Mergers & Acquisitions

New York -- IBM, and Apple have entered into a comprehensive partnership to spread advanced mobile and data analysis technology in the corporate world. The deal brings together two historic competitors.

The two companies are jointly working on, and will release, more than 100 mobile applications tailored to work with IBM’s data analytics and cloud services developed exclusively for Apple’s iOS operating system and for use on iPhones and iPads.

Dublin, Calif. – Ross Dress for Less will open two new stores in the Mid-Atlantic region on July 19. The stores opening are in the MacDade Mall in Glenolden, Pennsylvania and Windsor Heights Shopping Center in East Windsor, New Jersey.

These new openings are part of the retailer’s 2014 expansion program, totaling approximately 75 new locations during the year.

Amarillo, Texas – Parent, a company owned by New Jersey-based licensing and memorabilia mogul Joel Weinshanker, has purchased multimedia entertainment retailer Hastings Entertainment for $21.4 million. The publicly traded Hastings will go private and operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent.

Flowood, Miss. — Inland Real Estate Income Trust, Inc. has purchased the 187,610-square-foot Dogwood Festival Shopping Center located in Flowood, Mississippi, approximately 10 miles northeast of Jackson, Mississippi.

Constructed in 2002, the center is 97.8% leased to 36 tenants, including T.J. Maxx, HomeGoods, Old Navy, Gap, Men’s Wearhouse, Hibbett Sports and several other national tenants. The property is shadow-anchored by Belk, an upscale department store, which was not acquired.

Dallas -- Corner Bakery Café announced its entry into Oregon, with the addition of franchise partner NW Ventures. As the operator of more than 138 Burger King franchises in Oregon and Mexico, as well as two TGI Fridays in Mexico, NW Ventures joins Corner Bakery Cafe as its 32nd franchise partner, with plans to open 12 neighborhood cafes in the state of Oregon and Vancouver, Washington.

Birmingham, Mich. -- Mid-America Real Estate Corporation’s Investment Sales team, in cooperation with NAI Farbman, recently brokered the sale of The Willits Retail in Birmingham, Michigan. The 25,396-sq.-ft. asset was purchased by Southfield, Michigan-based Seligman Group.

The Willits Retail is located at the southeast corner of Willits Street and Bates Street in the Detroit suburb of Birmingham. Willits features Mitchell’s Fish Market and Cameron’s Steakhouse, together with TD Ameritrade and Darakjian Jewelers.

New York - Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. (ESRT), a New York-based real estate investment trust, has completed the acquisition of the ground and operating leases at 112 West 34th Street and the ground lease at 1400 Broadway for a total of approximately $734 million in cash, common stock and operating partnership units. 112 West 34th Street is a 26-story, 650,769-rentable-sq.-ft.office tower, with 92,455-sq.-ft. of retail space located in the 34th Street/Penn Station submarket.

Livonia, Michigan — Schostak Brothers & Company, Inc. announced the acquisition of 23 shopping centers from Coldwater Liquidating Trust. The purchase is part of a bankruptcy liquidation in which Schostak Brothers purchased the majority of the remaining Coldwater Liquidating Trust portfolio, totaling 405,000 sq. ft.

The 23 shopping centers span 19 states, and is the third acquisition of Super Walmart shopping centers in less than a year.