Monday, December 31, 2012

Lowe's to Open D.C. Store

It's been a while since I have seen news of a new Lowe's store, so I wanted to bring special attention to this one.  

Thursday, December 27, 2012

Walmart to Add Over 200 Gas Stations

Walmart reached an agreement with Murphy Oil Corporation to add gas stations to over 200 Supercenters. The gas stations will be added over the next three years.  

Dividend.com Article


Saturday, December 8, 2012

Progress on Philly's Main Line LA Fitness

LA Fitness is working though the obstacles at Federal Realty's Wynnewood Shopping Center...

Main Line Media News Article

Saturday, December 1, 2012

First Target Small Format Stores Successful

The first stores ranging from 60,000 to 100,000 in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Seattle are proving successful. 

ICSC Article

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Staples: Closing Some & Buyout Interest

Staples closing 45 stores in Europe and 15 in the Unted States.  Private equity firms have also expressed interest in purchasing the company. 

Business Week Article

Monday, October 8, 2012

JC Penney: 2 New Stores

Both with PREIT...One in Willow Grove at the Willow Grove Park Mall (125,000 SF, Willow Grove, PA) and one in North Hanover Mall (83,000 SF, Hanover, PA).  Willow Grove is a new location.  Hanover is a relocation and expansion of an existing store on the site.  

Daily Finance Article

Sunday, October 7, 2012

One View of the Future Box World

Will the 'please everyone' box still be needed in the future?  In this particular article, the author states that "smaller stores focused on specific consumers and their needs" will be the wave of the future.  

Marketing Daily Article

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Big Boxes Shrinking

See how a handful of boxes are shrinking.  This article talks about specific retailers, their strategies, and what they are trying to achieve.  Ace, Best Buy, Cabela's, JCPenney, Office Depot, Target, and Walmart are discussed.


Time Moneyland Article

Staples Today

This article is a very good accounting of Staples today and how they stack up to the competition.  Topics covered include the following:


 * Revenue generation from different segments of business
 * Average store revenue for Staples and its competitors
 * Store design
 * Direction of future business
 * Staples branded products


Seeking Alpha Article

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Toys R Us: 21 New or Remodeled Stores

By the end of 2012, Toys R Us will have opened 8 new locations and remodeled 13 stores to the side-by-side Toys R Us/Babies R Us format as reported in Chain Store Age.  These additions will bring the side-by-side total to 204 by the end of the year.


Chain Store Age Article

Monday, July 30, 2012

Shore Mall Searches for a Future

Egg Harbor Township,  NJ - 200,000 SF of the circa 1968 mall will be demolished and advertised as vacant commercial land.  The Shore Mall has been left in the wake of a changing economy and ever evolving competition. 


Press of Atlantic City Article

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Keep a Watchful Eye on JCPenney

President Michael Francis, formerly of Target, left after only eight months in the wake of the failed effort to update pricing,  product offerings, and store formats.


Reuters Article

Monday, June 18, 2012

Wal-Mart Express Stores - So Far So Good

The first Wal-Mart Express stores are profitable within first year of operation.  The 12,000-15,000 square foot stores carry everything a shopper might need at the spur of the moment.  More stores to come...


Business Week Article
Reuters Article

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Thomas H. Lee Buys Into Party City

Thomas H. Lee Partners, LP bought a majority stake in Party City.  One week earlier, they also bought Fogo de Chao Churrascaria LLC, a steakhouse operator.   

Business Week Article

Monday, June 4, 2012

Are the Boxes Dying?

This article from Time provides a good overview of what has happened to the boxes, especially Best Buy, in recent past.  It provides some insight into the direction of store sizes and what the landscape could look like in the future.  It's worth reading.

Time Business Article

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

New Store Announcements (February, March, & April)

It's been a while since I posted this list, but we have been tracking the store openings in the background.  Business has been crazy busy lately, but Melissa from my office has helped keep it accurate and up to date.  Many thanks to her.  


It's strange how things work out.  I have historically posted this list every month or two.  However, this list covers at least three months and really provides a good reflection of recent national activity.  It's a new world that we live in, but this list goes beyond being informational, it motivational.



