Events

The latest installment in the dramatic collaboration between Procter & Gamble and Walmart is set to air this Saturday on NBC at 8 p.m. EST. The made-for-TV family movie called “Field of Vision” involves the topical subject of bullying, and in keeping with prior films offer viewers a heavy dose of morality.

Ann Arbor, Mich. -- Borders Group said Thursday that it is faced with closing dozens of its best-performing stores due to a requirement of its bankruptcy financing if their landlords don't agree to extend a lease-negotiation period.

Borders, which filed for bankruptcy protection in February, has extension agreements for 365 stores. But the book seller said in a court filing Thursday that it is still negotiating extensions for 51 stores, many of which are among its top-selling stores, including one near Penn Station in New York.

New York City -- J. Crew Group reported Thursday that it lost $29.9 million in the fiscal third quarter, compared to a profit of $44.7 million in the year-ago period.

The apparel retailer said the loss was due to markdowns to clear out excess inventory and charges related to being acquired.

J. Crew went private in March in a $3 billion deal with two private-equity firms.

Revenue dropped 3% to $281.2 million. Same-store sales fell 3%.
 

Niles, Ohio -- Youngstown, Ohio-based Cafaro Co., which owns Eastwood Mall in Niles, Ohio, announced Thursday that anchor Macy’s will begin a multi-million dollar renovation, which will be its first full-store refresh since its opening in 1969.

The renovation to the two-level, 157,000-sq.-ft. Macy’s will include new flooring, ceiling and wall treatments, additional accent lighting and new fixtures. The aisles will be reconfigured to improve flow and sight lines.

As part three of our ongoing coverage of RECon, the annual retail real estate convention conducted by the International Council of Shopping Centers and held May 22-25 in Las Vegas, Chain Store Age talked with Joe Boehm, senior VP, retail leasing, of Cleveland-based Forest City Enterprises, regarding his impressions of RECon 2011 and what Forest City projects garnered the most attention at the show.

What impression of the state of the industry were you left with by the end of RECon 2011?

WASHINGTON — CVS Caremark All Kids Can, a program of the CVS Caremark Charitable Trust and CVS Caremark, and VSA, the international organization on arts and disability, are showcasing their commitment to supporting inclusive arts education with the announcement of the 2011 All Kids Can Create student artists.

BERLIN, N.J. — A.C. Moore Arts & Crafts, which operates 135 stores along the U.S. East Coast, has announced a summer-long schedule of free "Make & Take" arts and crafts activities for children ages two to 12, through Aug. 31. All A.C. Moore stores (www.acmoore.com) will offer the free activities, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., each Wednesday, through the end of the summer.

As part of our ongoing coverage of RECon, the annual retail real estate convention conducted by the International Council of Shopping Centers and held May 22-25 in Las Vegas, Chain Store Age talked with Andy Graiser, co-president of DJM Realty, a Gordon Brothers Group company, based in Melville, N.Y., about his key takeaways from RECon 2011.

Now that RECon 2011 has drawn to a close and we are all settling back into our daily work routines, what are your key takeaways from this year’s show?

In the May 26 edition of SiteTalk, we asked the question, "Did you attend RECon 2011 in Las Vegas this week? If so, what was your key takeaway from the show?"  This is what several readers had to say:

Pelham Manor, N.Y. -- Dallas-based SRS Real Estate Partners said it has negotiated an 8,280-sq.-ft. lease for Five Below at Pelham Manor Shopping Center in Westchester County, N.Y.

The new store opened in April.