Mergers & Acquisitions

Leading global brand extension agency Beanstalk has promoted Allison Ames to president of the company. In her new role, Ames will assume many of the day-to-day leadership and operational responsibilities for the company globally.

She will also work alongside CEO Michael Stone on many of the company’s short and long-term strategic growth initiatives.

New Orleans — Smoothie King Franchises has announced that it is targeting Atlanta for franchise expansion. The company, which will unveil its new store design next month in South Florida, plans to open 25 new locations in the Atlanta region over the next five years.

Burlington, Mass. – Demandware has acquired privately-held Mainstreet Commerce, a provider of cloud-based order management solutions. Demandware hopes the combination of its enterprise-class commerce platform and Mainstreet Commerce’s distributed order management solution will simplify order orchestration between online and in-store shopping processes; optimize store and Web inventory; and enable retailers to deliver a “buy anywhere, fulfill anywhere” consumer experience.

Minneapolis – An internal investigation conducted by Dorsey & Whitney LLP, independent counsel to the Audit Committee of Tile Shop Holdings, Inc. has found no wrongdoing in Tile Shop’s relationship with Beijing Pingxiu, a Chinese export trading company formerly utilized by the company and some of its Chinese vendors.

New York -- Chico's FAS will launch its namesake brand in Mexico, through an exclusive franchise with El Puerto de Liverpool, S.A.B. de C. V. ("Liverpool"), starting with a stand-alone boutique at Perisur Mall, Mexico City, in spring 2014.

Plans for the Chico's expansion in Mexico include the opening of stand-alone stores as well as branded shop-in-shops in Liverpool department stores. The second stand-alone boutique will open in Villahermosa, Tabasco.

The search for a new CEO to lead Crocs is set to intensify now that the iconic footwear manufacturer has resolved its board structure with the addition of two representatives from private equity firm Blackstone Group.

New Albany, Ohio - Abercrombie & Fitch Co. is separating its chairman and CEO roles and expanding its board's size to 12 members. The teen retailer is also terminating its shareholder rights plan.

Miami -- Publix Super Markets will open a 49,000-sq.-ft. supermarket and pharmacy to anchor Terra Group’s latest retail center development, Doral Commons in Doral, Fla. The 140,000-sq.-ft. center is located in one of the fastest growing residential areas of Miami Dade County.

Courtelis Company represented Terra Group in the lease negotiation with Publix and will continue to represent the company in the leasing of the remaining available space in Doral Commons.