Deals

Virginia Beach, Va. -- Divaris Real Estate said that the company completed eight lease transactions totaling more than 81,000 sq. ft. of retail space in central Virginia.

Children’s Museum of Richmond leased 26,060 sq. ft. of retail space in the Divaris-leased Winterpock Crossing Shopping Center, located in Midlothian, Va.

K&G Menswear signed a lease for 22,888 sq. ft. of retail space in White Oak Village, located in Richmond and owned by Forest City Commercial Group.

Woodland Hills, Calif. -- LandMark Retail Group said it has completed the development of two CVS/Pharmacy stores in California – in Bakersfield and Palmdale.

The Bakersfield store will be located in the newly developed Grand Island Village Shopping Center, a 90,000-sq.-ft. neighborhood center home to Chevron, Republic Bank and other small tenants.

The Palmdale store is located in a Vallarta-anchored neighborhood shopping center and offers a drive-thru pharmacy.

New York -- Whole Foods Market is in talks to buy or take over leases for half a dozen Johnnie’s Foodmaster locations in eastern Massachusetts, the Boston Globe reported.

Whole Foods wants to move into six of the 10 Johnnie’s Foodmaster sites in Arlington, Brookline, Charlestown, Melrose, South Weymouth, and Somerville, the report said.

Whole Foods currently operates 21 stores in Massachusettes.

New York -- Shares of Sears Holdings were under heavy selling pressure Thursday morning, sliding 7% to $53.38 on Standard & Poor's. S&P plans to remove the chain from its S&P 500 Index because the chain’s public float has has been below the index's 50% threshold for an extended period of time.

The Sears' name, in one form or another, has been in the S&P 500 since it was created some 55 years ago. Sears will be removed from the index at the close of trading on Sept. 4. The retailer will be replaced by chemical maker LyondellBasell.

Hong Kong -- Taubman Asia confirmed a joint venture agreement between Taubman TCBL and Beijing Wangfujing Department Store (Group) Co., Ltd (Wangfujing), one of China's largest department store chains.
 
The joint venture will own a controlling interest in and manage a shopping center to be located at Xi'an Saigao City Plaza, a large-scale mixed-use development in Xi'an, China, which is developed by Shaanxi Fuli Real Estate Development Co. Ltd. This is the first retail development by Taubman TCBL in China since the company was formed in late 2011.

Philadelphia -- Ulta Beauty will open a flagship in Philadelphia on Rittenhouse Row in the Center City district. The store will be the beauty retailer’s first location in Center City.

“Ulta will open an exciting three level store much like its only other signature urban store in Chicago,” said Steve O’Malley, partner at Fameco Real Estate, who represented the retailer in the transaction.

New York -- Private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice on Tuesday announced a definitive agreement to acquire the 300-store David’s Bridal in a deal that values the bridal dress retailer at $1.05 billion.
 
Leonard Green & Partners will remain a minority partner. CD&R operating partner Paul Pressler, former CEO of Gap Inc. and former senior Disney executive, will assume the role of chairman at the close of the transaction, expected in the fourth quarter.
  

Minneapolis -- Best Buy Co. announced Monday that it as agreed to let founder and former chairman Richard Schulze conduct due diligence and form an investment group with private equity sponsors as he tries to take the retailer private.

Best Buy said its agreement with Schulze establishes a non-exclusive, orderly process that satisfies his requests and protects the interests of shareholders.