Mergers & Acquisitions

Ikea has tabbed a 123-acre parcel 17 miles north of downtown Denver as the potential site of its second location in the metro. The Swedish furniture retailer made its debut in the area with a store in Centennial in 2011.   Ikea set no time frame for the opening of the second store, though the city of Denver has begun the process of incorporating a new Ikea into the master-planned retail center destined for the site in Broomfield at the intersection of Interstate 25 and State Highway 7.  

Wal-Mart Stores is in talks to buy start-up Jet.com, an online retailer that has styled itself as a challenger to Amazon, the Wall Street Journal reported.   The acquisition would give a big boost to Wal-Mart’s digital efforts, as well as its efforts to compete with Amazon. At the company’s annual shareholders meetings in June, Wal-Mart CEO Doug said the discounter planned to become more aggressive in growing its online business.  

Just three months after its proposed acquisition by Staples ran into regulatory roadblocks, Office Depot unveiled its plans for the future as a standalone retailer.   In its second quarter financial filing, the chain announced it would close an additional 300 stores during the next three years, a move that is anticipated to help cut annual costs by some $250 million by the end of 2018. Office Depot is also planning to cut costs by reducing procurement and general and administrative costs.    

The benefits of density and densification are a fundamental tenet of “new urbanism,” the guiding set of principles exerting a significant influence over real estate development, urban planning, and municipal land-use strategies.  

Ice cream lovers in Lebanon will soon have a new confectionary option, as Cold Stone Creamery has announced plans to open multiple locations throughout the country over the next few years, beginning with the capital city of Beirut.    Kahala Brands, the parent company of Cold Stone Creamery, has granted MNM Investments Lebanon SAL, part of M1 Group, the master franchise rights to Lebanon under a 10-year master franchise agreement.  

A premium children’s brand is planning a growth spurt.    Private equity firm L Catterton has acquired Hanna Andersson for an undisclosed sum, with the intent of expanding the Swedish children’s apparel retailer across its channels.   Hanna Andersson currently operates a robust e-commerce and catalog business in addition to 55 retail stores and 11 outlet locations.  

GameStop Corp. has acquired three AT&T mobility banners, which will add 507 wireless units to its global base of stores. The purchase price wasn’t disclosed.  

As part of its ongoing commitment to development in the state, Stirling Properties has acquired nearly 12 acres of land in St. John the Baptist Parish for development of a new medical facility and additional commercial development.    The site is located at the northwest corner of W. Airline Highway and N. Sugar Ridge Road in LaPlace, Louisiana.  

Hhgregg has completed its search for a permanent CEO by giving interim chief Robert Riesbeck the long-term nod.   Riesbeck has held the interim title since February, when then-CEO Dennis May tendered his resignation. Now, with the top position becoming permanent, Riesbeck will give up his CFO title and the company will launch a new search for a replacement.  

Smoothie operator Tropical Smoothie Café has refreshed its brand by blending a coastal atmosphere and elevated customer experience – with plans to take the new look and feel to locations nationwide.   "As Tropical Smoothie Cafe continued growing and evolving over the past several years, it became obvious to us that our brand's image needed to follow suit,” said Mike Rotondo, CEO. The company launched the rebranding via a new restaurant design that it plans to introduce to new and existing stores.