Transform SR Brands LLC

Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores saw net income for the second quarter drop to $9.1 million from $21.1 million a year earlier, due, in part, to expenses associated with its spinoff from Sears Holdings Corp, according to the company.

These results come a little more than a week after Sears Holdings saw revenues decrease to $8.9 billion for the quarter from $9.5 billion for the year-ago quarter. Fewer Kmart and Sears full-line stores accounted for approximately $210 million of that decline.

Whatever happened to the customer? It’s a question I’ve been asking myself more and more lately, and one that more than a few national brands should be working harder to answer. At a time when retail is evolving in exciting ways, one of the most disappointing trends over the last several years is a conspicuous (and costly) lack of focus on the customer.

Bakersfield, Calif. — Foot Locker and Victoria’s Secret have expanded and remodeled at the 1.1 million-sq.-ft. Valley Plaza Mall in Bakersfield, Calif. Victoria’s Secret has also opened a new store for the popular PINK brand.

The newly remodeled Foot Locker, now spanning 5,000 sq. ft., plans to introduce an exclusive department called House of Hoops. It will feature elite athletic apparel and footwear.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- “The Chore Score,” an app that allows parents to create chore lists for their kids with rewards that can be redeemed at Sears stores or Sears.com, won the recent Sears Startup & Developer Challenge. The contest, held for three days, featured more than 150 participants using the Sears development API to create apps that would strengthen the experience of the Sears Shop Your Way membership program.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Sears continues focusing on its Shop Your Way loyalty program, following second quarter results for the period ended Aug. 3. Members can increase their reward points by linking up to three eligible Visa credit and debit cards to their accounts.

Members can use their linked cards at any number of Reward Partner merchants, such as Burger King, Popeyes, Louisiana Kitchen, Picture People, Public Storage and 1-800-Flowers.com.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Holdings Corp. has been selected to participate in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star National Building Competition: Battle of the Buildings, which is designed to help improve the energy efficiency of commercial buildings and protect the environment.

Charlotte, N.C. — Divaris Real Estate has arranged two leases totaling approximately 9,000 sq. ft. of retail space at the Westfield Eastridge Mall in Gastonia, N.C. Divaris represented the landlord, WEA Eastridge LP.

Los Arcos, a family owned Mexican restaurant, leased a 6,183-sq.-ft. outparcel building. Creations, a gift card shop, renewed its lease for 2,669 sq. ft.

Belk, J.C. Penney, Sears and Dillard’s anchor the mall, which is leased exclusively by Divaris.

Honolulu — With 42 million visitors per year, the two million-sq.-ft. Ala Moana Center in Honolulu boasts sales per square foot of $1,300. At the beginning of the year, owner General Growth Properties began a massive $572 million redevelopment of Ala Moana — the world’s largest open-air shopping mall. The goal is to add 650,000 sq. ft. of new retail space.