Aldi – St. Joseph, MO – opening late April or May 1
Bed Bath & Beyond – Huntsville, AL – 30,000 SF
Bed Bath & Beyond - White Lake, MI – under construction
Burlington Coat Factory – Cherry Hill, NJ – 115,000 SF - opening March 23, 2012
buy buy Baby – Chicago, IL – 27,000 SF
buy buy Baby – Encinitas, CA
buy buy Baby – Altamonte Springs, FL (opening in the Spring)
Cabela’s – Charleston, West Virginia - 80,000 SF
Cabela’s – Columbus, OH – 80,000 SF – 175 full & part time employees – opening 2013
Cabela’s – Grandville, MI – 88,000 SF – spring of 2013
Cabela’s – Louisville, KY – 88,000 SF – 200 full & part time employees – spring of 2013
Cabela’s – Saskatoon Canada – 50,000 SF, 150 employees (opening in the spring)
Cabela’s – Tulalip, WA – Opening April 19, 2012
Cabela’s – Wichita, KS – 80,000 SF – opening March 14th
Cabela’s – Winnipeg Canada – 72,000 SF – construction to begin in spring & open in spring of 2013
Christmas Tree Shops – Altamonte Springs, FL (opening in the Spring)
Dick’s Sporting Goods – Aberdeen, NC – 34,649 SF
Dick’s Sporting Goods – Commack, NY (opening in 2012)
Dick’s Sporting Goods – Crofton, MD
Dick’s Sporting Goods – Fort Lauderdale, FL – opened March 7, 2012
Dick’s Sporting Goods – Jacksonville, FL – 45,000 SF
Dick’s Sporting Goods – Mount Pleasant, MI – 45,000 SF
Dick’s Sporting Goods – San Luis Obispo, CA – 36,000 SF - opened March 16, 2012
Dick’s Sporting Goods – St. Joseph, MO – 50,000 SF - opening late April or May 1
Ethan Allen – Destin, FL – 12 employees
Famous Footwear – Porterville, CA (opening in March)
Forever 21 – Santa Cruz, CA – 20,000 SF (opening in August, 2012)
hhgregg – Racine, WI – 25,000 SF – opening late summer or early fall
hhgregg – Highland, IN – 25,000 SF – 50 employees – opened April 19, 2012
Hobby Lobby – Algonquin, IL – 55,000 SF (opening in March)
Hobby Lobby – Cincinnati, OH – 55,000 SF
Hobby Lobby – Laguna Niguel, CA – 77,500 SF - opening May 11, 2012
Hobby Lobby – Millville, NJ
Hobby Lobby – Northport, AL
Hobby Lobby – Orange City, FL
Hobby Lobby – Spokane, WA – 35 to 40 employees
Hobby Lobby – Victorville, CA – 35 to 50 employees - opening in April, 2012
HomeGoods – Milford, CT – 68 employees
HomeGoods – Dayton, OH (opening March 11th)
HomeGoods – Northeast Richland, VA – 25,000 SF – 60 full & part time employees
IKEA – Winnipeg Canada – 395,000 SF (building, to open by the end of the year)
JoAnn Fabrics - White Lake, MI – under construction
Kohl’s – Berlin, CT – 58,417 SF
Kohl’s – Lenox, MA
Kohl’s – Livonia, MI – 64,000 SF – 130 employees – opened March 9, 2012
Kohl’s – Olean, NY – 130 employees
Kohl’s – Olean, NY – 130 new employees
Kohl’s - Pottsville, PA – opened March 4, 2012
Kohl’s – Rolla, MO – 130 employees - opened March 4, 2012
Kohl’s – Woodstock, IL – 130 part-time employees
Kohl’s – Yulee, FL – 56,000 SF - 130 employees – opened March 7, 2012
Kohl’s – Yulee, FL (opening in the Spring)
LA Fitness – Levittown, NY
LA Fitness – Tampa Bay, FL – 57,025 SF - 30 employees – opening November, 2012
La-Z-Boy – West Sacramento, CA – 12,800 SF – opening March 1st
Marshall’s – Fort Worth, TX – 25,000 SF – opening early 2013
Marshalls – Cincinnati, OH – 28,600 SF
Marshalls – Jacksonville, FL – 25,000 SF
Marshalls – Porterville, CA – 80 employees (opening in March)
Michaels – Brooklyn, OH
Michaels – Mansfield, CT – 14,528 SF
Michaels – Northborough, MA
Michaels – St. Tammany, LA – 28,290 SF - opening March 18, 2012
