Apparel

San Francisco -- Gap Inc. posted strong sales for January and issued a fourth-quarter profit forecast that topped expectations.

The retailer said its same-store sales rose 1% in January. Analysts had expected a drop of 1.3%. Net sales for the four weeks that ended Feb. 1 were $899 million, compared with net sales of $1.13 billion for the five-week period ended Feb. 2, 2013.

For the fourth quarter, net sales were $4.58 billion, compared with $4.73 billion a year earlier.

Brisbane, Calif. – Bebe Stores Inc. had a difficult second quarter of fiscal 2014, reporting a net loss of $5.5 million. Net sales declined 4.1% to $130 million, from $135.5 million reported for the second quarter a year ago. Same-store sales decreased 1.9%.

CEO Steve Birkhold acknowledged challenges, but cited sequential improvement in same-store sales and holiday sales, as well.

Toronto -- Hudson’s Bay and Lord & Taylor are offering True Fit’s fit personalization technology to consumers at TheBay.com and LordandTaylor.com. In less than 60 seconds, consumers can create a True Fit profile at either site, enabling them to get a personal fit rating and size recommendation for every style.

Brentwood, Tenn. – Tractor Supply Company has named Mark J. Weikel to the company's board of directors. Weikel currently serves as president and CEO of Luxottica Retail Optical North America.

New York — Lao Feng Xiang Jewelry has signed a long-term lease for its first North American retail store and showroom at 585 Fifth Avenue in New York City. Slated to open in the fall of 2014, the 6,100-sq.-ft. flagship store will feature three floors plus a basement. The jeweler has more than 2,300 sales outlets around the world.

Winick Realty Group represented the owner, TSW 33 Realty Corp. in the transaction, achieving a record rent that edged close to the record asking price of $2.25 million per year. CBRE represented Lao Feng Xiang.

Nashville, Tenn. — GBT Realty has announced that Firehouse Subs, Aspen Dental, Bama Fever Tiger Pride, Smashburger and Edible Arrangements will be coming to Cobbs Ford Village, a new in-line shopping center in Prattville, Ala.

Starbuck’s and Gigi’s Cupcakes have already opened at the shopping center, and Chipotle will open in mid February. Two 1,600-sq.-ft. places remain available.

Charlotte, N.C. — Havertys Furniture has leased a 45,000-sq.-ft. location in Glensford Commons in Fayetteville, N.C. The Charlotte office of Divaris Real Estate represented Havertys Furniture in the lease negotiations.

Other leases completed by Divaris in the Carolinas include a 3,600-sq.-ft. location for Firsthealth of the Carolinas in Carthage, N.C. Divaris handled the lease negotiations on behalf of the landlord, Food Lion.
 

North Plainfield, N.J. — Levin Management inked 27 new leases and lease renewals totaling more than 190,000 sq. ft. over the past several months.

Northern New Jersey (Passaic, Essex, Bergen and Somerset counties)

• At West Orange Plaza in West Orange, Essex County, Levin signed a 14,115-sq.-ft. lease with Retro Fitness. In neighboring Passaic County, at Clifton Plaza in Clifton, Levin signed another gym for 15,000 sq. ft. and is overseeing its ground-up construction there.

Portland, Ore. — Cypress Equities, the management company for Lloyd Center in Portland, Ore., has announced that the Center’s owners intend to purchase the 130,000-sq.-ft. building currently owned and occupied by Nordstrom. The acquisition is part of the center’s recently announced renovation plans.

Plans call for the building to change hands in January of 2015. Nordstrom has notified its employees that the store will close.