernie Rupcich, said, "As far as clothing goes, it's just things you could wear to work, casual, soft, everyday clothing. We carry Project Social which kind of lends itself to the weekend."

DiMarco said that the pop-up is a great place to go Christmas shopping for yourself or for those significant people in your life.

"They can find a lot of gift items; scarves, gloves, we've got earmuffs, lots of handmade pillows," Zimmerman said. "As far as the Vintage Valet goes, they can expect to find, the usual stuff I carry in the truck, it's all vintage inspired clothing, so a lot of lace, crochet, pleats, embroidery, very feminine, whimsical."

To find out more on The Vintage Valet and Magnolia On Main, visit their websites at magnoliaonmain.net and thevintagevalet.com.

Check out Magnolia On Main on Facebook and Instagram @magnolia_main. Once there head over to see The Vintage Valet on Facebook and Instagram @thevintagevaletllc.

"Whether you work Downtown or live Downtown or are visiting Downtown, if you're visiting the Holiday Market," Zimmerman said, "come on in and get some good gifts."
In an effort to sell to customers online directly,  Nike  will no longer sell wholesale goods to Amazon. 

"As part of  Nike 's focus on elevating consumer experiences through more direct, personal relationships, we have made the decision to complete our current pilot with Amazon Retail," a spokeswoman told CNBC. "We will continue to invest in strong, distinctive partnerships for  Nike  with other retailers and platforms to seamlessly serve our consumers globally." The athletic brand originally partnered with the e-commerce giant in 2017. In exchange for Amazon being stricter on counterfeits and "unsanctioned sales of its products,"  Nike  sold products directly to Amazon.
Louis Vuitton to be Made In the USA
Louis Vuitton is opening a leather goods workshop in Keene, Texas. The label plans to create 1,000 jobs in the area over the next five years. "This is consistent with Louis Vuitton's recent signing of the Pledge to America's Workers, which aims to expand programmes that educate, train, and support American workers," the brand said in a statement.

Check out H&M's new small - and local - tech-enhanced store format

H&M's new flagship in Berlin offers more than clothes.

The Swedish fast-fashion giant opened its first "hyper-local" flagship in Berlin, in the city's trendy Mitte Garten creative district. The approximately 3,300-sq.-ft. space is one of H&M's smallest locations to date. It has a boutique-like feel, with pale green walls, vaulted ceilings, and wood and white shelving.

The store blends the digital and the physical. It is equipped with two Microsoft Surface Studio 2 styling touchscreens that allow customers to browse H&M's complete collection and build an outfit. Customers can call for assistance from buttons in the smart fitting rooms.

Customers, store employees, office staff and management are all connected to a system via an internal application that is based on Microsoft Teams and PowerApps. It is linked to a wearable for notifications and alerts (such as a call from a fitting room) that employees wear on their wrist. Via the app, H&M's employees can, among other things, receive updates on, for example, new collections, trends, and scheduling.

The in-store merchandise mix is highly curated and targeted to appeal to the local clientele, with fashions drawn from H&M's main collection and select external brands (most of them Berlin-based) along with vintage pieces.

More than a store, H&M Mitte Garten has a regular schedule of events such as lectures, fashion talks and yoga. It also boasts a café, a garden and a showroom space where upcoming trends and looks will be presented to customers before making their store debut.

"It's [the store] a test for us as a global retailer to elaborate around how we can be more personal and locally relevant," said Anna Bergare, business development, H&M Laboratory, where the retailer tests new concepts and technology.
South Hills and North Hills Beauty Academy Branching Out

The South Hills and North Hills Beauty Academy is not only serving the Pittsburgh Area but is branching out.

ShNh began in 1969 and has since expanded into areas within West Virginia and Ohio.

South Hills and North Hills Beauty Academy offers students the ability to become the best they can be in their field.

According to the ShNh website, "At South Hills & North Hills Beauty Academy we make it a priority that our students are well rounded in all aspects so you are salon ready upon graduation."

ShNh offers programs in Cosmetology and Hair Design, Manicuring and Nail Design, Esthetics-Skin Care and Make-up, and an Instructor's Program.

For an advanced education, ShNh offers courses for Chemical Peels and Microdermabrasion, Airbrush make-up, Spray Tanning, and Eyelash Extensions, and Microblading.

Once students reach the senior level, they are participating in the Student Salon & Spa in order to practice what they have learned. The public can call ahead and book appointments or walk into the salons for reduced pricing on haircuts, waxing and much more. For more information on the Student Salon & Spa visit their salon page, shnhbeauty.com/salon-services.

North Hills Beauty Academy is located at 813 West View Park Drive, Pittsburgh, PA, 15229. Contact them by telephone at (412) 931-8553.

South Hills Beauty Academy is located at 3269 West Liberty Ave, Pittsburgh, PA, 15216. Contact them by telephone at (412) 561-3381.

For more information on the details of the services and programs that are offered, head over to their website at shnhbeauty.com.
Dollar General to open 1,000 stores in 2020

Dollar General Corp. on Thursday reported its best quarterly same-store sales rise in nearly five years along with increases on both its top and bottom lines. 

The discount giant also announced that it plans to open 1,000 stores in 2020, up from 975 in 2019. It also will undertake 1,500 mature store remodels and 80 store relocations.

"We are excited to accelerate our real estate growth plans in 2020," said Todd Vasos, CEO, Dollar General. "The sustained positive results we are seeing from our portfolio of real estate projects further validates our belief that our ongoing investment in high-return real estate projects, along with our strategic initiatives, is the best use of our capital as we look to continue delivering long-term shareholder value."

Net income totaled $365.6 million for the quarter ended Nov. 1, compared to $334.1 million the year-ago period. Earnings per share increased 12.7% to $1.42, topping analysts estimates of $1.38.

Net sales increased 8.9% to $6.99 billion, beating estimates of $6.92 billion. Same-store sales increased 4.6%, driven by increases in both average transaction amount and customer traffic. The company cited growth in the consumables, seasonal, home, and apparel categories.

"The quarter was highlighted by our best customer traffic and same-store sales increases in nearly five years, as well as double-digit growth in both operating profit and diluted EPS," said Vasos. "We continue to execute well on many fronts, while maintaining our focus on delivering value and convenience for our customers. As a result of our performance through the first three quarters of 2019 and outlook for the fourth quarter, we are raising our full-year financial guidance as we work to finish a strong year."

The company updated its financial guidance, which includes the anticipated impact of previously implemented tariff rates on certain products imported from China, and the additional tariffs expected to become effective on December 15, 2019. It noted that its forecast assumes that it can successfully mitigate, absorb, or otherwise offset the impact of these tariffs.








*Photography and media sourced from 3rd party sites in no way implies support or affiliation with the Downtown Community Development Corp., or any partners.

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