Development/Redevelopment

Walmart’s online business may have gained ground this holiday season, but Amazon.com doesn’t plan to cede its leadership position, and this week announced plans for two new distribution facilities.

New York City -- Chain Store Age columnist Jeff Green, in his latest piece “On the Upswing?”, observes that there are three broad categories of retail driving the current expansion buzz.

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RICHMOND, Va. — Amazon.com announced that it plans to open two fulfillment centers in Virginia, investing a total of $135 million. The company said it will invest $85 million and create more than 1,000 jobs in Chesterfield County, and invest $50 million in Dinwiddie County, creating more than 350 jobs.

“We look forward to opening two new Amazon facilities in the Richmond area next year, bringing tens of millions of dollars and hundreds of new jobs to the state,” said Dave Clark, VP Amazon North American Operations.
 

RICHMOND, Va. — Amazon.com announced that it plans to open two fulfillment centers in Virginia, investing a total of $135 million. The company said it will invest $85 million and create more than 1,000 jobs in Chesterfield County, and invest $50 million in Dinwiddie County, creating more than 350 jobs.

REI (Recreational Equipment, Inc.) has opened its first Manhattan location, in the landmarked Puck Building in SoHo. The 35,000-sq.-ft. space (14,000 sq. ft. of selling space) has been restored to honor the iconic building’s more-than-century-old history — with a respect to detail evident throughout. How did REI come to select the Puck Building?

Union, N.J. -- Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. reported Wednesday that profit for the quarter ended Nov. 26 rose 28% to $228.5 million, compared with $188.6 million in the year-ago period.

Revenue rose 6.8% to $2.3 billion, from $2.2 billion a year earlier. Same-store sales increased 4.1%.

During the quarter, the company opened seven Bed Bath & Beyond stores, seven Buybuy Baby stores, one Christmas Tree Shops store and one Harmon Face Values store.

Pittsburgh -- American Eagle Outfitters announced Wednesday that it has opened stores in three new international markets — Morocco, Jordan and Egypt.

The company said it also opened its third store in Saudi Arabia, and has plans for a second store in Lebanon in early 2012. The retailer currently operates in Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE through its franchise partner, M.H. Alshaya.

New York City -- It’s true: Everything old is new again. New York City’s retail maven, Faith Hope Consolo, chairman of Prudential Douglas Elliman’s Retail Leasing, Marketing & Sales Division, has put together a list of her favorite store makeovers of the past year. As Consolo notes, even the most iconic stores must constantly present a new, fresh face to keep shoppers coming. Here are her faves: