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A GALA FOR GOULD: Michael Gould, chairman and chief executive officer of Bloomingdale’s, will be honored with the 1995 National Human Relations Award, presented by the American Jewish Committee.
Gould will receive the award at a black-tie gala on April 4 at the New York Hilton Hotel. It recognizes his philanthropic efforts.
Honorary chairmen for the event are Ralph Lauren and Guy Peyrelongue. The dinner chairman is Sy Stewart.
SWEDE TAKES MANHATTAN: IKEA, the Swedish home furnishings chain, confirmed Thursday that it will open its first store in Manhattan, on the northwest corner of 57th Street and Lexington Avenue, the site of the former Louis, Boston store. This confirms a WWD report, page 15, March 7.
An IKEA spokeswoman said the firm signed a lease this week, and is planning to open a two-level, 7,500-square-foot unit sometime before the end of 1995. The average IKEA store is 200,000 square feet.
“This will be a whole new concept,” for IKEA’s home furnishings, the spokeswoman said. She would not give details of the new plan.
IKEA is also looking to open a unit in Westchester County, she noted.
SHOPPING CENTER DEVELOPS: Lee Wagman will become president of The Hahn Co., a San Diego-based regional shopping mall developer, on April 25.
Wagman succeeds John M. Gilchrist Jr., who will retire as president and chief executive officer March 31.
Wagman is chairman of Hycel Properties, which developed, owns and manages the Galleria and Crestwood centers in St. Louis. He is also the central division vice president of the International Council of Shopping Centers, an industry trade association.
Gilchrist joined Hahn in 1964 while still in college and was named president and ceo of the company in 1982.
Hahn centers include Horton Plaza in San Diego, Bridgewater Commons in New Jersey, The Fashion Show Mall in Las Vegas and Towson Town Center in Baltimore. The firm is planning to develop a center in Denver.
CUTTING ITS LOSSES: Jay Jacobs Inc., reorganizing under Chapter 11, reported a loss of $211,000 in the shortened fourth quarter, ended Jan. 28, on a 51.6 percent drop in sales.
The 174-store men’s and women’s specialty retailer changed to a January yearend from a February yearend to be more consistent with other retailers, creating a two-month fourth quarter and 11-month year.
In the year earlier fourth quarter, Jay Jacobs lost $1.5 million. Sales in the latest period dropped to $16.3 million from $33.6 million a year ago.
For the year, the Seattle-based retailer lost $14 million, including a $7.6 million reorganization charge, compared with a $14.3 million loss the previous year, which included a similar charge.
Revenue in the year dropped 35.3 percent to $90.5 million from $139.8 million.
Rex Steffey, president and chief executive, said in a statement the retailer expects to begin expanding its private label merchandise program.
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STILL SEEING RED: The U.S. operation of Country Road Ltd., an Australia-based casual apparel manufacturer and retailer, continued to lose money in the six months ended Jan. 29.
The U.S. operation, now down to 16 stores, lost $1.2 million (A$1.6 million at current exchange rates) in the latest period, against A$1.4 million in the year-earlier half. Sales were down 30.3 percent to $13.8 million (A$18.34 million) from A$26.4 million.
The company noted that it was pleased with the cost-cutting program and store rationalization program in the U.S., adding that three stores were closed in the latest period.