Mergers & Acquisitions

Brown Shoe Company has added another big name to its big portfolio of designer brands.

The retailer says it will produce and distribute Diane von Furstenberg brand women’s shoes for the 2016 season through a new licensing deal.

Boston -- Cushman & Wakefield announced the sale of South Cape Village in Mashpee, Massachusetts, to Dividend Capital. The Cushman & Wakefield team oversaw the $35.45 million transaction of the Roche Brothers-anchored lifestyle center on behalf of Mashpee Investors, LLC.    

GameStop’s strongest growth in 2015 will have little to do with gaming as the company plans to open between 350 to 550 stores in technology brands segment while paring its GameStop store presence.

The company’s technology brands segment is comprised of 361 ATT&T brand stores, 63 Cricket branded stores that offer wireless products and services and 60 Simply Mac Stores. Meanwhile, the company has indicated it will close 3%, or nearly 200 of its approximately 6,000 traditional video game stores.

In a break from tradition, Walmart is hosting an investor meeting in New York on April 1 with the new team of top executives who are driving the latest round of changes at the retailer’s U.S. business.

A 90 minutes session scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. EST on April 1 at the New York Stock Exchange will be hosted by Walmart U.S. President and CEO Greg Foran.

At the recent GlobalShop show in Las Vegas two trade groups serving the visual merchandising industry said their boards voted to pursue a merger agreement.

The boards of directors of the Association for Retail Environments (ARE) and the Point of Purchase Advertising International (POPAI) voted to enter a due diligence phase and work in good faith toward a definitive agreement to merge the two associations.

Putting aside a worse than expected fourth quarter loss, regional discounter Fred’s could be on the cusp of more meaningful growth after assembling a roster of top executive talent under the leadership of CEO Jerry Shore and president Mike Bloom.

Atlanta -- GBT Realty Corporation acquired a 1.7-acre site in East Cobb County, Atlanta, at the intersection of Roswell Road and East Cobb Drive near Johnson Ferry Road. Currently the site of a 10,240-sq.-ft. building occupied by Chuck E. Cheese’s, the firm plans to redevelop the parcel with demolition slated this spring.  

GBT acquired the site from Empress Theatres for $1.65 million. No additional terms were disclosed.

The parent company of Kay, Zale and Jared brand jewelry stores had a phenomenal holiday season with profits up more than 40% on solid same store sales growth.