Marketing

Minneapolis -- Best Buy on Wednesday announced major changes to its leadership organization. The company is removing the senior-most layer of the U.S. operation is being removed; resulting in what it called “a leaner structure intended to improve the company’s agility.”

New York -- Coach Inc. reported Tuesday that profit for the quarter ended Sept. 29 rose 3% to $221.4 million, compared with $215 million for the same period last year and beating Wall Street expectations.

Sales surged 11% to $1.16 billion, in line with forecasts, and same-store sales in North America rose 11%, bolstering the luxury retailer’s results for the quarter. In China, same-store sales also rose by double-digits.

Bossier City, La. -- Covington, La.-based Stirling Properties announced the opening of a new 7,918-sq.-ft. Santa Fe Cattle Co. restaurant at its Stirling Bossier Shopping Center property, located on Airline Drive in Bossier City.

Headquartered in Baton Rouge, La., Santa Fe Cattle Co. operates 19 locations in six states, including four in Louisiana.

Santa Monica, Calif. -- The Macerich Co. announced on Monday plans to acquire Kings Plaza, located in Brooklyn, N.Y., and Green Acres Mall, located in Valley Stream, N.Y., on the border of New York City and Nassau County. 

Kings Plaza is being acquired from a subsidiary of Alexander's for $751 million, with a closing date set for late 2012. Green Acres is being acquired from a subsidiary of Vornado Realty Trust for $500 million, with a first quarter 2013 closing date.

General Growth Properties’ Fashion Place shopping center in Murray, Utah, celebrated “Fashion Place Day” on Oct. 15 to commemorate the mall’s 40-year history.

A 15-ft. Mall of Memories wall marked the occasion, and was accompanied by a mayoral declaration and a week of special offers, giveaways, retro fashion shows and a mall-wide birthday party honoring 40 kids affected by cancer.

“We think Fashion Place looks fabulous for being 40,” said Natalie Watson, Fashion Place senior marketing manager.

Bloomfield Hills, Mich. -- Taubman Centers announced it has hired Colleen O’Neill as the general manager of Taubman Prestige Outlets Chesterfield, effective Nov. 5. She will be responsible for overseeing center operations as well as retailer and community relations, marketing and sponsorship.

O’Neill was the former marketing director of Saks Fifth Avenue at Plaza Frontenac in St. Louis. The announcement of her hiring follows Taubman’s decision to move up the opening date of the high-end outlet shopping center to August 2, 2013.

Chattanooga, Tenn. -- CBL & Associates Properties announced that Sally Cooney has joined the company as regional director of leasing, charged with overseeing the Cincinnati regional leasing team’s efforts and merchandising strategy.   

Cooney most recently served as regional VP for General Growth Properties in its Atlanta regional office.

Las Vegas -- Tatyana Designs opened its 10th Bettie Page store, on Newbury Street in Boston.

“We are confident that our new Boston location will track the success of our other nine company-owned outlets all located in prime 'street' or up-scale mall locations. We are looking at additional East Coast locations as we aggressively pursue our growth strategy," said Tatyana Designs co-CEO Jan Glaser.