Real Estate

New York -- The nation’s premier luxury department store company wants to return to the public arena.

Neiman Marcus Group has filed plans for an initial public offering — for the second time in two years — of $100 million (the sum is a placeholder that doesn’t necessarily reflect the final offering amount.) The company said it would trade under the ticker symbol NMG.

Fast-growing Kriser's Natural Pet store is expanding in the Chicago area as the retailer looks to leverage what has become a $58 billion industry.

Kriser's is bringing the natural pet movement to the west suburbs of Chicago with a grand opening in Naperville on Aug. 15-16, at 8 W. Gartner Rd., in the Naperville Plaza, across from Trader Joe's. A second grand opening will take place in Northbrook on Aug. 29-30, at the new North Shore 770 mixed-use complex, at 780 Skokie Blvd. alongside the new Mariano's.

Cleveland – Stark Enterprises announced the addition of Stark Capital Group. The new division will provide comprehensive real estate capital markets solutions with an emphasis on equity and debt placements, principal acquisitions and asset management. 

Nico Bolzan will serve as executive director of SCG. Bolzan will lead efforts to raise both equity and debt financing through a variety of private and institutional capital sources on a national level.  

New York -- The retailer whose customers often call it the “Whole Foods for pets” is expanding in the Chicago area as it looks to leverage what has become a $58 billion industry.

Kriser's Natural Pet is bringing the natural pet movement to the west suburbs of Chicago with a grand opening in Naperville on Aug. 15-16. A second grand opening will take place in Northbrook on Aug. 29-30.

“Now Trending” is a new exclusive online series to chainstoreage.com, featuring trending topics that impact the retail real estate landscape.

In recent years, a very old practice has gotten some new attention: design is once again ascendant in the world of commercial development.

While design never went away, of course, the degree to which great design is being prioritized, cultivated and integrated into the development of memorable spaces and places is noteworthy.

Grand Rapids, Mich. -- Meijer is on the move in Wisconsin.  

Continuing an estimated $750 million investment in Wisconsin, Meijer on Tuesday opened two more superstores in the state. The retailer announced plans to open two to three new Wisconsin locations per year through 2019.

Meijer, which now operates 222 stores, entered Wisconsin just six weeks ago, with two stores. The retailer traditionally focused its growth on five states: Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky.

The pace of store closings at Office Depot is accelerating and employee retention costs are rising as the retailer maintains that its merger with Staples will close by year end.

Boca Raton, Fla. – Office Depot is accelerating its previously announced plan to close at least 400 stores as the retailer awaits its acquisition by Staples.

After shuttering a greater than expected 99 stores in the second quarter, Office Depot boosted its 2015 store closing target to 175 locations, with another 60 due to close in 2016. The closings are on top of 153 closings throughout 2014, including 108 stores in the fourth quarter of last year.