Deals

New York - Gymboree Corp. said Monday it did not receive any offers that top Bain Capital's $1.8 billion bid for the company and so the buyout will proceed.

The allotted time for Gymboree to receive competing offers expired Friday.

"Despite a broad solicitation of potentially interested parties, the Company did not receive any alternative acquisition proposals during the 'go-shop' period," Gymboree said in a statement.

Nampa, Idaho -- Beachwood, Ohio-based Developers Diversified Realty Corp. said Thursday it has completed construction of the 52,000-sq.-ft. Edwards Nampa Gateway Stadium 12 Theater, now open at the Nampa Gateway Center, a 921,200-sq.-ft. shopping center in Nampa, Idaho.

San Francisco -- Gap will open its first Italian flagship on  Saturday in the Corso Vittorio Emanuele shopping district of Milan.

The company said that it also plans to open an additional Gap store in Rome next year and a Banana Republic store adjacent to its Milan location "in the near future." The Milan Gap store spans three floors and 25,500 sq. ft. and will offer all Gap clothing collections.
 

New York City -- The NBA Store on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan will close in late February, due to rising rent. The company said it is looking for a new location in the city.

Raleigh, N.C. -- Jacksonville, Fla.-based Regency Centers said it has leased restaurant space in Raleigh, N.C., at Market at Colonnade to Panera Bread.

Panera has leased 4,000 sq. ft. and is slated to open in spring 2011.

Market at Colonnade is a 57,511-sq.-ft. shopping center anchored by a 40,000-sq.-ft. Whole Foods Market.

Allentown, Pa. -- New York City-based The Lightstone Group  announced two long-term lease extensions at Mountainville Shopping Plaza, its 118,000-sq.-ft. shopping center in Allentown, Pa.

Family Dollar has signed a 10-year lease extension for 9,135 sq. ft. of retail space at the shopping center. Studio II Nails has signed a four-year lease extension for 1,500 sq. ft.

Mountainville Shopping Plaza is anchored by a 33,000-sq.-ft. PriceRite Supermarket, an 11,500-sq.-ft. Retro Fitness gym and a 15,000-sq.-ft. Eckerd Pharmacy.

In the November issue of Chain Store Age (page 28), leasing specialist Bill Bosco discussed what is being called the biggest threat to retailers’ earnings: the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s (FASB) proposed new rules for lease accounting.

According to Bosco and other experts, the new rules will essentially turn operating leases into capital leases for accounting purposes, wreaking havoc on retailers’ bottom lines.

Winchester, Va. -- Bethesda, Md.-based Sax Realty said that Bed Bath & Beyond has leased 27,000 sq. ft. of space at Shops at Tevis in Winchester, Va.

Bed Bath & Beyond, which is slated to open in spring 2011, joins Borders Books, Hhgregg, Old Navy, Ross and Michael’s at the center.