Real Estate

MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis. — Despite dropping from the previous year, Kohl's said its net income for the first quarter ended April 28 was in line with its expectations. The company reported net income of $154 million (63 cents per diluted share) compared with $201 million ($0.69 per diluted share) a year ago. Net sales were $4.2 billion, an increase of 1.9%for the quarter. Comparable-store sales for the quarter increased 0.2 percent.

That’s not a bad headline leading into RECon 2012 next week in Las Vegas. Not that I can take credit for the verbiage; “Regional malls alive and kicking” is a report issued Tuesday by SNL Real Estate, Charlottesville, Va.

Chicago-based General Growth Properties is taking steps toward reducing the carbon footprint of four New Jersey-area malls by outfitting them with state-of-the-art solar panels.

Bridgewater Commons (shown here), Paramus Park, Willowbrook Mall and Woodbridge Center will in total be equipped with 20,000 5.1 megawatt panels that will provide an estimated 12% of the properties’ energy needs.

San Francisco -- Online retailer Piperlime, a division of Gap Inc., will open its first retail store this fall, in the SoHo neighborhood of New York City.

The 4,000-sq.-ft. Piperlime store will offer a similar curated assortment as online, and be styled as a boutique. It will feature a range of brands, from Fryle to Citizens of Humanity, along with upcoming, lesser-known ones, such as Tinley Road and Maison Scotch.

SAN FRANCISCO — Gap Inc.'s online shop, Piperlime, will make its retail store debut this fall, at 121 Wooster St. in the SoHo neighborhood of New York City.

The new 4,000 sq. ft. Piperlime store will offer a similar curated assortment as online, the company said. Styled as a boutique, the store will feature the best range of coveted, iconic brands like Milly, Frye and Citizens of Humanity as well as little known finds including Tinley Road, Ash and Maison Scotch.

Union, N.J. -- Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. said that it has reached a definitive agreement to acquire Cost Plus in an all cash transaction. The deal is valued at some $495 million, according to Reuters.

Based in Oakland, Calif., Cost Plus currently operates 259 stores under the names World Market, Cost Plus World Market, Cost Plus Imports, and World Market Stores in 30 states.

New York -- British lifestyle brand Superdry USA on May 9 debuted its largest North American retail destination to date, a two-story, 14,000-sq-ft. store in New York City's Times Square. It is the brand’s third Big Apple location.

Naperville, Ill. -- OfficeMax Inc. reported Tuesday that net income for the quarter ended March 31 slid to $4.9 million, compared with $11.4 million in the year-ago period. Results were hampered by charges related to U.S. store closures.

Total sales edged up 0.5% to $1.9 billion. In the retail segment, sales dipped 2.7% to $912.3 million; same-stores sales fell 2.1%.