Events

DreamWorks Animation makes its official foray into the retail space with the launch of DreamPlace, a state-of-the-art reimagining of the holiday retail experience slated to be unveiled at select GGP and Forest malls this holiday season.

DreamPlace is a 2,000-sq.-ft. holiday cottage and combines the latest technology with magical storytelling from creative minds behind such hit franchises as Shrek, Madagascar and How to Train Your Dragon. DreamPlace reimagines one of the signature moments of childhood – meeting Santa Claus.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Sam’s Club has purchased an approximately 13-acre parcel to build its new store at Village at the Peaks in Longmont, Colorado. Sam’s Club plans to build a new 136,000-sq.-ft. store to anchor the northernmost location in the project.

The 480,000-sq.-ft. Village at the Peaks is being developed by NewMark Merrill Mountain States and is scheduled to open in late 2015. Other key anchors Whole Foods, Gold’s Gym and a state-of-the-art Regal Cinema.

High-end department store Von Maur plans to open its 30th location on October 18 in Oklahoma City. The new location will be the company’s first in the state and will be part of the city’s Quail Springs Mall.

The new store will open in a space that used to house a Sears, and will undergo a complete facelift. Von Maur will create a brick façade on the exterior and sell brands like Brooks Brothers, Hugo Boss and Coach.

For the third consecutive year, Office Depot has enlisted the aid of actor, comedian and America’s Got Talent host Nick Cannon to help execute an innovate back-to-school program.
 

Target opened its experimental Express format on July 23 in a community near downtown Minneapolis designed to give the retailer an early indication of expansion potential for the 20,000-sq.-ft. concept.
 
The store is the smallest Target has ever opened and is located in an area known as Dinkytown near the campus of the University of Minnesota. Four additional locations are already planned for next year including three in the San Francisco area and one in St. Paul.
 

Pop singer Cody Simpson has become the latest artist to join the American Rag “All Access” campaign, which kicks off July 28 and continues through November. American Rag, available only at Macy’s, launched the program in February, and features exclusive music, videos, online sweepstakes and in-store appearances from some of today’s “rising stars.”

Davenport, Iowa -- Von Maur Department Stores will open its 30th store, at Quail Springs Mall in northern Oklahoma City, on Oct. 18. The split-level, 150,000-sq.-ft. store will be the company's first location in Oklahoma.

Located at the mall's former Sears location, the store will undergo a complete remodel in order to feature Von Maur's signature exterior brick facade, which includes arching entryways accented by copper cupolas.

Seattle -- Starbucks that its consolidated net revenue growth accelerated 11% in the third quarter, to $4.2 billion. Consolidated operating income increased 25%, to $769 million.

The coffee giant raised the number of net new stores it expects to open in its Americas region from 600 to 650.

Global same-store sales increased 6%, marking the 18th consecutive quarter of global comp growth of 5% or greater. Same-store sales in the United States rose 7%.  

Dallas — SRS Real Estate Partners has hired Daniel Poku as an associate in the Dallas/Fort Worth office. A newcomer to the industry, Poku has a background in economics.

Poku is a recent graduate of Southern Methodist University. Poku is also currently pursuing a new venture called CauseCakes, with plans to launch fall 2014. CauseCakes partnered with a local bakery to provide cupcakes with wrappers that prompt acts of random kindness for special events and corporate meetings.

Washington, D.C. -- Slower-than-expected growth during the first half of the year caused the National Retail Federation to lower its retail sales forecast for 2014. NRF said it now expects sales will grow 3.6% in 2014, down from its earlier forecast of 4.1%. The group joined other industry experts in forecasting a pick-up in activity in the next five months.