Real Estate

Cincinnati – The Kroger Co. is reportedly planning to close and rebrand some stores operating under the Harris-Teeter banner in Tennessee. According to the Nashville Tennesseean, Kroger will close four Harris-Teeter stores it operates in Nashville by June 2015.

Three of those stores will reopen under the Kroger banner. Kroger previously closed a Harris-Teeter location in Nashville, but has not yet rebranded any Harris-Teeter stores. Kroger purchased the Harris-Teeter grocery chain for $2.4 billion in January 2014.
 

Jackson, Miss. – Newk’s Eatery is planning franchise growth in new markets stretching across the South. Expansion will occur in markets including Savannah, Georgia and Orlando, Florida, to Lubbock and Midland-Odessa, Texas, with Washington, D.C, Richmond and Norfolk/Virginia Beach, Virginia, Indianapolis, St. Louis and Oklahoma City in between.

Japanese retailer Uniqlo's U.S. expansion is picking up speed as the company prepares to open its first-ever stores in the Seattle, Denver and Washington, D.C.

Japan’s largest eyewear brand is opening its first U.S. flagship store in California with a unique, gallery-like setting designed by San Francisco architecture firm Kwan Henmi.

Shoppers at JINS will be able to choose trendy, customized eyeglass styles for each face and personality with affordable prices ranging from $60 to $120, including high-quality aspheric lenses.

New York – Japanese retailer Uniqlo continues its U.S. expansion with plans open its first-ever stores in the Seattle, Denver and Washington, D.C., metro areas.

In the state of Washington, the retailer will open a 13,000-sq.-ft. location at Seattle’s The Bellevue Collection this fall. In spring/summer 2015, the retailer will open a 10,000-sq.-ft. store at Tyson's Corner Center, and a 22,000-sq.-ft. store on Denver's 16th Street, at The Denver Pavilions.

City of Commerce, Calif. – 99 Cents Only Stores is opening nine new stores in California between April 9 and April 11. The stores will be located in the communities of San Luis Obispo, Ontario, Sonora, Santee, Escondido, Tustin, San Bernardino, Cypress and South El Monte.

99 Cents Only currently operates 384 stores located in California, Texas, Arizona & Nevada.
 

Seattle – Nordstrom Inc. plans to open two new Nordstrom Rack stores in Pittsburgh and Novi, Michigan. The 40,000-sq.-ft. Pittsburgh store is scheduled to open in fall 2016 at The Block Northway mall.

Atlanta - Sales for first quarter 2015 at Havertys Inc. increased 5% to $191.3 million, compared to $181.7 million for first quarter 2014. Same-store sales rose 3.8%.

Havertys plans to open three new stores in 2015, including a store in Rogers, Arkansas that will open this week and a showroom in Waco, Texas slated to open in mid-May. This expansion into two new markets for Havertys will occur as Havertys strengthens its position in southeast Florida, with a new store in Fort Lauderdale slated for July,

Rockaway, N.J. – Party City is joining the initial public offering (IPO) party. The retailer has filed paperwork for an IPO that could raise as much as $428 million and value the company up to $2 billion.

One of the main reasons Party City wants to take its celebration public is to support planned growth of 350 new North American stores. The retailer currently operates 900 Party City stores, as well as the Halloween City, Factory Card & Party Outlet and Party Packagers chains.

Phoenix – Leslie’s Poolmart Inc. will open 15 new retail locations throughout the U.S. on Thursday, April 9. Cities with new stores will include Auburn, Bakersfield, Ceres, Palmdale; San Mateo and San Rafael, California; Rockledge, St. Augustine and Tallahassee, Florida; Gainesville, Georgia; Glenpool, Oklahoma; Hattiesburg, Mississippi; Hudson Oaks, Texas; Queen Creek, Arizona and Monroe, Louisiana.