Real Estate

Tampa, Fla. — From January through August of this year, the RMC Property Group has leased 430,000 sq. ft. of retail space. Approximately 200,000 sq. ft. of that volume was leased during the three-month period of June through August, indicating a strong uptick in growth over the summer.

Notable deals include:

New York — Organic burger restaurant Bareburger has signed a lease for 1,875 sq. ft. at 795 Columbus Avenue in New York City. It will be the chain’s first Upper West Side location as well as the first sit-down restaurant to lease space in the Columbus Square development project.

Winick Realty Group represented Bareburger in the transaction.

Old Bridge, N.J. — The retail vacancy rate along central New Jersey’s major shopping corridors increased to 9.8% this summer, according to R.J. Brunelli & Co.’s 24th annual study of the central New Jersey market.

The disappointing upward spike follows a major decline from a 10-year high of 10.5% to 9.1% between 2011 and 2012. R.J. Brunelli attributed the change to growing closures of smaller ships overcoming progress in re-tenanting big-box spaces larger than 20,000 sq. ft.

Cincinnati — Phillips Edison-ARC Shopping Center REIT Inc. www.phillipsedison-arc.com has announced the acquisition of two grocery-anchored shopping centers: Stockbridge Commons in Fort Mill, S.C., a suburb of Charlotte, and Dyer Crossing in Dyer Indiana, about 30 miles south of Chicago.

Anchored by a Harris Teeter grocery store, the 99,473-sq.-ft. Stockbridge Commons is currently 96% leased.

Chicago — Jones Lang LaSalle recently appointed senior VP Larry Kilduff, a 25-year industry veteran, as head of the firm’s Midwest Retail platform, which is based in Chicago. Prior to JLL, Kilduff owned and operated two retail real estate development companies and worked with leading retailers including Wal-Mart, Target, Kmart, Sears, Bon-Ton, Kohl’s and J.C. Penney.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Private investment firm Yucaipa Cos., which was founded by billionaire Ron Burkle, plans to acquire Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market from U.K.-based Tesco PLC.

Yucaipa's purchase is slated to be complete within three months. In the meantime, it is expected to be business as usual for most Fresh & Easy stores.

Los Angeles -- Grocery chain Fresh & Easy confirmed reports that its British parent Tesco LLC has sold the brand to private equity firm The Yucaipa Cos., following months of uncertainty about the 200+-unit chain’s future.

Fresh & Easy posted on its website Tuesday that more than 4,000 jobs would be saved under the purchase agreement but that some stores will be closing.  Specific stores have not been identified, and the terms of the agreement weren’t disclosed.

Minneapolis -- Christopher & Banks Corp. reported a loss of $265,000 for the quarter ended Aug. 4, narrowed from a $2.2 million loss in the year-ago period. Sales edged up 1% to $104.2 million from $103.4 million, and same-store sales climbed 7.7%.

Under the leadership of CEO LuAnn Via, the company is in the early stages of a turnaround, with store openings on tap for both fiscal 2013 and a longer-term three-year period.

Jackson, Miss. -- Fresh casual restaurant brand Newk’s Eatery announced the hire of two new support center team members who will assist in the national expansion of the brand.

After nine years in business, Newk’s Eatery has entered a renewed growth mode, with 12 new restaurant locations planned to open before year end 2013. Newk’s currently operates and franchises 59 units in 11 states.

Houston — Transwestern’s Houston headquarters today announced that it is acquiring Richards Barry Joyce & Partners, a full-service real estate firm based in Boston. It will become Transwestern’s 34th U.S. office.