Point of Sale: Target launches denim-focused brand

In case you are counting, this is No. 11.

Target, which began a two-year effort last year to refresh its brand portfolio, just unveiled its latest new brand: Universal Thread, a denim-focused women's apparel brand that will replace Mossimo.

"This is the largest brand we'll launch in 2018 in terms of sales volume and size," said Jessica Carlson, a Target spokeswoman, adding that the retailer will launch several more brands this year.

Universal Thread, she said, will be roughly comparable in size to A New Day, the major women's apparel brand Target rolled out last year that more or less replaced Merona. Merona and Mossimo were both private-label billion-dollar brands for Target.

While Target may still add other new women's apparel brands, Carlson said A New Day and Universal Thread will be the largest offerings in that department.

Universal Thread, priced between $5 to $40, will include jeans, tops, dresses, shoes and accessories and will hit stores and Target.com next month.

While the meteoric popularity of athleisure has cut into the denim market in recent years, Target says jeans are making a comeback as women now look to diversify their wardrobes beyond leggings.

Target's new offering will have more fits and cuts than other brands. Universal Thread will come in sizes from 00 to 26W.

About a third of A New Day comes in extended sizes. Target relies on its Ava & Viv plus-size line to fill in the rest of that assortment.

As for the other 10 new brands Target introduced last year, here's a list in case you need a refresher: Art Class (kid's apparel), Cloud Island (baby), Isabel Maternity by Ingrid & Isabel (maternity), A New Day (women's apparel), Goodfellow & Co. (men's apparel), Project 62 (modern home), JoyLab (women's athleisure), California Roots (wine), Hyde & Eek (Halloween) and Hearth & Hand with Magnolia (home decor design partnership with Chip and Joanna Gaines).

KAVITA KUMAR

Walmart announced Thursday that it is closing 63 Sam's Club locations across the country, including warehouses in St. Louis Park and Moorhead, Minn. The stores were closed Thursday but reopened Friday with storewide discounts of 25 percent. A representative in St. Louis Park said the store's last day will be Jan. 26.

The best deals will typically be on food items and the worst on apparel, which typically has higher margins. Even better, the items on the Instant Savings program this month will still get the additional 25 percent discount.

Only Sam's Club members will be able to take advantage of the extra savings. You will need to show your Sam's Club membership card at the entrance and at the checkout, but you could join at any location and then go to a store that is going out of business. The closing stores will be mobbed, so it might be faster to join at a location that is not closing.

Both Sam's Club and Costco have a satisfaction guarantee on their memberships. Anyone not satisfied with a membership can cancel at any time. Sam's Club charges $45 a year for a membership.

Sam's Club has 14 locations in Minnesota and 660 in the U.S.

JOHN EWOLDT