Real Estate

Jackson, Miss. -- WS Development announced that Whole Foods Market broke ground in early November on a new 31,000-sq.-ft. store at Highland Village in Jackson, Miss., marking the grocer’s debut in the state.

The new store will open in 2013, joining about 50 shops and restaurants at the 220,000-sq.-ft. mixed-use center, such as Mason Weiss, Talbots, Whitehead Street Clothiers, and Albriton's Jewelers.

Corpus Christi, Texas -- IMI and Trademark Property Group announced that its La Palmera mall in Corpus Christi, Texas, will be joined by a 6,5000-sq.-ft. Longhorn Steakhouse in 2013, along with Papaya, which opened 6,350-sq.-ft. store, and Flip Flop Shops. Pandora will open a 1,703-sq.-ft. store before the holidays.

La Palmera is a 1-million-sq.-ft. super-regional mall featuring Dillard’s, J.C. Penney, Macy’s, P.F. Chang’s and Coach.

Wesley Chapel, Fla. -- RMC Property Group said it has been awarded the exclusive leasing assignment for Meadow Pointe, a 17,280-sq.-ft. neighborhood retail center situated within a 1,800-acre residential community in the fast-growing Wesley Chapel market.   

Meadow Pointe is located adjacent to a CVS Pharmacy and has retail space opportunities ranging from 1,200 sq. ft. to 10,500 sq. ft.

Chicago -- Englewood Construction has announced that the firm’s Retail Group recently completed work on the nation’s first Spanx store, and also completed the first American Girl store in the Florida market.

At Tyson’s Corner Center in McLean, Va., just outside of Washington D.C., Spanx opened its first retail location in the U.S.

New York -- Best Buy is open to considering a lowered bid from founder Richard Schulze, according to the New York Post.

The report, citing sources close to the company, suggested the chain is now open to a bid of around $20 per share.

New York -- Average asking rents on Lower Fifth Avenue in Manhattan rose 13% since the spring of 2012 to $1,021 per square foot (psf) and are up 51% since the same period in 2011, according to The Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY’s) Fall 2012 Retail Report. The study revealed continued signs of improvement in the Manhattan retail market, with high demand and limited availability, which significantly drove up asking rents especially in the most prominent shopping corridors

Birmingham, Ala. -- Hibbett Sports reported Friday that net income for the quarter ended Oct. 27 climbed 18.8% to $19 million, compared with $16 million in the year-ago period.

Sales rose 9.6% to $202.9 million, and same-store sales increased 6.4%.

The sporting goods retailer said it is on track to open 57 to 60 new stores in fiscal 2013, expand approximately 17 high-performing stores, and close up to 18 stores.

New York -- Private equity firm Apax Partners said Friday that it will acquire Cole Haan from Nike for $570 million in cash.  

Cole Haan sells through 108 domestic stores, 68 international stores, online and through department stores. It has been a part of Nike since 1988.

To effect the acquisition, Apax is partnering with Jack Boys, who led the revitalization of Converse.

The transaction is expected to close in early 2013.