Mergers & Acquisitions

New York -- Concerns about regulators blocking Staples’s proposed acquisition of Office Depot have surfaced in the wake of a Federal judge blocking Sysco Corp.’s purchase of US Foods, reported 247wallst.com.

Read the store here.

Chicago - Mid-America Real Estate Corp.’s Investment Sales team recently brokered the sale of Randhurst Village in the Chicago suburb of Mount Prospect. Tarrytown, New York-based DLC Management Corp. purchased the 1,009,937-sq.-ft. regional power and lifestyle center.

Randhurst Village national tenants include Costco, Home Depot, Jewel-Osco, AMC Theaters, Carson Pirie Scott, Bed Bath & Beyond, Sports Authority, TJ Maxx, Old Navy, PetSmart and World Market.

Hangzhou, China – Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba Holding Group Inc. will reportedly pull the plug on its 11Main U.S. specialty e-commerce site. According to TechCrunch, Alibaba plans to fold 11Main into New York-based social shopping platform OpenSky.

Hong Kong – A subsidiary of global export company Li & Fung is partnering with two Chinese department store retailers to open as many as 300 stores in the Shanghai free trade zone. Li & Fung Trading (China) Holdings Ltd. is forming a joint venture with Shanghai Bailian Group Co. Ltd. and Beijing Wangfujing Department Store (Group) Co. Ltd. Li & Fung holds a 20% stake and each department store chain owns a 40% stake.

Orlando, Fla. - Darden Restaurants Inc. plans to separate a portion of its real estate assets through a combination of sale leaseback transactions and a new, publicly traded real estate investment trust ("REIT"). Under the plan, Darden will transfer approximately 430 of its corporate stores to the REIT, with substantially all of the REIT's initial assets being leased back to Darden.  

Grand Rapids, Mich. - Meijer has moved into its sixth state, opening its first two Wisconsin supercenters. The 192,000-sq.-ft. stores in Grafton and Kenosha have created nearly 600 jobs.

In addition to the retailer's grocery, merchandise and garden center at each store, the new pharmacies offer drive-thru pick up and the Meijer free prescription program.

In August, Meijer will open two additional stores in Wauwatosa and Oak Creek. The retailer has plans for continued growth in Wisconsin.
 

Canton, Mass. - Dunkin' Donuts has opened its newest hotel location at the Great Wolf Lodge in Sandusky, Ohio, making it the fifth restaurant to open under a franchising agreement between Dunkin' Donuts and Great Wolf Resorts. Dunkin' Donuts has existing restaurants at Great Wolf Lodge in Concord, North Carolina; Williamsburg, Virginia; Traverse City, Michigan; and Fitchburg, Massachusetts.

Hangzhou, China – Alibaba Holding Group Inc. is reportedly planning to boost its investment in Russia. According to the China Want Times, Alibaba chairman Jack Ma said expanded e-commerce operations in Russia would be part of a broader effort called “One Belt One Road” that would electronically connect China with countries in Eastern Europe for trading.