Michaels – Vernon Hills, IL
Modell’s – Brooklyn, NY – 15,900 SF - opened March 8, 2012
Modell’s – Fresh Meadows, NY – 13,000 SF – opened March 8, 2012
Modell’s – Wayne, NJ – 16,700 SF – opened March 8, 2012
Office Depot – Lima, OH – 9,000 SF- 14 employees
Petco - Bennington, VT – 8,000 SF
Petco – Dalton, GA – 13,000 SF
Petco - Hendersonville, NC – 12,000 SF, 20 employees
Petco – Queensbury, NY – 18,300 SF - opened February 20, 2012
Petsmart – Chicago, IL – 18,000 SF
PetSmart – Eugene, OR – 13,000 SF - opening Fall, 2012
PetSmart – Orange, CT – 1,212 SF – opening Fall, 2012
PetSmart - Porterville, CA – 25 employees
PetSmart – San Jose, CA – opened February 4, 2012
PetSmart – St. Joseph, MO – 12,300 SF
REI – Jacksonville, FL – 23,400 SF - 50 employees - opening Spring, 2013
REI – San Antonio, TX – 27,500 SF - 50 employees - opening Fall, 2012
Ross Dress for Less – Bolingbrook, IL (opening in March)
Ross Dress for Less – Calumet City, IL – opening March 3rd
Ross Dress for Less – Chesterfield, MO – opened March 3, 2012
Ross Dress for Less – Danville, IL – construction will start soon
Ross Dress for Less – Fairview Heights, MO
Ross Dress for Less – Fort Worth, TX – 25,000 SF – opening early 2013
Ross Dress for Less – Los Angeles, CA – 39,000 SF, 50 new employees (coming 2013)
Ross Dress for Less – Niles, IL –26,950 SF – 35-50 employees - opening late Fall,
Ross Dress for Less – Palm Springs, CA – 31,000 SF – opened March 3, 2012
Ross Dress for Less – Salina, KS – 22,000 SF
Ross Dress for Less – Waikiki, HI – 40,000 SF
Rue21 - Porterville, CA
Sam’s Club – Hendersonville, TN – 137,000 SF – 200 employees - opens March 21, 2012
Sam’s Club – Lubbock, TX – 136,000 SF - 250 employees
Shoe Carnival – Bozeman, MT (summer opening)
Sports Authority – Kaneohe, Oahu – 26,657 SF – opening before the 2012 holidays
Sports Authority – Scottsdale, AZ – 34,300 SF – opened March 16, 2012
Target – Capitola, CA – 135,000 SF - 200 employees (opening in July, 2012)
Target – Inver Grove Heights, MN (opening in July, 2012)
Target – Knoxville, TN – 135,000 SF – 200 employees - opening in July, 2012
Teavana – Orlando, FL
TJ Maxx – Aiea, HI – 24,850 SF – opening May 17, 2012
TJ Maxx – Greeley, CO – 25,000 SF – 60 full & part time employees – opening 3/18/12
TJ Maxx – Oahu, HI – 35,000 SF
TJ Maxx – Oahu, HI – 35,000 SF – opening May 3, 2012
TJ Maxx – Pearl City, HI – 25,000 SF – opening May 10, 2012
TJ Maxx – Sherman Oaks, CA – 24,000 SF – 60 full & part time employees - opening March 25, 2012
TJ Maxx – Washington, D.C. – 28,450 SF – 60 full & part time employees - opened April
TJ Maxx – Yulee, FL (opening in the Spring)
Toys R Us – Charlottetown, PE Canada – 34,634 SF
Tractor Supply - Buellton, CA – 20.000 SF – proposed SC
Tractor Supply – Easton, MD – 40,000 SF – opening late March – 12 to 17 full & part time employees
Tractor Supply – Hamlin, PA – 12 to 17 full & part time employees - under construction, to be completed in early May
Tractor Supply – Jacksonville, FL – 18,800 SF – 12 to 17 full & part time employees – late July opening
Tractor Supply Co. – Lavalette, WV – 29,054 SF – 11 full- & part-time employees
Tractor Supply Co. – Petaluma, CA – 34,633 SF
Trader Joe’s – Foxborough, MA – 16,000 SF
Tuesday Morning – Encinitas, CA – opened March 6, 2012
Ulta – Bozeman, MT (summer opening)
Wal-Mart Supercenter – Pohatcong, NJ – 350 employees

