Development/Redevelopment

Thousand Oaks, Calif. -- Gourmet hot dog and burger concept Dog Haus will open its fifth franchise location in Thousand Oaks, California, on Feb. 21.

The Los Angeles-based brand is making its Ventura County debut at 50 East Thousand Oaks Blvd. in a former Denny’s space.  Franchisee owners are Paul Homayoun and Gina Candari; the Thousand Oaks unit will be Dog Haus’s eighth location.

Washington, D.C. – Regional pizza chain &pizza may not have the recognition or reach of its larger competitors, bur the company is taking a step in that direction with a $10 million investment for growth and expansion. The company plans to leverage the investment, along with the investors' experience in branded consumer retail, for expansion of its stores in key markets.  

Currently, &pizza operates nine locations in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, with six more slated to open in the first half of 2015.

Seattle -- Nordstrom Inc.’s fourth-quarter net income fell a lower-than-expected 4.9% to $255 million, down from $268 million a year earlier, even as its same-store sales topped expectations. The profit decline came amid higher costs, including those related to tech upgrades and its acquisition of Trunk Club, and increased promotions at Nordstrom Rack.  

Are you one of America's Top Developers, Acquirers or Third-Party Managers? Chain Store Age will release the results of the 26th Annual Top Developers and Fastest-Growing Acquirers and 3P Managers in the May 2015 issue distributed at the RECon show in Las Vegas.

The three surveys measure retail and shopping center space developed, acquired and contracted for management/leasing during the 2014 calendar year.  The top five or six companies in each category (by square footage) will be ranked in the May issue. In short:  
 

St. Louis -- Build-A-Bear Workshop reported $11.8 million profit for the fourth quarter, more than double the $5.4 million profit it reported in the year ago period, amid continuing signs of a turnaround. The company’s performance driven by strong sales of licensed characters, including a line of “Frozen” stuffed animals.

Revenue totaled $131.5 million for the quarter, up from $108.1 million last year.

By Matthew K. Harding

With demand from national, local and franchise companies across a broad range of categories picking up markedly in the Northeast, this is an opportune time to take a look at the movers and shakers that are defining the next generation of retail tenancy. And interestingly, the most successful concepts are embracing a new reality that leverages technology and creative approaches for reaching consumers.

Categories to watch

New York -- The Kmart store in Chillicothe, Ohio, has scaled back its hours and grocery offerings in preparation for its switch from a 24-hour supercenter to the retail chain's new K-Fresh concept, according to a report by the Chillicothe Gazette.

The newspaper reports that the K-Fresh concept has been piloted at two stores, one in suburban Chicago and another in Hawaii.

Boston – Nail and beauty care chain MiniLuxe, which operates eight stores in the Boston area, is coming to North Texas. MinLuxe has opened the first of 10 stores planned for North Texas in the West Village shopping center in Dallas.

The investor group behind MiniLuxe also backs Chipotle, with Silverado Interests' founding partners Rick and Dan Slaven also participating.
 

Columbus, Ohio -- Vineyard Vines, a retailer of preppy inspired clothing and accessories, has opened a 3,000-sq.-ft. store in Easton Town Center. The store is the brand’s third Midwest location after Chicago and St. Louis, and is part of a plan to open 10 more stores in major U.S. markets by the end of 2015.

Houston -- Baker Katz, an X Team International partner and full-service commercial real estate brokerage firm, announced the completion of its 90,000-sq.-ft. redevelopment located in Port Arthur, Texas.