Takashimaya to Shutter; Zombie Chain Stores Return from the Grave

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MIDTOWN EAST—WWD revealed moments ago that elegant Japanese department store Takashimaya will close its Fifth Avenue flagship in June. "Takashimaya said it plans to sell the real estate and dedicate the proceeds to faster growing markets in Asia," the paper reports in a short blurb. (They've promised to bring us the full story tomorrow.) This isn't a surprise, exactly, but it's still sad news. Back in December we put Takashimaya in the Racked 38, citing its good taste and stock of hard-to-find luxury goods. [WWD, subscription req'd]

EVERYWHERE—Stop mourning, everybody: CompUSA is coming back from the dead, and it might bring the reanimated corpse of Circuit City with it. Systemax, the holding company that bought both chains, has decided to reopen CompUSA in Houston and Chicago. If that goes well, they'll resurrect Circuit City next. [Racked National]