Retail

With technology continuing to reshape the store experience, global retail real estate leader Simon Property Group is upping its digital game with the creation of a new venture capital group.

The company, which owns or has an interest in 325 retail properties encompassing 243 million square feet, has created Simon Ventures Group for the purpose of investing in retail innovation focused on opportunities that enhance the shopping experience.

Columbus, Ohio – Lane Bryant is opening a new store in Kennesaw, Ga. The store will be located in Town Center at Cobb, right next to the store's previous location at the mall.

The new store is slated to open March 21 and will have a grand opening celebration March 21-23.

Supervalu reduced its organizational structure from three divisions to two and name Kevin Kemp president of the east region and Bill Chew president of the west region.

The company did not indicate what roles Kemp and Chew played in the organization previously, but did note that the east region will be headquartered in Mechanicsville, VA and the west region will be based in Hopkins, MN near the company’s Eden Prairie headquarters.

Waban, Mass. -- Chick-fil-A and Sonic Drive-In deliver the best customer experience in the fast food industry, according to the 2014 Temkin Experience Ratings, an annual ranking of companies based on a study of 10,000 U.S. consumers.

Fremont, Calif. -- The Men's Wearhouse has extended the expiration date of its tender offer for all outstanding common shares of Jos. A. Bank, in accordance with terms of the March 11 merger agreement. The offer and withdrawal rights are now scheduled to expire on April 9, 2014, unless further extended.

Guess? may be a global brand, but worldwide diversification wasn’t enough to help the company avoid a fourth quarter sales decline and weakness at North American retail locations.

Unlike other retailers, Guess? made no mention of horrible winter weather when it reported a decline in fourth quarter sales and profits that were especially evident in North America.

New York — Muss Development LLC is acquiring a 5,000-sq.-ft. retail condominium located at the base of the Touraine Condominium at 865 Lexington Avenue on New York City’s Upper East Side. Immediately upon closing, Muss will enter into a long-term lease with Le Pain Quotidien for its 31st location in Manhattan.

Known for its organic bread and cakes, Le Pain Quotidien will take the ground-floor retail component.

In the sales transaction, Jones Lang LaSalle represented both Muss Development and the seller, Lex 65.

Shreveport, La. – Houston-based developer NewQuest Properties is reportedly planning to build a roughly 22-acre shopping center in southwest Shreveport, La. According to the Shreveport Times, the center will be known as Camp Forbing Town Center and be located on a 47-acre parcel owned by the YMCA.