JCPenney Co.

Change at the top is an inevitable fact of life in any profession, and retail is no exception. While the reasons behind the need to find a new chief executive vary widely, the incoming executives face a common challenge: taking the business — be it faltering or thriving — forward without missing a beat.

Oak Brook, Ill. -- Inland Western Retail Real Estate Trust has announced the acquisition of Alamo Ranch in a joint venture with RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust. The 469,031-sq.-ft. shopping center is located in San Antonio, Texas, and was purchased for approximately $92.2 million.

Dubuque, Iowa -- Youngstown, Ohio-based Cafaro Co. announced that Dubuque, Iowa, will get its first Ulta store, as the cosmetics retailer is about to break ground on a 10,000-sq.-ft. store at Kennedy Mall.

The new store is slated to open in the second half of 2012.
Kennedy Mall is a 700,000-sq.-ft. mall featuring Younkers, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Sears, J.C. Penney and Best Buy. It is owned and managed in association with Cafaro affiliated companies.
 

PLANO, Texas and NEW YORK — JCPenney is looking to capture its share of the Martha Stewart brand that has become synonymous with Kmart, by launching a strategic alliance with Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia to create a unique and comprehensive retail experience featuring Martha Stewart products, know-how and advice.

New York City -- J.C. Penney launched a strategic alliance with Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia to create a comprehensive retail experience featuring Martha Stewart products, know-how and advice.

San Bruno, Calif. -- A report released Thursday by email and cross-channel marketing solution provider Responsys found that promotional email marketing volume during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend hit an all-time high, helping to drive significant increases in online sales.

New York City -- In a heavy promotional environment starring early sales and steep discounting, the department store players turned in mixed performances in November. Industry-wide retail sales on Black Friday rose 7% to $11.4 billion, the largest amount ever spent, according to ShopperTrak.

It seemed like such a great idea at the time. On Nov. 17, we reported that mall owner Forest City had hatched this innovative plan to monitor shopping patterns at two of its shopping centers by tracking patrons’ cell phones during the holiday 2011 season, beginning Black Friday.

Cherry Hill, N.J. -- Philadelphia-based Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust said that plus-size fashion retailer Fashion to Figure has opened a 2,719-sq-ft. store at Cherry Hill Mall, in Cherry Hill, N.J.

The new store is located on the Upper Level near J.C. Penney.

Dallas -- GTM Development, a limited partnership created by The MGHerring Group and Cencor Realty Services, said it has completed the acquisition of Golden Triangle Mall in Denton, Texas.

MGHerring will be responsible for the redevelopment of the 765,000-sq.-ft. Golden Triangle Mall, which will begin in early 2012 with a grand reopening slated for next fall.

Cencor manages the mall while MGHerring and The Weitzman Group, Cencor’s brokerage affiliate, jointly lease the property.