Finance & Capital Management

Los Angeles — The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf has inked an exclusive deal with developer L.A. Style to expand the coffee and tea retailer into Japan by the end of this year.

L.A. Style is a joint-venture partnership between fast-casual restaurateur Hotland Co. and Japan’s largest shopping mall developer Aeon Mall Co.
The deal ultimately calls for 200 stores across Japan.

Walgreens has exercised its option to complete the second step of its strategic transaction with Alliance Boots ahead of the original option period, which was between February and August 2015. The transaction, subject to shareholder and various regulatory approvals, would fully combine the two companies to form the first global pharmacy-led, health and well-being enterprise.
 

North Bergen, N.J. - John Bowlin has been appointed to the board of directors of Vitamin Shoppe Inc., effective Oct. 1. Bowlin currently serves as a director of Generac Power Systems Inc. and the Schwann Food Company.

Prior to his current role, Bowlin most recently held the position of president and CEO of Miller Brewing Company. Throughout his career, Bowlin has served in senior leadership roles at Philip Morris Companies Inc., Kraft Foods Company, Oscar Mayer Food Corp. and General Foods Corp.

Smith & Wesson has hired Andrew Coccari Jr. to fill the newly created position of SVP of sales and marketing, effective August 11. His appointment follows the announced retirement of Mario Pasantes, SVP of marketing and international sales, scheduled for 2015.

Indianapolis - Lids Sports Group has acquired wholesale team sports company Nashville Sporting Goods and its production affiliate National Team Embellishment, both headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. The purchase includes Nashville Sporting Goods.

New York -- Target Corp. has added its name to a legal defense of gay marriage. The move comes four years after the company was criticized for supporting a strident opponent of same-sex unions.

Target signed a court brief backing marriage equality in a pending court case and publicly declared its support of gay marriage, joining the likes of Starbucks, Apple and Intel.

Deerfield, Ill. — Walgreens on Wednesday said it has exercised its option to buy the remaining 55% of European pharmacy retailer and wholesaler Alliance Boots in a $15.26 billion deal that will keep the drug store chain's corporate tax headquarters in the United States. Walgreens said it is not in the best long-term interest of its shareholders to re-domicile outside the United States.

Dallas —
 SRS Real Estate Partners has hired Danielle M. O'Hara Murphy as a senior associate in the Orlando office. She will primarily focus on providing tenant representation for national retailers, as well as acquisitions, dispositions, investment properties and landlord representation.

O’Hara Murphy previously worked with CBRE, The Staubach Company and JLL.