Aria Partners last Tuesday offered to buy Christopher & Banks for $1.75 per share, 51 percent more than the Plymouth-based company's stock closing price. The company rejected the deal Friday, suggesting that the "proposal does not reflect the full, long-term value stockholders are expected to receive from continued focus on the current strategy."

Christopher & Banks has named veteran retail executive LuAnn Via to be its new president and chief executive officer, the Pioneer Press reports. Via was most recently the CEO of Payless Shoes. She will start her new role with the women's apparel company on Nov. 26. Via replaces Joel Waller, who took over when Larry Barenbaum left the struggling Plymouth-based retailer in February.

The women's clothing company based in Plymouth says it plans to close the stores by the end of January and will also lay off employees at its corporate office.

Plymouth-based The Tile Shop, retailer of manufactured and natural stone tiles, intends to start trading on the Nasdaq Stock Market after it merges with Boston-based JWC Acquisition Corporation.

The company says it will be closing its Albert Lea and merging its two locations in Roseville into one. Weak sales forced the women's clothing retailer to cut about 20 percent of its staff earlier this month.

Two Boston-based investment firms are urging a pair of Minnesota business giants to stop contributing to political campaigns. Their shareholder resolutions note potential fallout from controversial donations.