Corporate Governance

Chicago -- Fresh Thyme Farmers Markets, a new specialty grocer format featuring value-priced healthy and organic offerings, announced Wednesday that it plans to open over 60 stores and create approximately 5,000 new jobs throughout the Midwest over the next five years. The company's first store will open in Mt. Prospect, Ill., this spring, followed by eight more grand openings, spread out between Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, throughout the remainder of this year. The retailer will enter Michigan, Missouri, Wisconsin and Minnesota in 2015.

Clinton Township, Mich. — The Mall at Partridge Creek, in the Detroit, metropolitan region, has named Melissa Morang marketing and sponsorship director. Morang will develop public programs, events and community relations for the center.

Morang returns to metro Detroit after spending the past year in the Grand Rapids area working in Meijer’s corporate office on marketing strategies for the retailers soft lines division.

New York — Wasabi, a London-based sushi and bento chain, has opened a two-floor 3,400-sq.-ft. store at 561 Seventh Avenue in New York City. Ripco Realty represented the landlord, Handler Real Estate Organization in the transaction. CWM represented the tenant.

The flagship space is Wasabi’s first branch in the United States. With 36 locations in the United Kingdom, the chain plans to expand throughout Manhattan over the next 18 months.

New York — Retail developer Edens has selected four finalists for its annual Retail Challenge, a nation-wide student competition for the most compelling new retail concept. The announcement of the winner kicks off this year’s smART: The Art of Retail conference.

Both the Edens Retail Challenge and smART aspire to incubate new ideas, share knowledge and identify the next generation of industry thought leaders.

New York — Steve Madden and Trebbianno have signed long-term leases totaling more than 60,000 sq. ft. at 19 West 34th Street, also known as the Martin Building, in New York City.

Steve Madden is taking the entire fifth floor and part of the fourth and eighth floors and will use approximately 40,000 sq. ft. of the 14-story building. The space will serve as one of Steve Madden’s corporate offices and showrooms.

Dallas — SRS Real Estate Partners has appointed Matias Campins as director of research to the Dallas/Ft. Worth headquarters office. Campins will oversee the delivery of research services across the company and stay informed of research platform capabilities to ensure competitiveness within the retail industry.

New York — Xcel Brands has announced the opening of the Isaac Mizrahi New York store in Woodstock, Ga., a suburb of Atlanta. The 2,000-sq.-ft. shop will open on March 29.

Xcel Brands acquires, designs, licenses and markets consumer brands through an omnichannel sales strategy that includes interactive media, digital and brick-and-mortar retail. In 2011, the company acquired the Isaac Mizrahi New York designer apparel brand and an interest in Liz Claiborne

New York - Eminence Capital, LLC, which owns 4.9% of the common stock of Jos. A. Bank Clothiers, has sent a letter to the board of directors criticizing their announced acquisition of Eddie Bauer. According to the letter, signed by Eminence CEO Ricky Sandler, the nearly $900 million acquisition is a poor decision that has an excessive price which almost surely destroys shareholder value.

Toano, Va. – Lumber Liquidators reported impressive results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year 2013. For the quarter, net income increased 50.6% to $20.8 million, from $13.8 million in the fourth quarter of the prior year.

Net sales increased $47.8 million to $258.4 million in fourth quarter 2013, from $210.7 million in fourth quarter 2012. Same-store sales increased 15.6% for the quarter, driven by an 8.6% increase in the number of customers invoiced and a 7% increase in the average sale.

Washington, D.C. - More Americans this year are expected to put their tax returns in the bank. According to the National Retail Federation (NRF)’s Tax Returns Survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics, 46% of those expecting a refund this year will put their money into savings, up from 44% last year and the highest percent in the survey’s history.