Sears Holdings Sells 11 Stores to General Growth

11 stores in Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and Washington are being sold to General Growth which will raise between $400 and $500 million.


Bloomberg Business Week Article

42 Best Buys Closing

Here's the list of stores from Best Buy's web site....


Best Buy Web Site List

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Best Buy Closing Stores

Best Buy plans to close 50 of its stores (Approx. 3.6%), eliminate 400 corporate jobs, and reduce costs by $800 million.  


Business Week Article

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Cabela's Trying Smaller Space

Cabela's is best known for their massive super stores.  Now, they are trying 40,000 SF Outpost stores in markets with less than 250,000 people.  They plan to open 5 in 2012 and 3 in 2013.  


Market Watch Article

Monday, February 27, 2012

Top Brands of 2012

Interbrand has released its top brands of 2012.  5 out of the top 10 are anchors. The link below will allow you to download the full report.  Check it out...


Interbrand Report

Monday, February 6, 2012

Golfsmith: 10 New Locations


Golfsmith Planned New Store Locations In 2012:
  • Cleveland, OH
  • Washington DC metro area -- 3 stores
  • Chattanooga, TN
  • Nashville, TN
  • Atlanta, GA
  • Baltimore, MD
  • Christiana, DE
  • San Antonio, TX


Yahoo Finance Article


Thanks to Dan Adamson or ROI Commercial in Las Vegas for providing the article.  ROI is an active member of the Anchor Tenant Council in the Retail Brokers Network.     

Friday, February 3, 2012

Costco Looking Strong

I liked this article from Zacks Investment Research on Costco and their performance in 2011.


Costco Exits 2011 with Strength

New Store Announcements (December & January)


Books A Million – Mays Landing , NJ
Buybuy Baby – Jacksonville, FL – 25,000 SF
Cabela’s - Snohomish County, WA
Costco – Augusta, GA
Costco – Sarasota, FL
Dick’s Sporting Goods - Bluffton, SC - 30,000 SF
Dick’s Sporting Goods - Portage MI
HHGregg – Greenfield, WI
Hobby Lobby – Algonquin, IL – 55,000 SF (to open in March/April)
Hobby Lobby - Anderson, IN - 55,600 SF
Hobby Lobby – Andrson, IN, 55,600 SF
HomeGoods - Southlake, TX - 30,000 SF
LA Fitness – Dallas, TX, 50,000 SF
Lowe’s – Kill Devil Hills, NC
Office Depot – Hoboken, NJ – 5,000 SF, 21 employees
Office Depot – Merrillville, IN – 19 employees
Office Depot – Wichita Falls, TX
Party City – Port Orange, NJ
Petsmart – Jackson, MI
REI – Cary, NC, 27,200 SF
REI – Cincinnati, OH, 22,000 SF
REI - Dallas, TX
REI – Medford, OH, 23,500 SF
Shoe Carnival - Dallas-Fort Worth, TX - 11,000 SF
TJ Maxx – Brooklyn, NY – 23,000 SF
TJ Maxx – Oshkosh, WI – 24,000 SF (opening early Spring)
TJ Maxx – South Lake Tahoe, UT
Tractor Supply Company – Marianna, FL – 26,000 SF
Tractor Supply Company - Rocky Mount, Franklin County, VA - 19,097 SF
Trader Joe’s - Dallas and Plano, TX
Trader Joe’s – Foxboro, MA
Walmart Express – Ayden, NC
      Walmart Express – Yancyville, NC

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Macy's 'Trading Cards'

A friend of mine in the business once referred to a retailer's opening and closing of stores as 'trading cards'.  In order to survive in any climate, retailers seem to always be 'trading cards' in an ongoing attempt to achieve that perfect combination of stores.  It's when retailers stop trading cards that we should be concerned.  


The following article speaks to Macy's trading cards with some Macy's and Bloomingdale's stores.  
ICSC.org Article