Real Estate

Chicago, Ill. — Forman Mills, an off price apparel retailer, has leased 38,487 sq. ft. at Grand Plaza in Franklin Park, Ill., according to CBRE, the leasing agent. The new store plans to open next spring.

The Forman Mills lease completes the lease up of a 96,260-sq.-ft. former Kmart, which closed in 2011.  

CBRE began leasing the space in 2012. The first lease was with Big Lots for 29,000 sq. ft. Next came a 29,000-sq.-ft.- lease to Savers Thrift Superstore, which later took another 29,000 sq. ft.

Atlanta -- An affiliate of Roark Capital Group has acquired a majority stake in CKE Restaurants Inc., owner of Carl's Jr., Hardee's and various other quick-serve restaurant chains.

Plymouth, Minn. – The Tile Shop is launching its third retail store in the Boston metropolitan area. The new 15,805-sq.-ft. store will be located in the Worcester suburb of Shrewsbury, Mass.

The new store will join The Tile Shop’s other Boston area stores in Natick and Avon, Mass.

Columbus, Ohio – Kroger reportedly recent spent $9 million on renovating a store in the Columbus, Ohio, area, and plans to spend another $9.4 million renovating three other stores in the area of its headquarters city. According to the Columbus Dispatch, this spending is part of a larger $330 million the retailer plans to spend on renovations by the end of the current fiscal year.

New York – At least four law firms are investigating the pending purchase of The Jones Group. The law office of Brodsky & Smith, LLC, Vincent Wong, Farugi and Farugi, LLP and Robbins Arroyo LLP are investigating potential claims against the board of directors of The Jones Group, Inc. relating to the proposed acquisition by Sycamore Partners.

Whitehouse, Ohio — Devonshire REIT has acquired five retail properties in Ohio for $31 million. The properties include:

•    Monroe Street Square Shopping, a 124,904-sq.-ft. center in Toledo, Ohio, anchored by Hobby Lobby. Tenants include Sally Beauty Supply, Gamestop, Play It Again Sports and Sprint PCS.

•    Bed Bath & Beyond Plaza, a 100% leased, 55,139-sq.-ft. center in Toledo, anchored by Bed Bath & Beyond. Tenants include SalonCentric and Edward D. Jones.

Walnut Creek, Calif. — Transwestern has brokered leases on behalf of two retail tenants: 9Round Fitness & Kickboxing and Buon Vino Manufacturing.

9Round Fitness has taken a 1,300-sq.-ft. lease for five years in the Diablo Plaza in San Ramon, Calif.  Buon Vino signed a 1,635-sq.-ft. lease for three years at 1545 Locust St. in downtown Walnut Creek, Calif.

Compton, Calif. – Numerous law firms have launched investigations into the board of directors of Arden Group, Inc. to determine possible breaches of fiduciary duty and other violations of state law in connection with the sale of the company to the investment firm TPG.