Events

The Americans with Disabilities Act with be the focus of a special, double-session at Chain Store Age’s upcoming SPECS conference (March 12-14, at the Gaylord Palms, Kissimmee, Florida).     Presented by Joan Stein, president of Joan Stein Consulting and one of the nation’s leading ADA experts, the session will examine non-compliance issues, the impact of after-construction changes, how to avoid mitigation costs, and remediation and business interruption.  

Just days after it named its first-ever female CEO, Barneys is devoting the window displays at its uptown and downtown Manhattan flagships to an initiative celebrating women’s empowerment.   The windows are part of a new campaign launched by the Barneys New York Foundation, the charitable arm of the luxury specialty retailer. Entitled “We Will Be,” the initiative will run through the end of February to coincide with New York Fashion Week.   

When Samsung Electronics America opened the doors to Samsung 837 in the heart of New York City, it unveiled a digital playground that personifies the evolution — and future — of retail. The store will be the focus of a session at Chain Store Age’s upcoming SPECS conference (March 12-14, at the Gaylord Palms, Kissimmee, Florida).      

This summer, Mall of America will buy into the escape fantasy craze with the addition of The Escape Game, an hour-long experience that the Nashville-based provider of the technology says presents sophisticated content designed to challenge even the most ardent gamers.   In the group experience, players can choose adventures that include a Mars mission, a covert mission to intervene with terrorists, a prison break, and a museum heist. The 3,300-sq.-ft. space will be located on level 3 of the huge mall in Bloomington, Minnesota, near Sears.

Whole Foods Market makes its El Paso debut with a store that reflects the culture and flavor of the locale.   The 45,000-sq.-ft. store is bright and colorful, with a lively atmosphere. Individual departments stand out with their own distinctive color palette and lighting, with signage in both English and Spanish.      The space features a meeting room for community events, and an 82-seat bar and restaurant (“Thunderbird Taproom”).     

Lowe’s has signed on as the third anchor at Lake Nona Landing, the newly opened shopping center within the 17-square-mile Lake Nona master-planned community outside of Orlando, Fla. The 158,000-sq.-ft. home improvement store joins current anchors Walmart Supercenter and Sam’s Club.   Developer Tavistock Development announced it has also executed leases for seven other retailers at the 53-acre site: TJ Maxx, Mattress One, Firehouse Subs, Anthony Jewelers, UPS, Rubio’s, and GNC.  

After a decade-long increase, Valentine’s Day sales may be less rosy this year.   U.S. consumers are expected to spend an average $136.57, down from last year’s record-high $146.84. Total spending is expected to reach $18.2 billion, down from $19.7 billion last year, which was also a record, according to the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics, which surveyed 7,591 consumers about their Valentine’s Day plans.  

For the 28th consecutive year, Chain Store Age will recognize active shopping center owners, managers and acquirers for projects, contracts and transactions completed during last year.   The annual “Fastest-Growing” awards measure development, acquisition and third-party management activities for full-year 2016.   

Young children looking for the carousel at Westfield’s Garden State Plaza mall in Paramus, New Jersey, were disappointed this past holiday season. Their older siblings, cousins, and perhaps even parents, were not.  

Chain Store Age has launched our annual search for 10 individuals in retail real estate we call “retail stars;” all will be featured in the May 2017 issue of CSA with bonus distribution at the International Council of Shopping Centers’ RECon event in Las Vegas!     The award recognizes people under the age of 40 who are making an impact in retail real estate – whether from the tenant (retail) or the landlord (shopping center company) side.