Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar is opening its first Hawaii restaurant Sept. 12 in Ewa Beach.

The company will create 136 local jobs at 91-1401 Fort Weaver Road, the restaurant chain said in a news release.

Applebee’s, one of the world’s largest casual-dining brands owned and operated by entrepreneurs, has more than 2,000 locations in all 50 states, Guam, Puerto Rico and 15 countries. The restaurant is franchised by subsidiaries of DineEquity Inc.

Lorna Jane to reopen today at Ala Moana

Lorna Jane Active Living, an Australian women’s clothing line, is reopening in the Ewa wing at Ala Moana Center today following a change of ownership.

The retailer opened in November and closed Sunday to restock merchandise, install new systems and train new staff after Hawaii franchisee Chip Doyle sold the business back to Lorna Jane U.S., the corporate franchiser.

Lorna Jane U.S. has purchased the Ala Moana store with all its assets.

Retailers in limbo amid shipper bankruptcy

NEW YORK >> Some major retailers are scrambling to work out contingency plans to get their merchandise to stores as the bankruptcy of the Hanjin shipping line has thrown ports and retailers around the world into confusion.

They don’t have a lot of time. Giant container ships from the South Korean-based Hanjin shipping line are marooned with their cargo of what experts say are lots of TVs and printers but also loads of home furnishings and clothing.

Hanjin, the world’s seventh-largest container shipper, filed for bankruptcy protection Wednesday and stopped accepting new cargo. With its assets being frozen, ships from China to Canada were refused permission to offload or take aboard containers because there were no guarantees that tugboat pilots or stevedores would be paid. It’s also been a factor in shipping rates rising and could hurt some trucking firms with contracts to pick up goods from Hanjin ships.

The South Korean giant represents nearly 8 percent of the trans-Pacific trade volume for the U.S. market. While some retailers could have merchandise for the holiday season affected, experts say what’s most important is that the issue be resolved before the critical shipping month of October.

U.S. trade deficit declined 11.6% in July

WASHINGTON >> The U.S. trade deficit fell in July as imports declined slightly and exports rose to the highest level in 10 months, a possible sign that global demand for American products is starting to rebound.

The deficit declined to $39.5 billion, 11.6 percent lower than June’s $44.7 billion deficit, the Commerce Department reported Friday. Imports dropped 0.8 percent to $225.8 billion, reflecting in part lower oil imports. Exports climbed 1.9 percent to $186.3 billion, the highest level since September 2015, led by increased sales of American farm products.

The politically sensitive deficit with China increased 1.9 percent to $30.3 billion, the highest level since November.

Aircraft demand lifts U.S. factory orders

WASHINGTON >> Orders to U.S. factories increased in July by the largest amount in nine months, propelled by a big jump in demand for commercial aircraft. The key category that tracks business investment plans posted the best increase since January.

Factory orders rose 1.9 percent in July, the Commerce Department reported Friday. It was the biggest one-month gain since October and was led by a surge in orders in the volatile category of commercial aircraft.

On the Move

Hawaiian Properties has announced the following new property managers for the company’s comprehensive real estate management services:

>> Laurie Sugue Tabisola has 11 years of experience managing multiple associations, including overseeing high-rise condominiums, town-home complexes and newly developed single-family homes.

>> Glen Suzuki has more than 10 years’ experience in managing single-family homes, town-home complexes and high-rise condominiums, representing more than 6,000 units.

Coldwell Banker Pacific Properties has announced that Jesus Lopez is the firm’s IT operations manager. He has 16 years of information technology experience, including serving as second- level support manager for Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate’s Western Region in San Francisco.