Strategy

Austin, Texas -- Golfsmith reported Tuesday that it posted a loss of $3.6 million in the first quarter, compared with a loss of $3.1 million in the year-ago period.

Sales improved 11% to $90.5 million for the quarter. Same-store sales grew 8.5%.

London -- The British department store Selfridges received the “Best Department Store in the World” award at the Global Department Store Summit in Paris.

Selfridges took the top slot amongst finalists from around the globe, including Macy's and Woolworths (South Africa). The U.K. retailer also won the award, which is given out every two years, in 2010.

CINCINNATI — The International Association for Food Protection is honoring Kroger with the 2012 Black Pearl Award for advancing food safety and quality.

The  (IAFP) names one company annually for its efforts to advance food safety and quality through consumer programs, employee relations, educational activities, adherence to standards, and support of the goals and objectives of the IAFP.

Derby, Conn. -- DLC Management Corp. and Hutensky Capital Partners have announced a joint-venture acquisition of Walmart Plaza, a 199,393-sq.-ft. shopping center in Derby, Conn.

Anchored by Walmart, Adams Hometown Market and CVS, the center adds to DLC’s Connecticut holdings of nine shopping centers and 1.4 million sq. ft.
 

ATLANTA — Warm weather and demand for core products helped drive up sales and earnings at The Home Depot during its fiscal first quarter. The company reported sales of $17.8 billion for the first quarter of fiscal 2012, a 5.9% increase from the first quarter of fiscal 2011. Comparable-store sales for the first quarter of fiscal 2012 were positive 5.8%, and comp sales for U.S. stores were positive 6.1%.

Framingham, Mass. -- The TJX Cos. reported Tuesday that net income rose to $419 million for the quarter ended April 28. On an earnings per share basis, adjusted profit results showed a 41% increase over the prior year period.

Sales increased 11% to $5.8 billion and same-store sales climbed 8%.

Carol Meyrowitz, CEO of TJX Cos., said: “We saw significant increases in customer traffic across all divisions in the first quarter over last year, which we believe points to the strength of our values and our brand content.”

This is not your father’s (or my father’s) RECon. True, the conference wasn’t called that back then, but it is clear to me that this influential annual event is evolving. I see three relatively new RECon trends/developments that I think are significant beyond the conference itself; indicating bigger-picture changes within the broader retail real estate industry:

Stronger international presence

Mamaroneck, N.Y. -- Charter Realty & Development said that it has arranged a 2,400-sq.-ft. lease for Smashburger in Mamaroneck, N.Y., within walking distance of the Metro-North train station.

Peter Levine of Charter Realty & Development represents Smashburger in Westchester, Fairfield, New Haven and Hartford Counties.