Restaurant

Gadsden, Ala. -- Philadelphia-based Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust said Wednesday that Maurices will move to a new, larger location at Gadsden Mall, in Gadsden, Ala., in May.

The 5,000-sq. ft. expanded store will be positioned near Belk.

The expansion of Maurice’s follows on the heels of the recent opening of KOBE Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Bar.

Rumors that Target would open in San Francisco’s Metreon center have now been confirmed: Terranomics announced it has brokered a signed lease for Target to open in the Wesfield-owned center.

The lease for 99,677 sq. ft. was only just officially signed, San Francisco Business Times reported. The Metreon will soon begin construction on a multi-million dollar remodel that will make room for Target, and will recreate the ground level as a food collection of Bay Area restaurant concepts.

Roseland, N.J. -- McDonald's New York Tri-State Area and its franchisees said Tuesday they are looking to hire new crew and restaurant management positions in more than 600 restaurant locations throughout the area on April 19.

The one-day event is part of a nationwide initiative for McDonald's and its franchisees with a target to hire up to 50,000 new employees at restaurants across the country.  

Cincinnati -- Jacksonville, Fla.-based Regency Centers said it has leased restaurant space to Arirang Japanese Bistro at Sycamore Plaza in Cincinnati.

The Japanese Hibachi steak house and sushi restaurant leased 7,600 sq. ft. and is slated to open in the fall. The dining establishment is taking the space formerly occupied by Max & Erma’s restaurant. 

Hermosa Beach, Calif. -- Jacksonville, Fla.-based Regency Centers said it has leased restaurant space in Hermosa Beach, Calif., at Plaza Hermosa shopping center to The Counter. 

The burger restaurant has leased 2,837 sq. ft. and is slated to open for business in July.

The 94,939-sq.-ft. shopping center is anchored by Vons, alongside national retailers such as CVS/pharmacy, Aaron Brothers, Jamba Juice and The UPS Store.

Atlanta -- A report released Monday by First Data Corp., which tracks year-over-year same-merchant activations, redemptions and reloads of merchant-branded prepaid cards in the United States, including spending, gift, incentive and promotional cards, revealed that delayed post-holiday redemptions and incentives drove activations in first quarter 2011.

Millcreek, Pa. -- Chestnut Hill, Mass.-based WS Development and Olympic Realty & Development Corp. announced that they have closed on 42 acres of land in Millcreek, Pa., in conjunction with Walmart.

The land is the future home of Millcreek Town Center, a 350,000-sq.-ft. open-air shopping center, which will include a new Walmart and approximately 160,000 sq. ft. of additional retail and restaurant space.

The nation’s leading retail and restaurant chains came together to share ideas, discuss opportunities and find new solutions at Chain Store Age’s 47th annual SPECS conference, in Grapevine, Texas. Reflecting a renewed sense of optimism in the industry, overall attendance was up significantly, among retailers as well as exhibitors. All segments of the industry were in attendance, from discounters and specialty stores to supermarkets and home-improvement outlets to casual-dining restaurants.