Deals

Chattanooga, Tenn. -- CBL & Associates Properties announced it has acquired interests in The Outlet Shoppes at El Paso in El Paso, Texas, and The Outlet Shoppes at Gettysburg in Gettysburg, Pa.

The operating outlet centers are owned and managed by Horizon Group Properties and its affiliates.
 
CBL has acquired a 75% interest in The Outlet Shoppes at El Paso and a 50% interest in The Outlet Shoppes at Gettysburg, for a total investment of $108.7 million.

Phoenix -- Cole Real Estate Investments and RED Development have announced the acquisition of Macerich’s interests in two retail power centers located in Chandler, Ariz.

In a related transaction, Cole acquired 100% ownership of a third power center located in Gilbert, Ariz. The transaction value for all three properties is $100.55 million.

Woodland Hills, Calif. -- NewMark Merrill Cos. has announced the acquisition of Twin Peaks Mall in Boulder, Colo., as well as six new property management contracts totaling more than one million sq. ft.

The new property management assignments include six California centers: Simi Valley Town Center, Lancaster Plaza, Visalia Center, Topanga Willows, Paseo Marketplace in Thousand Oaks, and Page Plaza in Hemet.

Encino, Calif. -- Marcus & Millichap Real Estate Investment Services announced a number of appointments within its National Retail Group offices around the country.

Joel M. Dumes has been named director of the firm’s National Retail Group in Cincinnati; Dumes is currently VP investments for the company.

Scott J. Wiles, a seven-year veteran of the company, was named director of the firm’s National Retail Group in Cleveland, and Erin E. Patton is now director of the National Retail Group in Columbus, Ohio.

New York City -- Charter Realty & Development announced it has leased 15,000 sq. ft. for a five-screen Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Manhattan.

The location, 2626 Broadway, is in the upper west side and is owned by Bialek and Associates of Manhattan. Alamo will be occupying the former Metro Theater and intends on renovating it back to its former glory. The deal represents Alamo Drafthouse Cinema’s first entry into New York City and the company is looking for further growth opportunities in the market.

Virginia Beach, Va. -- Divaris Real Estate Inc. announced the following lease transactions were completed for several retail tenants:

A lease extension was signed with Tidewater Finance Co. for 25,516 sq. ft. of retail space in the DRE-leased and –managed Tidewater Plaza in Virginia Beach.

Oxford, Mich. -- X Team, an international alliance of retail real estate advisors, announced that Detroit-based partner Stokas Bieri Real Estate represented Center Management in the purchase of The Promenade at Waterside in Oxford, Mich.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Holdings Corp. said Tuesday that it completed the $270 million sale of 11 full-line Sears store locations to General Growth Properties.

Sears said the stores will continue to operate as Sears locations into 2013 or 2014, with final closing dates to be announced later this year. The stores are in Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and Washington.

Sears announced in December it would close between 100 and 120 stores to raise cash after a disappointing holiday season.
 

Atlanta -- Teavana Inc. on Monday said it will buy Canadian tea retail chain Teaopia Ltd. for $26.9 million in cash. It is Teavana's first major acquisition since it went public last year.

Teaopia operates 46 stores, primarily in high-end malls across Canada and online. Last year it generated net sales of approximately $17 million and opened 12 stores.

Teavana operates 200 company-owned stores in 39 states, including one store in Canada, and 18 franchised stores primarily in Mexico, as well as through its website.

Editor’s Note: Chain Store Age’s 23rd annual survey of Fastest-Growing Managers measures new domestic and international third-party management and leasing contracts obtained during the preceding calendar year (2011).

Now more than ever, retail real estate is not a business to be conducted without forethought. The days of gut instincts and seat-of-the-pants decisions have been replaced by the need to plan far ahead to guarantee a company’s continued growth.