Development/Redevelopment

A 19% fourth-quarter same-store sales decline and a steep decline in profitability prompted RadioShack to announce the closure of 1,100 stores while CEO Joseph Magnacca maintained the retailer’s brand equity remains strong and a profitability plan is in place.

Founded as a “cook your own steak” restaurant in an abandoned gas station in 1974, Quaker Steak & Lube has evolved into one of the nation’s most up-and-coming casual-dining chains, renowned for its award-winning chicken wings and flavorful — make that hot — sauces. But as much as the food offerings have changed at “The Lube,” the brand remains true to its gas station and vintage car-loving roots.

CROSSROADS

Location: Irvine, Calif., at the intersection of Culver Drive and Barranca Parkway. Average daily traffic is 43,000 vehicles.

Size: 334,000-sq.-ft. community center

Developer: Irvine Co. Retail Properties

Gates, N.Y. - Wegmans Food Markets begins recruitment for full-time positions March 4 for its latest Massachusetts location, Burlington, which is scheduled to open in fall 2014. The company's third location in the state is a 135,000 sq.-ft. supermarket that includes a Market Cafe with indoor and outdoor seating. Going forward, Wegmans also plans to open more stores in Massachusetts, including a location in Westwood, in 2015.

Remember 2011 and 2012? Back then, the forecasters were saying that the economy would probably be sluggish through 2013. After that, starting in 2014, growth would return.

Schenectady, N.Y. -- Price Choppers Supermarkets/Golub Corp. has named Ryan C. Hill as VP of construction and engineering. He will be responsible for planning the overall engineering, architectural and construction activities for the 132-store chain.

Hill comes to Price Chopper from Walgreens, where he served as senior director of construction.

As a category of shopping center, open-air centers have been evolving ever since the days they were called lifestyle centers. New categories of tenants have evolved, along with new ways of creating compelling tenant mixes and environments. We asked three open-air owners to tell us about current and possible future directions that evolution may take.

The companies are San Diego-based American Assets Trust; Irvine Co. Retail Properties in Irvine, Calif.; and Columbus, Ohio-based Glimcher Realty Trust. Here’s what they had to say.

Home appliance and consumer electronics manufacturer Haier America has chosen the northern New Jersey town of Wayne as the location of its new 56,000-sq.-ft. U.S. headquarters.

The new facility will be home to 200 employees, training centers, customer service operations and a product showroom where retailers can see new products and concepts. Renovations are currently underway on a building at 1800 Valley Road in Wayne, N.J., that will replace the company’s current office at 1356 Broadway in Manhattan this fall.