Retail

This holiday season was one of the first real opportunities for retailers to flex their omnichannel muscle. A shorter-than-usual holiday season, combined with ongoing economic uncertainty, led consumers to turn to a variety of shopping channels in their search for the most efficient and cost-effective way to round out their gifting lists. Likewise, many shoppers also demonstrated a desire to return products across these various channels. But were retailers ready?

Oak Brook, Ill. — Inland Real Estate Income Trust has acquired the 159,258-sq.-ft. Wedgewood Commons Shopping Center in Olive Branch, Miss., a southeastern suburb of Memphis, Tenn. The purchase price was $33.9 million.

The property consists of four buildings and an existing structure suitable for the development of an additional 10,838 sq. ft. of leasable space, which would increase the center’s retail space to just over 170,000 sq. ft.

Oakbrook Terrace, Ill. — Cole Real Estate Investments has acquired The Shoppes on South Main in Bowling Green, Ohio, according to Mid-America Real Estate Corp.’s (www.midamericagrp.com) investment sales team, the firm that brokered the transaction on behalf of the seller, Chase Properties.

The 110,769-sq.-ft. shopping center features anchor tenants T.J. Maxx, Staples, Petco and Dollar General. Home Depot and a Wal-Mart Supercenter shadow anchor the center.

New York City -- On the heels of earlier reports that Macy’s and Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia were able to reach a settlement in their ongoing legal dispute over Martha Stewart sales at J.C. Penney, reports surfaced on Friday that Macy’s and Penney were unable to find their own agreement.

According to multiple sources, talks between Macy’s and Penney fizzled, making it likely that a judge will have to decide the dispute over home goods designed by Martha Stewart.

Extreme value retailer 99 Cents Only will use its entry into the Waco, Texas, market to unveil a store format considerably smaller than any of its other locations.

The City of Commerce, Calif-based operator of 339 stores said its new store in Waco will open on Jan. 9 and measure about 13,000 sq. ft. That size is well below the company’s average store size of 21,000 sq. ft. and also below the range of 15,000 to 20,000 sq. ft. the company had previously identified as its sweet spot for new stores.

San Francisco — In-store holiday sales during December 2013 are expected to come out ahead of in-store holiday sales during the same month in the previous year. Retail analytics provider Euclid analyzed nearly 25 million domestic shopping sessions during December, revealing that shopper traffic and window conversion improved as heavy promotions kept holiday shoppers coming.

New York — Due to the holiday rush and related closings, sister publication Chain Store Age has extended the deadline for its 32nd annual Retail Store of the Year Design Competition until Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2014.

Seattle — Starbucks is introducing Starbucks gift cards at select locations in mainland China. Starbucks cards can be purchased in three design themes, including Thank You, Kind Regards and Happy Lunar New Year.

“The Lunar New Year is a time when family and friends gather to meet, connect and share stories,” said Belinda Wong, president, Starbucks China. [All of the cards] can be used at our stores in mainland China year-round.”