Mergers & Acquisitions

Warrendale, Pa. – Two independent proxy voting advisory firms, Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) and Glass Lewis & Co., have both recommended that rue21 shareholders vote for a proposed acquisition by Apax Partners. As previously announced on May 23, 2013, rue21 entered into a definitive agreement under which funds advised by Apax Partners will acquire all outstanding shares of rue21 for $42 per share in cash.

Dallas -- Tuesday Morning Corp. said it has appointed Jeffrey Boyer as executive VP, chief administrative officer and CFO, effective immediately. Boyer fills both the existing chief administrative officer vacancy and replaces outgoing CFO Stephanie Bowman.

Boyer previously was CFO, then COO of 24 Hour Fitness Worldwide, and has also served as CFO of Michael’s Stores and Kmart Corp.  

Neiman Marcus is closing in on a deal to be purchased by Ares Management and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board for $6 billion, according to reports.

Greensboro, N.C. – The Fresh Market has named Randall A. Young as its senior VP real estate and development effective Sept. 30. Young, 56, will oversee the company's real estate and development functions including market strategy development, site selection, store design, construction, store relocations and renovations.

Young most recently served as VP, real estate at Advance Auto Parts. He has also held a variety of real estate and construction roles at McDonald's Corporation, among other companies.

WinCo Foods has agreed to develop an 85,000-sq.-ft. modern grocery store at Old Orchard Village East in Lewisville, Texas.

WinCo Foods, founded in Idaho in 1967, is an employee-owned discount grocery that operates 87 stores and plans to expand into Dallas-Fort Worth metro region with 15 new stores over the next several years.

The deal will take the Old Orchard Village East center from 60% leased to 100% leased and make it possible to carry out a $20 million transformational redevelopment.

PHILADELPHIA — Leading automotive aftermarket service and retail chain the Pep Boys has acquired 17 discount tire centers in Southern California from AKH Company, Inc.

The tire centers are located throughout the greater Los Angeles market, from Bakersfield to Orange County. They will re-open on September 12 under the Pep Boys banner and provide full-service vehicle maintenance and repair, including brand-name and private-label replacement tires.

Memphis -- Perkins Restaurant & Bakery announced a six-unit franchise development agreement in Iowa and Nebraska over the next six years.  

The expanded development of the Iowa/Nebraska area was signed with Perkins franchisee CyHawk Hospitality Inc., which operates six Perkins Restaurants and Bakeries — five in Iowa and another in Independence, Mo.  
 
The first of the six additional units opened in July in Ankeny, Iowa, to be followed by a location in Norfolk, Neb., slated to open in September.

Chicago -- Claire's Stores announced its recent entry into three new countries — Philippines, Costa Rica and Colombia — as well as new license agreements for Brazil, Scandinavia and the Balkans.

Jim Fielding, CEO, stated: "We continue to identify expansion opportunities worldwide. Our franchise partners have opened stores in three new countries in 2013 and we expect to enter an additional three countries during the rest of the year. We are pleased with our progress to date and encouraged by the opportunities."