Mergers & Acquisitions

Bangalore, India - Tata Starbucks Limited, the 50/50 joint venture between Starbucks Coffee Company and Tata Global Beverages Limited, opens a new India flagship store in Bangalore on Saturday, Nov. 23.

In addition to the flagship store at Koramangala, Tata Starbucks Limited will open two more stores by the end of the year at Phoenix Market City and Orion Mall at Brigade Gateway in Bangalore.

New York — SL Green Realty Corp. and partner Jeff Sutton have entered into an agreement to buy out the lease of retailers Juicy Couture at 650 Fifth Avenue. The transaction will enable the leasehold owners to combine Juicy Couture’s existing basement, grade-level and second floor retail space with additional vacant space on the third floor and accelerate the partnership’s ability to reposition the building’s premier retail corner location.

San Francisco -- Gap Inc. reported a 9.4% increase in third-quarter profit as the retailer's turnaround continues. The company also reaffirmed its full-year profit guidance and said it is increasing its stock buyback authorization by $1 billion.

The chain posted net income of $337 million in the three-month period ended Nov. 2, compared with $308 million last year.

Atlanta — Jones Lang LaSalle has closed the sale of a portfolio of four grocery-anchored centers on behalf of Regency Partners II. Publix Supermarkets acquired the properties for $37.5 million.

The portfolio of shopping center includes:

Snap36, a leading provider of complete 360-degree spin photography services, has added retail industry veteran Steve Embree to its executive leadership team. Embree will act as director of business development.

The company plans to leverage his experience to accelerated Snap36 adoption throughout the online retail and distribution industries. Embree will be responsible for driving business development and go-to-market strategies for Snap36 across both B2C and B2B markets.

Austin, Texas — Jones Lang LaSalle has announced the addition of seven brokerage experts to its national program. Austin McWilliams joined the firm as a senior VP; Travis Sawvell and Jon Switzer joined as VPs, and Katie Carlisle joined as an associate, all based in Austin. Their additions come on the heels of the firm’s newly formed Austin Retail Brokerage practice led by newcomers Todd Wallace and Robert O’Farrell.  

New York -- Eminence Capital which owns 9.8% of the common stock of The Men's Wearhouse and is its single largest shareholder, on Wednesday released a presentation describing why Men’s Wearhouse board of directors should engage in merger discussions with Jos. A. Bank Clothiers, Inc. Eminence Capital also said that it has retained Moelis & Company as a strategic advisor.

Seattle – Nordstrom will open a Nordstrom Rack at Village Plaza at Bunker Hill in Houston. The 30,357-sq.-ft. store is scheduled to open in spring 2014.

The first Houston Rack store opened at The Centre at Post Oak in 2010, and the Bunker Hill Rack will be the third Rack in four years to open in the area. Nordstrom first came to Houston with a full-line store at The Galleria in 2003. The company will open its second Houston full-line store at The Woodlands Mall on September 5, 2014.