Retail

Dallas -- SRS Real Estate Partners said it has appointed Bob Taylor as senior VP in the New York office.

This is Taylor’s second stint with SRS.  In his first, he directed Hard Rock Café’s national expansion and relocation efforts. Taylor will be focused on tenant and landlord representation for the New York team, and returns to SRS from Cassidy Turley, The Staubach Co., and Staubach Retail.

Beachwood, Ohio -- DDR Corp. announced a strategic agreement with MobileBits Holdings Corp., provider of SAMY, a mobile marketing and engagement platform, to acquire DDR's proprietary location-based mobile marketing solution ValuText.

MobileBits will integrate the ValuText product into the SAMY solution and will make the solution available to DDR tenants and shopping centers. SAMY is an innovative 'mobile mall' application that allows shoppers to gain instant access to the latest discounts, coupons and loyalty cards, via their mobile devices.

Slidell, La. -- Dillard’s will anchor the fashion-oriented Phase II of Fremaux Town Center in Slidell, La., according to co-developers CBL & Associates Properties, based in Chattanooga, Tenn., and Stirling Properties out of Covington, La. Phase I of the project is currently under construction with approximately 330,000 sq. ft. anchored by Kohl’s, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Michael’s, T.J. Maxx, and Best Buy. Phase II will include up to 320,000 sq. ft. of additional retail space.

New York – In what could be bad news for retailers, “mass affluent” consumers (those with $50,000 to $250,000 in investable assets) and Gen Y (age 18-34) are cutting back on spending to save for retirement. According to the Spring 2013 Merrill Edge Report, the average mass affluent investor expects to save $860,000 for retirement but has only saved $150,000. If given an extra $1,000 per month, 50% of mass affluent consumers would put it toward savings or paying down debt.

New York -- British retailer Marks & Spencer takes a giant leap forward in its goal of becoming a multichannel leader with the opening of its innovative new concept store in Amsterdam. The centerpiece of the 5,000-sq.-ft. space — which marks M&S’ return to the Netherlands after a 10-year absence — is an “E-Boutique” dedicated to womenswear. The shop features what the retailer calls “the world’s first virtual rail,” a display that seamlessly integrates digital rails with physical rails of clothing samples.

Abilene, Kan. – Discount retailer Alco Stores blamed the impact of cold weather across the Midwest for helping to produce sluggish sales performance during fiscal first quarter 2013. Alco Stores reported sales of continuing operations excluding fuel of $116 million, up 0.9% from $114.9 million during the same period in 2012. Same-store sales excluding fuel were down 2.2%.

Yummy Market, in the Toronto suburb of Vaughn, offers a European-styled shopping experience. The 50,000-sq.-ft. supermarket is focused on prepared foods and imported specialties, and includes a 3,050-sq.-ft. bakery/patisserie with breads, cakes and pastries baked from scratch.
     

Tokyo -- Starbucks Coffee Company’s CEO Howard Schultz on Friday celebrated the opening of the new Starbucks Meguro store in Tokyo. The store, whose experience was inspired by the traditional Japanese ‘Ichi-go ichi-e’ service spirit (literal translation: one time, one meeting), is located is the same building as the new Starbucks Coffee Japan Support Center.