Real Estate

Making your NRF Show plans? Don’t forget to allow yourself time to check out the Big Apple’s exciting retail scene. Here’ s a quick hit list of the city’s newest retail stars:

Bentonville, Ark. - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is closing its Moscow office but said it is still interested in the Russian market.

The retailer said Monday that it has been looking to enter the Russian market through an acquisition, but has not found a near-term opportunity so it does not need the Moscow office at this time.

CINCINNATI - Macy’s, Inc. (NYSE:M - News) today announced it will build a major new fulfillment center near Martinsburg in Berkeley County, W.Va., to support the continued growth of its online business. The site is located strategically along I-81, about 80 miles northwest of Washington, D.C.

New York - Fast Retailing, Asia’s biggest clothing chain and the parent of Uniqlo, is lookjing to open at least 200 Uniqlo stores in the United States  by 2020 as it seeks to raise sales sixfold in a decade, according to a Bloomberg report. 

"The United States is one of the most important markets for us,” Shin Odake, CEO of Uniqlo’s U.S. unit, said in an interview with Bloomberg Television. 

Cincinnati - Macy’s announced it plans to build a major new fulfillment center near Martinsburg in Berkeley County, W.V., to support the continued growth of its online business. The site is located about 80 miles northwest of Washington, D.C. 

Construction on the 1.3 million-square-foot facility is expected to begin in spring 2011, with operations beginning in April 2012 and order shipments beginning in summer 2012. 

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. - TJX Companies announced that it will consolidate its A.J. Wright division by converting 91 A.J. Wright stores into T.J. Maxx, Marshalls or HomeGoods stores and by closing the remaining 71 stores, A.J. Wright’s two distribution centers and its home office. This action is expected to improve the overall profitability of the company, and will allow TJX to focus its managerial and financial resources on its larger, more profitable businesses, all of which have major growth potential, as well as to serve the A.J.

NEW YORK - Gracious Home, a home goods retailer with stores in New York City's Upper West and Upper East side neighborhoods, as well as online at gracioushome.com, was acquired by Americas Retail Flagship Fund LLC. The company under its prior ownership had filed for bankruptcy protection in August.

Houston -- Jacksonville, Fla.-based Regency Centers said it has leased retail space in Houston at Woodway Collection to Appleton Learning Center.

Specializing in tutoring services, group classes, student testing and other related services, Appleton Learning Center has leased 2,440 sq. ft. and is slated to open in February 2011.

The 111,165-sq.-ft. shopping center is anchored by Randalls alongside national retailers such as Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Pearle Vision and Chase Bank.