Consumerist: Saks

Saks To Close Tween Makeover Paradise "Club Libby Lu"

Meg Marco — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 12:53:52 EST

Saks has announced that they will be closing Club Libby Lu, an unprofitable tween-girls "makeover" chain that apparently exists. For $25-$40 girls could paint themselves with temporary tattoos, make bracelets and get a "Club Libby Du." (We think that last thing is a hairstyle. At least, we're hoping that it is.)

Dow Jones says:

The chain, purchased in 2003 for $12 million, had 11 stores at the time and has since grown to 78 stand-alone shops and 20 locations within department stores once owned by Saks. Club Libby Lu's closure should be completed in six months.

Some 1,700 employees will be affected by the shutdown of the chain, which had nearly $60 million in sales for the year ended Feb. 2.

In an effort to fully comprehend just what has been lost, let us now read from Club Libby Lu's explanation of their services.

At the party, girls arrive at the Club. They are all greeted by a fairy and make a wish on her fairy dust. Each girl then creates her own secret Club name. Then their Libby Dus™ comes true. After dressing up and playing games, they visit our Goodie Shop and make their own Goodie Bags. Singing and Dancing, all the girls celebrate the guest of honor.

This is the part of the post where we'd write something to sort of wrap up, but we're too busy laughing and have decided to quit while we're ahead.

Saks To Close Club Libby Lu Chain After 5 Turbulent Years [CNNMoney]

6 Major Retailers Selling Real Fur As "Faux"

Ben Popken — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 12:19:38 EST

Six big retailers are selling jackets advertised as having "faux" fur, but the fur is actually from real animals. It's not only mean, it's a violation of the federal Fur Products Labeling Act. An investigation by the Humane Society of The United States * found jackets sold at Saks, Neiman Marcus, Lord & Taylor, Dillards, Yoox and Bloomingdales containing the faux "faux" fur. Much of the world's fur is processed in China, a place where they skin animals alive for their fur.

Holiday Shoppers Beware: Six Major Retailers Selling Real Fur as Faux [Humane Society Of The United States] (* note: this is a different group than your local animal shelter)

Saks' Dumpster-Dived Window Displays

popkin — Wed, 10 May 2006 00:21:26 EDT

Saks has a new window display up on 5th Avenue until this Thursday.

Animal blog reports that a Saks rep said, "we wanted to take ordinary things and make them look high end."

A lofty goal, indeed. Instead of reaching it, however, they've managed to make the dress look like a lazy lamp shade and the bottles of cleaning solution, confused. The only thing that looks good are the light tubes, which, presumably, are not for sale.

Gawker had a few words to say about these as well.