Real Estate

New York -- J.C. Penney Co. on Tuesday announced that it is eliminating approximately 350 positions at its headquarters in Plano, Texas, completing a reorganization of its corporate office that it said was designed to create a leaner and more simplified operating structure.

Dallas – The Container Store said Tuesday it will open three Florida locations in 2013 – in Orlando, Tampa and Boca Raton – joining its two existing Sunshine State stores in Hallandale Beach and Miami.

The Orlando store is slated to open spring 2013 and occupy 25,000 sq. ft. in the Mall at Millenia. The Tampa store, also 25,000 sq. ft., will be located one block south of International Plaza Mall. An opening date is still to be determined.

Regional sporting goods chain Hibbett Sports plans to begin construction this fall on a new distribution facility that will support more than 2,000 stores.

HOUSTON — Ikea has officially plugged-in the solar energy system installed at its store in Houston, Texas – which, when combined with Ikea projects atop stores in Frisco and Round Rock, will make Ikea the state’s largest solar owner. Ikea Houston’s 116,400-square-foot PV array consists of a 813-kW system, built with 3,388 panels.

NEW YORK — Manhattan-based retailer Duane Reade is expanding its footprint with a second distinct location in the historic American Surety building in the city’s Financial District.

New York -- Drugstore retailer Duane Reade, a division of Walgreens, is expanding its Manhattan footprint with a second distinct location in the city’s Financial District. The new, 22,000-sq.-ft. store boasts a number of amenities, and—in a first for a U.S. drug store—also features a museum-quality exhibit that pays tribute to the neighborhood and hallowed grounds of downtown Manhattan. 

Houston -- Ikea on Monday officially plugged-in the solar energy system installed at its store in Houston. The installation, when combined with Ikea solar projects atop stores in Frisco and Round Rock, will make the home furnishings retailer the state’s largest solar owner.

Foot Locker is debuting a new retail brand, The Locker Room, in the United Kingdom. The format was unveiled at the end of 2011, in Brent Cross Shopping Centre, North London. Two additional stores opened in spring 2012, in Birmingham’s Bullring shopping center, and in London’s Lakeside center.

Birmingham, Ala. -- Hibbett Sports announced plans to build a wholesaling and logistics facility in Alabaster, Ala.

Construction on the new 360,000-sq.-ft. center is expected to commence in fall 2012 with the facility expected to be fully operational by fall 2014. When completed, it will replace the existing 180,000-sq.-ft. facility that the company currently leases in Birmingham.
 

New York -- Ikea has been rebuffed by India on a request to relax rules on buying goods locally, Reuters reported, citing a government source. The rebuff is likely to delay Ikea’s entry into the Indian retail market.

In June, Ikea said it would invest approximately $1.86 billion and open 25 stores in India. But the chain was seeking a 10-year window to comply with India’s rule that foreign retailers source 30% from local small and medium-sized firms. The requirement is seen by overseas companies as a hindrance to investment.