Rutter's

Aeropostale Inc. will live to see another day after all.    A consortium, including Simon Property Group Inc. General Growth Properties Inc. and Authentic Brands Group, won the bankruptcy auction for Aeropostale Inc. The group, which also includes liquidators Gordon Brothers Retail Partners LLC and Hilco Merchant Resources LLC,  plans to keep at least 229 of the teen retailer’s stores up and running along with Aeropostale's e-commerce business and  international licensing business.   

Aeropostale is negotiating a potential sale to private equity firm Versa Capital Management LLC, Reuters reported. Versa specializes in distressed investments.      In court papers filed at the end of last week,the retailer said it has been in discussions with Versa regarding a possible stalking horse bid at the chain’s bankruptcy auction later this month. The bid by Versa could include a cash payment for Aéropostale’s inventory, and the assumption of more than 500  

Unsecured creditors of Sports Authority said in court papers that the bankrupt retailer should not waste its dwindling funds preparing a plan to end its Chapter 11.     The unsecured creditors argued the company, which filed Chapter 11 in March, is "administratively insolvent," meaning it cannot even pay the cost of running its bankruptcy case, Reuters reported.  

Walmart has reportedly begun deployment of shelf-stocking carts designed to improve the produce shopping experience.   According to Reuters, the retailer has so far implemented what it calls “quality carts” at 500 U.S. stores, with plans to have them available at almost all locations in the U.S. by the end of the third quarter.   

Wal-Mart Stores, which filed suit against Visa in May over debit card authorization, is getting taste of its own medicine.  

New Century Commons, a shopping center in Delray Beach, Florida, has been purchased by Menin Development for $33 million, according to a report in the Sun Sentinel.

Seller of the 84,551-sq.-ft. center was Linton 510 LLC, which faced uncertainty over the future of one of its anchors, Sports Authority, which filed for bankruptcy in March. Questions about cash flow going forward complicated the closing of the sale, though a Menin spokesman told the South Florida newspaper that several retailers have inquired about the Sports Authority space.

So far, bidding on the 464 stores of bankrupt sporting goods retailer Sports Authority has been limited. According to Reuters, Dick’s Sporting Goods has placed a bid on 17 Sports Authority stores, with other bidders only attempting to purchase single locations. 

Two private equity firms have thrown their hats in the arena to buy Cabela’s.   The firms, New York-based Apax Partners and San Francisco-based TPG Capital,  are each meeting Cabela’s management as part of an auction for the 82-store chain, the New York Post reported.   Bass Pro Shops is also interested in Cabela’s, and has partnered with Goldman Sachs Group’s private equity arm to make an offer for its rival, according to Reuters.  

Wal-Mart Stores sent out a message to naysayers who say the chain’s best days are behind it.    Speaking at the Consumer Goods Forum conference in Cape Town, South Africa, Wal-Mart CEO Doug McMillion said the retailer expects to add $45 billion to $60 billion of new sales during the next three years.  

Target is reportedly requesting that many of its suppliers assume up to 3% to 5% more of the cost of promotions and price reductions on some items.

According to Reuters, at least 12 Target suppliers have confirmed they were asked to pay for more of the promotional cost for a variety of slow-moving products. Target reported declining sales in its most recent fiscal quarter and publicly said it would likely enter an extended promotional period.