Footwear

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — Kathy Ireland has been named chief designer for Royal Footwear & Accessories, and is launching her own line of footwear with the company in spring 2015.

Key elements in the collection will include soft footbeds and flex insoles with lightweight outsoles that will incorporate traction technology throughout the footwear brand.

FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif. — The Wet Seal has appointed retail veteran Lesli Gilbert to the position of EVP, stores and operations. She replaces Barbara Cook, who resigned as the company's SVP of store operations in February.

Atlanta -- Jones Lang LaSalle has announced that it has closed the sale of Tifton Corners in Tifton, Ga., to Tifton Retail. JLL represented RCG Ventures in the transaction.

Anchors at the 186,629-sq.-ft. Tifton Corners include Big Lots, Save A Lot, Tractor Supply Co., Dollar Tree, Citi Trends and Hibbett Sports. The property is currently 84% leased.

JLL noted that Tifton is near I-75, a major north-south interstate, in south central Ga., two hours north of Tallahassee and three hours south of Atlanta.

Dallas -- CBRE’s National Retail Investment Group arranged the sale of Bryan Towne Center to Lamar Cos. for an undisclosed amount. The 52,268-sq.-ft. retail center serves the Bryan-College Station metropolitan area in Texas.

Shadow-anchored by an adjacent Target store, the five-year-old center includes six acres of undeveloped land that can accommodate an additional 230,225-sq.-ft. of retail space, said CBRE.

The center is 66% occupied. Key tenants include Dollar Tree, Rack Room Shoes, Maurice’s and rue21.

Sidney, Neb. -- Cabela’s Inc. continues to expand East with plans to open its stores in the states of New York and Massachusetts.

The hunting, fishing, camping and related outdoor merchandise retailer will open an 88,000-sq.-ft. store in the Buffalo suburb of Cheektowaga, N.Y., in fall 2014, and a similarly sized one in the Boston suburb of Berlin, in spring 2015. The exteriors of both locations will reflect Cabela’s signature log construction, stonework, wood siding, metal roofing and a large glass storefront.

SAN FRANCISCO — The Gymboree Corporation is looking to leverage the rebounding economy and trends for the rest of 2013, following a dip in its net sales for the first quarter ended May 4. 

The company reported net sales of $293 million for the quarter, a 1.7% decrease from $298 million for the first quarter ended April 28, 2012. Comparable sales for the quarter decreased 5% versus the first quarter of the year prior.

New York -- Following a two-year search, Foot Locker has moved one of its Manhattan locations from 541 Broadway to 440 Broadway in SoHo one block north of Canal Street, according to ABS Partners Real Estate.

ABS Partners negotiated a 10-year net lease on behalf of Foot Locker for a 9,000-sq.-ft. two-story building plus a lower level.

Brookfield, Wis. -- A joint real estate fund formed by Innovative Capital Advisors and HSA Commercial Real Estate recently purchased the 92,000-sq.-ft. Plaza 173 power center in Brookfield, Wis., in a competitive auction.

Tenants include Dunham’s Sports, Men’s Wearhouse, Famous Footwear and Kessler Jewelers.

San Francisco -- Gap Inc. announced Monday that it will introduce the Gap brand to Paraguay and Hungary through new agreements with existing franchise partners: Neutral for Paraguay and Gottex Brands for Hungary. The first Gap store will open later this year in Paraguay, joining Neutral’s 2012 Gap launch in Uruguay. And, in Hungary, Gottex Brands will open two Gap stores in Budapest. A specific timeline wasn’t released.

St. Louis -- Brown Shoe Co. said Monday that president and CEO Diane Sullivan has been named chairman of the board, effective Feb. 2, 2014.

Current chairman Ron Fromm will step down but remain a member of Brown’s board.

Sullivan joined Brown Shoe in 2004 as president.