Bill Pinkston

Retail Operations and Merchandising Consulting Services Company offering project management solutions for performance improvement, restructuring, strategic merchandising, or store design needs. Projects include clients in Europe, China, and the U.S.

Shanghai Sunwin Industry Co, Ltd. – i-baby retail stores - China Contracted to direct brand development for a luxury baby apparel and furniture product retailer based in Shanghai, China. Scope of work includes: Brand Concept Development, New Store Design and Fixture Development, Visual Merchandising direction, In-store POP display and graphics development, Logo development, Operations Standards development, New Store opening and Remodel strategy.

Contracted to develop and design new retail concepts for several major themed entertainment environments in California, New York, Illinois and Texas. Scope of work included: Store concept development, Store Design, Fixture Development, Visual Merchandising, Product Assortment Planning and Coordination, Store Construction management and installation.

Stiefelkoenig – Shoe Retailer - Central Eastern Europe. Contracted by Alvarez & Marsal as the retail expert on their restructuring & performance improvement project team based in Graz, Austria. Scope of work included: Sales Analysis, Product Assortment Review and Strategy, Store Design and Remodel Solutions, Fixture Development, Visual Merchandising Direction, in-store POP tools, Develop Marketing Promotional tools & Strategy to impact sales, Store Operations review and standards development.

Hired to develop and centralize all retail processes for this private golf and country club organization with over 100 locations in North America. Scope of work included: Store Sales Analysis, Product Assortment Planning, Buying, Vendor Negotiations, Store Design, Fixture Development, Visual Merchandising, Management Training, Store Operations Standards development.

Recognized and rewarded for being an accomplished creative leader among theme park retailers, consistently exceeding established financial goals. Designed and developed new innovative retail concepts embraced by Six Flags Corporate Retail and rolled out to other parks. Increased per capita spending consistently each year by introducing new products, creating exciting new environments and negotiating contracts with key vendors and licensees. Responsibility included complete P&L management, financial p

Selected by the President and CEO to return to the company to provide direction for 308 retail stores generating $310 Million in sales volume in the U.S. and Canada. Created and successfully executed a field training and coaching plan to educate store leaders to manage their operating costs and exceed budgeted net profit goals by redesigning payroll control methods resulting in a labor expense reduction of 1.3%. Directed the opening of 65 new stores, 20 remodels, and entry into the Canadian market. I

Member of the original team that developed J. Crew retail stores from a catalog based business. Managed the construction, staffing, training, and merchandising for flagship stores in key metropolitan areas in the Southeast and Southwest U.S. Played a significant role in developing the company’s warm weather product strategy key to these regions in order to improve net sales. Successfully developed the clientele-selling program that represented over $2M in sales. Atlanta based leader of six, 10,000+ squa

Director of 72 retail stores in the Midwest U.S. generating $60 Million in sales volume. Created a strong brand in children’s apparel. Selected talent, developed leaders, and successfully managed to open over 60 stores in new markets. Maintained a selling culture to drive sales revenues and developed management teams necessary for an aggressive store growth strategy in order to accomplish a successful IPO with Goldman Sachs.

Responsible for the conception, implementation and communication of presentation direction, fixture design / development and merchandising guidelines for GapKids / babyGap store division of Gap Inc. Other positions held include: District Manager, Area Store Manager, Training Manager, Store Manager.