Apparel

San Francisco – Gap Inc. reported increased net and same-store sales during the third quarter of fiscal 2013 in a partial financial release. Gap’s third quarter net sales grew 3% and same-store sales grew 1% compared to the prior year.

In addition, Gap’s same-store sales grew 4% in October 2013. The retailer will release full third quarter earnings results on Nov. 21, 2013.

Beloit, Wis. – Online coupon provider FatWallet predicts a larger selection and assortment of lower-priced Black Friday deals in 2013 as compared to the previous year. Notable predictions include:

Grand Rapids, Mich. — Meijer will open a 190,000-sq.-ft. supercenter in Danville, Ill., on Nov. 7, the sixth new Meijer store to open this year.

The family-owned retailer, which opened its first store in 1934, now has 204 stores throughout the Midwest.

Fort Worth, Texas — Trademark Property Co. has announced the opening of a 15,000-sq.-ft. DSW Designer Show Warehouse and a 35,000-sq.-ft. Havertys, a full-service home furnishings retailer, in Alliance Town Center in north Fort Worth, Texas. Both are scheduled to open Labor Day weekend of 2014.

Construction is scheduled to begin late this year or early next year on both stores. In addition, construction continues on several other tenants, including two new eateries scheduled to open this December.

Dallas — CBRE Capital Markets arranged financing for the acquisition of a portfolio of 16 shopping centers totaling approximately 417,000 sq. ft. Located across the country, each of the 16 strip centers is adjacent to a Wal-Mart Supercenter shadow anchor. CBRE worked on behalf of the borrower, a partnership between Dallas-based Fountain Capital and Cheney & Mathes Properties, to obtain a 10-year, $41.6 million fixed-rate, non-recourse loan through the Goldman Sachs Mortgage Co.

Tarrytown, N.Y. — DLC Management Corporation, a national owner and operator of open-air shopping centers, announces the following new leases that were signed in October 2013:

•    Back to Bed, 3,852 SF, Crossroads Shopping Center – Schererville, Ind.
•    Better Sofas, 3,590 SF, Southwest Plaza – Roanoke, Va.

•    China Buffet, 4,500 SF, King City Square – Mount Vernon, Ill.


Welcome to the Web Rue21. The operator of nearly 1,000 stores nationwide has joined the ranks of virtually every other retailer and now sells products via the Internet.

The specialty apparel retailer focused on teens and young adults on Friday announced the launch of their online shopping site Rue21.com.

A new process for sustainable sourcing called Dockers Wellthread was unveiled by Levi Strauss & Co. which integrates product design, environmental practices and worker well-being.

Shopper activity increased this October, in line with ShopperTrak expectations. Total retail store shopper traffic increased 2.4% compared to September 2013. Consumers who were off work for the Columbus Day holiday (Monday, Oct. 14) took advantage of store promotions to update their cold-weather wardrobes. Many others hit the stores to gather costumes, candies and other necessities for Halloween (Thursday, Oct. 31).

Santa may need to send his suit to the dry cleaners next week after Belk gets a jump on Christmas by hosting an event called Santafest on Saturday, November 16.

The Charlotte, N.C.-based department store chain operates 301 stores in 16 southern states, more than half of which are located in Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas. It can be quite warm and humid in the Southeast well into November with hurricane season not officially ending until November 30.