Crate & Barrel

Portland -- Sephora has achieved an eight-times faster growth rate with its digital gifting revenue since deploying a prepaid commerce solution from CashStar. The beauty retailer has also seen a 51% redemption rate within the first month of activation, and a 30% higher initial purchase value compared to plastic gift cards, since implementing CashStar Commerce.

Sephora is looking to drive faster digital growth by leveraging a cloud-based prepaid commerce program.

The company is working with CashStar to improve and differentiate its seamless omnichannel commerce strategy.

New York City - The International Council of Shopping Centers has named 12 shopping centers as winners of its 2014 U.S. Design and Development Awards competition.  ICSC’s U.S. Design and Development Awards are designed to recognize outstanding projects for excellence in the creation of new retail projects, and in the expansion or redevelopment of existing projects, solely within the continental United States.   

Mississauga, Ontario -- Canadian mall Square One has opened its newly renovated and expanded $60-million North side wing, featuring new stores and enhanced amenities and services in 78,000 sq. ft. The opening marks the completion of the second phase in Square One's multi-phase redevelopment, which will increase retail space to 2.1 million sq. ft. by 2016 and represents a total investment of more than $480 million.  

Bloomfield Hills, Mich. -- The Mall at University Town Center has opened in Sarasota, Fla. Featuring more than 100 retailers and restaurants, well over half of which are unique to the Sarasota-Manatee market. The Mall at UTC is the only newly built enclosed regional shopping center to open in the United States this year.  

New York -- Barbara Turf, 71,  former CEO of Crate and Barrel, died July 12, at Evanston Hospital, of pancreatic cancer, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Turf was named CEO in 2008, after Crate & Barrel founder and longtime chief executive Gordon Segal retired. She joined Crate and Barrel as a part-time saleswoman in 1967, moving to its corporate headquarters in 1974. Turf retired as CEO in 2012 and joined the company's board of directors, the company said in a statement.

Oakbrook Terrace, Ill. — Mid-America Asset Management Inc. has secured four new retail leases on behalf of three lifestyle shopping centers in the Chicago metropolitan area. Mid-America represented the landlord in each transaction.

In Algonquin, Ill., Pure Mountain Company has taken 8,824 sq. ft. at Algonquin Commons in Algonquin, Ill. Premier Commercial Realty represented the tenant. Dick’s Sporting Goods, DSW, Old Navy, PetSmart and Trader Joe’s anchor the 578,825-sq.-ft. Algonquin Commons lifestyle center.

Phillips Edison is transforming The Kenwood Collection. The Kenwood Collection is returning the favor.

Phillips Edison & Company has grown by acquiring troubled shopping centers in good locations, redeveloping and improving the tenant mix. Over the years, the company has continued to optimize retail property value with its complete operating platform providing a diverse range of retail solutions. Today, the Phillips Edison portfolio contains more than 260 shopping centers across the country.