Brooks Brothers

Rosemont, Ill. - Horizon Group Properties Inc. and CBL & Associates Properties Inc. have opened The Outlet Shoppes of the Bluegrass, which opened fully leased with 90 stores and eateries. The Outlet Shoppes of the Bluegrass is the only outlet center in the state and is located between Louisville and Lexington on Interstate 64.

High-end department store Von Maur plans to open its 30th location on October 18 in Oklahoma City. The new location will be the company’s first in the state and will be part of the city’s Quail Springs Mall.

The new store will open in a space that used to house a Sears, and will undergo a complete facelift. Von Maur will create a brick façade on the exterior and sell brands like Brooks Brothers, Hugo Boss and Coach.

Virginia Beach, Va. -- Francesca’s will open a new store at the Town Center of Virginia Beach.

According to Divaris Real Estate, the 1,830-sq.-ft. store will be located on Main Street in the first-floor retail space of the Armada Hoffler office tower block. The grand opening is slated for first quarter 2015.

Chicago -- RKF has announced three promotions for brokerage professionals in its Chicago office. Lara Keene has been promoted from senior director to managing director. Since joining RKF in May 2012, Keene has advised a variety of retailers including Allen Edmonds, Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt, Forever 21 and Fig & Olive, and currently works with Bareburger, Piada, Alexis Bittar, IT’Sugar, L’Occitane en Provence, Rent the Runway and Sam Edelman. Most recently, she secured a 3,400-sq.-ft. flagship for Zadig & Voltaire and an 850-sq.-ft.

Virginia Beach, Va. - Divaris Real Estate Inc. has signed a lease with Twist Martini & Associates for 2,442 sq. ft. of retail space in the Town Center of Virginia Beach. Twist Martini will operate a full-menu, dine-in restaurant including a martini bar, a cigar club, an outside patio area and a private lounge on the second floor. 

New York - Brooks Brothers has named designer Zac Posen as creative director for its signature women's collection and accessories. In this new role, Posen will direct the current Brooks Brothers design and merchant teams and will be responsible for the women's collection and affect a variety of areas including brand development and presentation for the women's label.

Posen's first women's collection for Brooks Brothers will debut in spring 2016 and will be available worldwide. Posen launched his eponymous collection in 2001.

Virginia Beach, Va. — lululemon has leased a 3,200-sq.-ft. store at the Town Center of Virginia Beach. Like recently announced Anthropologie and Free People, lululemon will be the first and only store of its kind to open in Hampton roads, Virginia. In addition, Destination Maternity and It’s Sugar recently opened at The Town Center. lululemon plans to open during the fourth quarter of this year.

Virginia Beach, Va. — Free People has signed a lease for 3,200 sq. ft. at the Town Center of Virginia Beach. The retailer plans to open its doors in the fourth quarter of 2014.

Fort Worth, Texas — Trademark Property Co. is managing the major expansion and renovation of Saddle Creek in the Memphis, Tenn., suburb of Germantown.

Demolition has commenced on 20,000 sq. ft. of existing space on the southwest side of Poplar Avenue and West Street, with work scheduled to begin soon on 40,000 sq. ft. of new retail space for that area.

New York - Nearly a quarter of packages purchased online and tested during a six-month period did not meet the basics for adequate shipping. In a study spanning six months of data, conducted from October 2013 to March 2014, StellaService Analysts placed 2,855 orders with 125 leading online retailers to measure the quality of the shipping and returns experience.