Dive Brief:

• Seattle-based kitchen goods retailer Sur La Table has named retail veteran Diane Neal as CEO, replacing Jack Schwefel who had been CEO since 2007.

• Neal was most recently CEO of Bath & Body Works. Before that, she was president of Gap Inc.’s outlet division and has also worked at Target Corp. in a variety of divisions. 

• Since being acquired by Bahrain-based investment firm Investcorp in 2011, the privately held retailer founded in 1972 expanded to about 119 stores from 86, and plans more. 

Dive Insight:

Sur La Table is best known on the West Coast, but with the help of retail veteran Neal, aims to continue its expansion east and to boost its e-commerce. The high-end kitchenware retailer weathered the recession well, but has been victimized by “showrooming,” where many potential customers bought some of its featured goods at other online retailers. The company would like to capture some of that back by improving its own e-commerce, sources told the Seattle Times.