Deals

Johannesburg, South Africa -- A Tuesday report by Bloomberg said that hearings on a Wal-Mart Stores bid to acquire control of Massmart Holdings Ltd. will be adjourned to May 9, following an earlier announcement on Tuesday that the hearings would proceed this week.

After announcing that it will hear evidence from labor unions and Wal-Mart and Massmart this week and from the government on May 9 and May 10, South Africa’s Competition Tribunal now say the hearing has been adjourned to May 9.

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. — Stater Bros. has entered an agreement to purchase two stores from Albertsons in Lake Elsinore and Hesperia.

Stater Bros. said it expects to take possession of the locations from Albertsons, a Supervalu subsidiary, in mid-May. The California-based supermarket chain also said that the stores would receive several upgrades, including wider aisles, expanded and new full-service departments and energy-efficient refrigeration, skylights and recycling centers.

HUDSON, Ohio -- Jo-Ann Stores announced that its shareholders approved the adoption of the merger agreement between an affiliate of Leonard Green & Partners, L.P. and the company. Of the shares that were voted, over 99% were in favor of the adoption of the merger agreement. Approximately 82% of the total outstanding shares, as of the record date, voted in favor of the merger agreement. The company anticipates the closing of the transactions contemplated by the merger agreement, including the merger, will occur later today.

DALLAS – United Commercial Realty has named Robert Luleff as SVP. Robert is well respected in retail real estate and has consistently been a top performer in the Dallas-Fort Worth market. 

Luleff will join UCR’s retail services platform and will be instrumental in serving both the company’s institutional shopping center owner clients and 100+ national and regional retail clients.  Currently, he is handling the office product project leasing at Southlake Town Square, as well as various leasing assignments in the DFW area.

New York City -- Borders Group will close another 28 superstore locations in addition to the 200 locations it is already shutting down as part of its reorganization under bankruptcy protection.

The closings are expected to occur by the end of April and include stores in Hollywood, Calif., and Stamford, Conn.

"We reached the determination about these stores after a further review of their ongoing economic viability," Borders spokeswoman Mary Davis said in a statement.

Plymouth Meeting, Pa. -- Fameco Real Estate, L.P. announced that Yogurtland has signed two leases in New Jersey to kick off its store roll-out program.

The 120-unit yogurt chain will open a 1,300-sq.-ft. store at The Shoppes at Union Hill in Denville, N.J., and a 1,200-sq.-ft. store at Hamilton Marketplace in Hamilton, N.J.

The stores are expected to open in late spring/early summer.

Cambridge, Md. -- Tarrytown, N.Y.-based  DLC Management Corp. announced that Advance Auto will open an 8,125-sq.-ft. store at Shoal Creek Mall in Cambridge, Md.

The retailer, which signed a 10-year with DLC, will join a newly opened Walgreens anchor at the 67,248-sq.-ft. shopping center.

Advance Auto is slated to open this fall.

San Marcos, Texas -- The Commercial Retail Division of The Weitzman Group said that Ulta has leased 14,798 sq. ft. of retail space in Red Oak Village, a power retail center located near Austin, Texas.

At Red Oak Village, Ulta joins a line-up that includes Sam’s Club, Bed Bath & Beyond, Marshalls, Best Buy, PetSmart, Ross Dress for Less and other retailers and restaurants.

Northbrook, Ill. -- Pine Tree Commercial Realty said that it has appointed Thomas Seurynck as VP acquisitions and due diligence.

Seurynck was previously a senior investment associate and credit/underwriting manager for Wrightwood Capital in Illinois.
 

Chicago -- Jones Lang LaSalle today Thursday that the firm is donating $1.25 million to the Japanese Red Cross to provide aid and relief following the Japan earthquake and Pacific Tsunami that have left a path of destruction in their wake.