Labor & Employment

Staten Island Mall announced that the 1.2-million-sq.-ft. property will undergo a much anticipated multi-million dollar redevelopment that will add interior and exterior upgrades, new fashion retailers, restaurants, a Fairway Market and public piazza for guests to gather and enjoy events year-round, including a farmers market, holiday festivities, fashion shows and community fundraisers.

Enhancements also include the ability for Macy’s to expand.

Mobile, Ala. -- JLL announced the expansion of its platform in Alabama with the addition of Shannon Tyndall and Allen Garstecki. Tyndall and Garstecki join JLL as VPs, and bring more than 20 years of combined experience to the firm. They will be based in the firm’s Mobile office, bolstering the existing practice that JLL built last year when it added Gulf Coast Retail Brokerage lead Josh Burmeister and VP Buff Teague.

The team provides retail and office expertise throughout Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and the Florida Panhandle.

Robert “Bob” Piccinini, the longtime chairman of Save Mart Supermarkets, has died. He was 73.

In a statement, the company said that Bob was most passionate about two things: his family and his company. He purchased Save Mart from the Piccinini and Tocco families in 1985 after working his way up through the ranks as a box boy, truck driver, store manager, vice president of real estate and on to president and CEO.

Christopher & Banks Corp.

Swedish retailer H&M, which has already made huge waves in the United States, is now eyeing even more global omnichannel expansion.

The company is planning to open 400 new physical stores, a new flagship in New York City’s Herald Square, and at least nine new online stores.

The retailer also reported results for the first quarter ended Feb. 28. H&M reported that net profit climbed 36% to 3.61 billion kronor ($423.2 million), versus a year-ago profit of 2.65 billion kronor ($311.9 million). Analysts were expecting a profit of 3.37 billion kronor.

A strengthened omnichannel fulfillment model helped slow the pace of sales declines at Toys “R” Us last year and now the retailer is looking to execute the next phases of transformation strategy to restore profitable growth.

The company spelled out details of its strategy on March 25 during an investor conference with presentations from Antonio Urcelay, chairman and CEO, Hank Mullany, president of Toys “R” Us, U.S. and Mike Short, executive vice president and CFO.

The resurgence of the housing market has Lowe’s feeling optimistic, to the tune of $5 billion.

The company’s board of directors announced that it has authorized a new repurchase program of $5 billion of the company's common stock. This new repurchase program has no expiration date and adds to the previous program's balance, which was $2.4 billion as of Jan. 30.

New York -- Wal-Mart Stores has reached a settlement with the two children of James McNair, the comedian who was killed in the highway accident that also seriously injured comic and former “Saturday Night Live” performer Tracy Morgan, the Associated Press reported.
 
Citing documents filed in New York's Westchester County, the AP reported the children were awarded a total of $10 million. The deadly crash occurred on June 7, 2014, on the New Jersey Turnpike.
   

Wayne, N.J. -- Toys “R” Us Inc. swung to a profit in the fourth quarter, amid a major restructuring initiative that looks to cut up to another $175 million in expenses.

New York – The elimination of a one-time adverse legal ruling helped Tiffany & Co. swing from loss to profit in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2014, but a strengthening dollar hurt overall sales. Tiffany reported net earnings of $196 million, compared to a net loss of $104 million the same period a year earlier.

However, worldwide net sales of $1.28 billion were down 1% from $1.3 billion, with the stronger U.S. dollar negatively impacting foreign sales results. Same-store sales dropped 4%.