Deals

Griffin, Ga. -- The Kroger Co. and Collins & Arnold said they have broken ground on Phase II of Griffin Pavilion, a retail development located in Griffin, Ga., and developed by The Sofran Group.

The final phase of the project will consist of a 94,000-sq.-ft. Kroger with an 18- pump Fuel Center.  The grocery store site will include 20,000 sq. ft. for future expansion.

Phase I of Griffin Pavilion was completed in 2004 and includes a Lowes Home Center, O'Reilly Auto Parts and Wells Fargo bank.

New York -- Shoe manufacturer Wolverine Worldwide Inc. announced Tuesday that it has partnered with equity firms Blum Capital Partners and Golden Gate Capital to acquire Payless ShoeSource parent Collective Brands Inc. for about $1.3 billion.

Macon, Ga. -- Westwood Financial Corp., one of the nation’s largest owner-operators of shopping centers, has purchased Wesleyan Station, an 86,631-sq-.ft, retail center in Macon, Ga., for $8.9 million from a private seller.

Ontario, Calif. -- Westwood Financial Corp. has sold Pacific Plaza Shopping Center located at in Ontario, Calif., for $7.4 million.

“This transaction is the latest in our firm’s overall plan to rebalance our portfolio, as the funds generated here will be reinvested in grocery-anchored properties in the Southeast,” said Westwood financial executive VP Joe Dykstra.

Southbury, Conn. -- Real estate firm RHYS Commercial announced that T.J. Maxx has signed a long-term lease to open a 22,000-sq.-ft. store at Southbury Plaza, located in Southbury, Conn.

Southbury Plaza, owned by Gatto Development Corp., is a 300,000-sq.-ft. shopping center anchored by Stop & Shop Supermarket, Kmart and Panera Bread.
 

New York – Dallas-based SRS Real Estate Partners said it has negotiated an 11,825-sq.-ft. lease on behalf of Party City for a new store in the Penn Plaza district of Manhattan.

The store, at 223 West 34th St., is scheduled to open in second quarter 2012. This will be the party goods retailer’s second location in Manhattan.
 

Irvine, Calif. -- Hanley Investment Group Real Estate Advisors said that Jonathan Selznick has joined the company as VP.

Selznick was most recently a broker with Pacific Commercial Investments in Irvine, Calif., where he advised clients on the acquisition and disposition of retail investment properties.
 

Denver -- Marcus & Millichap Real Estate Investment Services announced that Jon Hendrickson has been named associate director of the firm’s National Retail Group in Denver.

Hendrickson joined Marcus & Millichap’s sales intern program in 2004, became an agent in 2006 and was promoted to senior associate in 2009.