Mergers & Acquisitions

University Towne Center in Gainesville, Florida, has been sold at auction to Pacific West Land for $2.8 million. Crossman & Company negotiated the deal on behalf of the seller, a south Florida special servicer.   The 18,496-sq.-ft. center is close to the University of Florida campus and to Butler’s sprawling retail complex, which is itself expanding with a town center called The Neighborhoods at Butler.   

VEREIT has purchased a 10.5-acre Sam’s Club property in Timonium, Maryland—just north of Baltimore — for $18.3 million in cash.   “The seller was able to secure an early lease extension prior to the sale, which created a well-positioned, long-term passive investment for the new ownership,” said Jon Busse, Senior VP at Colliers International, which handled the deal on behalf of the seller, Diamond Timonium LLC.  

Move over Lululemon and Athletica, Sweaty Betty is moving onto your turf.   The London-based retailer of stylish activewear for women opened its ninth U.S. store — and third location in the Los Angeles area — on Melrose Ave. in West Hollywood, reported The Los Angeles Times, with a location in San Francisco up next.  

McLean, Virginia-based S2 Capital Partners has purchased an 8-acre center on the outskirts of Richmond with plans to build it out to its full potential.   The company paid $12 million for the 52,000-sq.-ft. Stonebridge Marketplace, and principal Rob Seidel told Richmond Biz Sense that it plans to add 7,200-sq.-ft. and 8,400-sq.-ft. buildings to fill out the strip that fronts a 123,000-sq.-ft. Kroger Marketplace.   Current tenants include Firestone, Panda Express, Mattress Firm, Qdoba, and AT&T.

Visa’s new acquisition promises consumers more digital security when making payments on their laptop, mobile app, or connected device.   Visa is acquiring e-commerce payment authentication provider CardinalCommerce, a move that will enable the card issuer to deliver shoppers more secure, seamless digital payments, and help accelerate digital commerce. While Visa did not disclose financial terms of the transaction, the deal is expected to close in Visa’s second fiscal quarter 2017.  

It’s been quite a tumultuous few years for American Apparel. Between its signature oversexed ad campaigns, founder and former CEO Dov Charney’s fall from grace, and ongoing financial trouble, there’s no shortage of controversy surrounding the apparel company. Most recently, American Apparel filed for bankruptcy for the second time in 13 months amid a $66 million acquisition by Montreal-based Gildan Activewear Inc.   

Boohoo, a fast-fashion online retailer based in Manchester, England, is reportedly bidding for bankrupt U.S. retailer Nasty Gal.    Boohoo has filed a petition to incorporate Nasty Gal as part of its business in the United Kingdom, registering the business Nasty Gal Ltd with Companies House, fashionunited.com reported.  

A new billion dollar merger is reported about to rock the supermarket industry.   Albertsons Companies Inc. is in advanced talks to acquire Price Chopper, a privately held, New York-based regional grocery store operator, for around $1 billion, Reuters reported. Price Chopper operates some 130 stores in the Northeast, including New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts.