JCPenney Co.

Phoenix — DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse has taken 20,000 sq. ft. at Tempe Marketplace in Tempe, Ariz., according the CBRE, which represented DSW in the negotiations. Vestar represented Tempe Marketplace.

Developed by Vestar in 2007, Tempe Marketplace is an interactive shopping, dining and entertainment destination featuring 1.3 million sq. ft. of retail space. The tenant list now includes DSW plus Target, Cost Plus World Market, Old Navy, J.C. Penney, Gap and Best Buy. It is also the first Arizona location for Dave & Busters.

Hispanic Heritage Month is a national observance that runs annually from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15. President Ronald Reagan extended the observance from a week to a month in 1998.

The Macerich Company embraced Hispanic Heritage Month this year as a way of recognizing its large Hispanic customer base. Thirty-one Macerich properties hosted special events celebrating the richness of Latin culture throughout Hispanic Heritage Month.

Philadelphia — Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust has completed the sale of Chambersburg Mall in Chambersburg, Pa., for $8.8 million.The sale marks another step in PREIT’s continuing effort to improve the quality of its portfolio through the sale of non-core assets. Net proceeds from the transaction totaled approximately $8.4 million.

Green Bay, Wis. -- H.J. Martin and Son helped J.C. Penney add two new in-store shops: Disney and GiggleBaby.

Fifty crews of two people – 100 total – from H.J. Martin were dedicated to the project, which spanned two-and-a-half weeks from mid-September until early October. In all, H.J. Martin performed the work in 218 Penney stores across the United States, with the exception of the south and southeast.

By Ali Lipson, senior retail and apparel analyst, Mintel

Plano, Texas -- J.C. Penney posted a bigger-than-expected loss for its third quarter. But the struggling retailer pointed to hopeful signs that its business is starting to stabilize as its heads into the holiday season.

Penney reported a loss of $489 million in the three months ended Nov.2, compared with a loss of $123 million in the year ago period.

Sales fell 5.1% to $2.78 billion. Same-store sales were down 4.8%, but the period ended with its first monthly gain since December 2011. And online sales rose 24.5%, to $266 million.

Despite posting a larger-than-expected loss for its third quarter, J.C. Penney pointed to hopeful signs that its business is starting to stabilize as its heads into the holiday season.

Penney reported a loss of $489 million in the three months ended Nov.2, compared with a loss of $123 million in the year-ago period.

Sales fell 5.1% to $2.78 billion. Same-store sales were down 4.8%, but the period ended with its first monthly gain since December 2011. And online sales rose 24.5%, to $266 million.

Worthington, Ohio — Target, Kohl’s, Costco, Macy’s and Old Navy, with an honorable mention to J.C. Penney, are the holiday 2013 retail winners, according to business intelligence provider Prosper Insights & Analytics.  The firm on Tuesday released its  Holiday 2013 Retail Winners & Losers list at the Morgan Stanley Global Consumer and Retail Conference.

Richfield, Minn. – Best Buy is the latest major retail chain to prepare for an early start to Black Friday. More than 1,000 Best Buy stores in 47 states will open their doors at 6 p.m. Thanksgiving night and stay open till 10 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 29.

Charlotte, N.C. -- Belk stores will open at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. From 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 28 through 1 p.m. Friday, Nov. 29, stores will offer more than 350 early bird specials while quantities last The promotion will feature hundreds of special deals in every department.

The first 250 customers at each store at the 8 p.m. opening on Thanksgiving will receive a free Belk gift card with a value ranging from $5 to $1,000, and with a guaranteed $1,000 gift card winner in each of the company's 301 stores.