Strategy

Supervalu Inc. on Thursday moved closer to spinning off its Save-A-Lot division as a public company, filing a plan with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Under the plan, Supervalu shareholders will own at least 80.1% of the spun-off company. The stock would be publicly traded under an as-of-yet unidentified ticker. Supervalu did not set a deadline for taking Save-A-Lot public.

Leading department store operator Hudson’s Bay Company confirmed months of speculation and agreed to pay what appears to be a modest sum to acquire online luxury retailer Gilt Groupe.

Hudson’s Bay, which operates 470 department stores including Saks Fifth Avenue and the Off 5th discount format, said it agreed to pay $250 million for Gilt in a deal that will add $500 million to 2016, $40 million in adjusted operating profit by 2017 and countless synergies to leverage the combined companies’ infrastructure and customer databases.

A lack of skilled trade labor is one of the biggest challenges confronting both retailers and suppliers in the store maintenance area, according to Boss Facility Services’ Keith Keingstein and Kerri Keingstein, who spoke with Chain Store Age about industry trends.

Westfield Corporation established Westfield Labs in 2013 with the purpose of innovating the retail environment. And this year the company did just that with the opening of BESPOKE at Westfield San Francisco Centre. The 37,000-sq.-ft. space incorporates co-working, event and technology demo spaces all under one dome. With an eye for retail, and a heart for tech, Westfield wanted to create a place where fashion runway shows and hackathons could happen side by side.

Gaithersburg, Md. -- Elion Partners announced it has completed capital improvements for Goshen Plaza in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The 45,654 sq. ft., CVS-anchored shopping center has undergone upgrades to its exterior, landscaping and parking lots.

“Our goal is to increase visibility and enhance the customer’s experience while at Goshen Plaza,” said Juan DeAngulo, managing principal, Elion Partners. “The capital improvement project ensures Goshen Plaza will remain a top community destination for years to come.

Philadelphia -- PREIT announced that Ron Rubin will step down as the company's executive chairman, a role he's held since 2012, effective June 7, 2016. Rubin will continue in his role as chairman of the board.

Salt Lake City -- X Team International, an international alliance of retail real estate advisors, announced that partners Mountain West Retail and Investment, Dunbar Commercial and Endeavor Real Estate Group, completed three sale-leaseback transactions to Capview Partners for Melrose Family Fashions totaling 32,160 sq. ft. The Melrose Family Fashions stores included in the transaction are located in three Texas cities: Laredo, Odessa and Rio Grande City.

With the retail industry continuing to face abundant legislative challenges, the Retail Industry Leaders Association has made two key hires to bolster lobbying efforts during what promises to be a year of highly contentious presidential politics.