Mergers & Acquisitions

Syracuse, N.Y. -- Sutton Real Estate Co. announced that Larry J. Socia, has joined the company as retail director.

Socia’s focus will be expanding the client representation business, seeking new business opportunities and overseeing existing retail real estate services.

Socia was previously retail division director for the Cushman & Wakefield Strategic Alliance Partner in Upstate New York.
 

Beachwood, Ohio -- Developers Diversified Realty Corp. announced Monday that it will officially change its name to DDR Corp., and adopt its New York Stock Exchange ticker symbol and most commonly referred identity, DDR, as its official brand name.

The company also unveiled a new logo, tagline and brand identity.

ATLANTA — Canada's importance to the retail industry continues to grow, made evident by the recent news that Office Depot has engaged ShopVisible, a leading provider of on-demand e-commerce, social commerce, and mobile commerce solutions, to launch the retailer’s new Canadian-facing e-commerce site.

Philadelphia -- Destination Maternity Corp. announced the opening of two namesake stores and two shop-in-shops in South Korea.

The freestanding locations, in the cities of Koyang and DaeJeon, are the chain’s first stores in South Korea and were opened by partner Agabang & Co.

Tustin, Calif. -- Coreland Cos. of Tustin, Calif., announced that Kim Talley has been named senior associate, retail brokerage.

Talley was previously senior associate with CB Richard Ellis. She has completed transactions with TJ Maxx, Wells Fargo, TruValue Hardware, Starbucks and Citibank.

Houston -- Stage Stores announced that Mike Searles has joined the company as president and COO of its South Hill Division, which is headquartered in South Hill, Va.

Searles will be responsible for all operations of the South Hill Division, including merchandising, planning and allocation, and store operations. He has served as chairman and CEO of Wilsons Leather Stores, and Factory 2-U Stores, in addition to holding senior executive level positions at several other national retail chains.

New York City -- Aldi is close to making a deal to open its first supermarket in Manhattan, Craine’s New York reported.

The German discount grocer opened its first store in New York City, in Queens, last year. According to Craine’s, Aldi is set to lease space at East River Plaza, located between 116th St. and 119 St. in Harlem. The shopper center already boasts such tenants as Target, Best Buy and the city’s first Costco.

WESTBOROUGH, Mass. — At a special meeting held Friday, BJ's Wholesale Club stockholders approved the definitive agreement between the company and Leonard Green & Partners and CVC Capital Partners to be acquired in an all-cash transaction valued at about $2.8 billion.

BJ's anticipates the closing of the transaction, which was announced in late June, will occur around the end of the month.