Strategy

Greensboro, N.C. - The Fresh Market said Wednesday it has entered into agreements to lease four new store locations that are currently operated as Rice Epicurean Markets, a family-owned specialty food retailer based in Houston.

Rice Epicurean Markets will continue to operate the stores through the end of the year, and will close these four stores during the first quarter of 2013.

DLC Management Corp., based in Tarrytown, N.Y., is one of those savvy shopping center companies that seems to instinctively know what to buy, what to sell, what to redevelop, what to re-merchandise.  

And, most of all, DLC knows what will turn a shopping center on its ear.

New York -- Foot Locker announced Tuesday the introduction of SIX:02, an elevated retail concept featuring fitness apparel and athletic footwear for women.

The first three stores will open for the holiday season in Stamford Mall in Stamford, Conn., Willowbrook Mall in Wayne, N.J., and North Star Mall in San Antonio, Texas.

SIX:02's concept is based on being the first-to-market design around a broad assortment of women’s athletic brands in an environment created specifically for that female customer, according to Foot Locker.

Framingham, Mass. -- TJX Cos. reported Tuesday that net income for the quarter ended Oct. 27 rose to $461.5 million, from $406.5 million last year.

Sales rose 10.7% to $6.41 billion; same-store sales climbed 7%.

The parent to T.J. Maxx and Marshalls said it expects same-store sales during the holiday quarter to be flat to up 2%.

Minneapolis -- In his Tuesday address to investors and stockholders in New York City, newly minted Best Buy Co. CEO Hubert Joly acknowledged that sales and profits are on a decline, and presented a plan to shore up finances and operations by cutting expenses, rethinking footprints and improving both offline and online customer satisfaction. Part of the plan involved tapping former Williams-Sonoma exec Sharon McCollam as its new CFO.

Louisville, Colo. -- Video provider Envysion said Monday that chicken chain Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen has completed deploying the company's Envysion Insight solution to all corporate owned restaurant locations.

Popeyes will use Envysion's video-driven business intelligence in its 40 company-operated locations to improve loss prevention efforts, optimize operations and drive restaurant-level profitability.

Atlanta -- An improved housing market boosted Home Depot in its latest quarter, as the home-improvement retailer reported Tuesday that net income for the third quarter rose to $947 million from $934 million in the year-ago period.

Revenue climbed 4% to $18.13 billion, edging Wall Street’s estimated $17.92 billion in revenue. Same-store sales rose 4.3% in the U.S. and 4.2% overall.

Melville, N.Y. -- A&G Realty Partners said Tuesday it has been retained by Charming Shoppes to exclusively manage the resolution of all remaining Fashion Bug real estate leases in the United States.

On June 14, Ascena Retail Group acquired Charming Shoppes and announced plans to cease operating and close down the Fashion Bug arm by early 2013.

"We're pleased to be working with A&G Realty Partners to wind down our remaining Fashion Bug store leases,” said Jonathon Graub, executive VP real estate, Charming Shoppes.