Apparel

Under Armour has opened its first retail theater specialty store at the Jing An Kerry Centre in Shanghai, China. The store features a multi-dimensional short film that depicts athletes who use the brand.

Founder and CEO Kevin Plank and Under Armour athlete Michael Phelps were on hand to host the grand opening event.

Hibbett Sports has put its succession plan into motion. Effective Feb. 2, 2014, Mickey Newsome will go from executive chairman of the board and CEO to non-executive chairman. Additionally, president and CEO Jeff Rosenthal has been appointed to the board, bringing the total number of members 10.

Stuart Weitzman plans to open up a pop-up shop in the digital space. The upscale footwear brand has partnered with the online shopping destination, Gilt, to launch the store, created exclusively by Gilt.

The online pop-up will celebrate the twentieth anniversary of Stuart Weitzman’s iconic, over-the-knee 5050 boot and feature a 20-piece Anniversary Collection, which includes ten limited-edition styles.

New York -- Rent the Runway, the popular online retailer specializing in rentals of designer dresses and accessories, has entered into its first brick-and-mortar partnership, opening a 1,400-sq.-ft. showroom in the Henri Bendel Fifth Avenue flagship store in Manhattan.

Cincinnati -- The Kroger Co. named  Michael L. Ellis, senior VP of retail divisions, as president COO effective January 1, 2014, completing the succession plan announced in September.

In September, Kroger announced that chairman and CEO David B. Dillon will retire as CEO on January 1, 2014, and will continue to serve as chairman through December 31, 2014. He will be succeeded by W. Rodney McMullen, Kroger's president and CO, effective January 1, 2014.

Oakbrook Terrace, Ill. — Mid-America Asset Management has announced three new retail leases in Chicago’s northwestern suburbs. Mid-America represented the landlord in each transaction.

Charles Schwab signed a lease for 4,339 sq. ft. at Shops of Uptown in Park Ridge, a northwestern suburb of Chicago. The store is expected to open next spring. The 70,800-sq.-ft. center features Trader Joe’s, Houlihan’s and Jason’s Deli. Colliers International represented the tenant.

New York -- Royal Properties has announced three lease signings in Orange County, N.Y. — two with Miracle Ear and one with Tiger Schulmann’s Mixed Martial Arts.

Miracle Ear has signed a seven-year lease with a five-year option for 1,500 sq. ft. at Wallkill Plaza in Middletown. Royal Properties and Rand Commercial Services were the brokers in the transaction. Wallkill’s co-tenants include Big Lots, Ashley Furniture, Hobby Lobby, Papa John’s, Texas Roadhouse and Boston Market.

Colton, Calif. — The Hodgdon Group, a brokerage, development, construction and project management firm, has converted a former Sam’s Club in Sacramento into a 60,000-sq.-ft/ Burlington Coat Factory.

The new store opened last week. Hodgdon Group Realty and CBRE Sacramento represented the investor in the acquisition of the Sam’s Club building, as well as the landlord in the lease transaction. Retail West Inc. represented Burlington Coat Factory. An additional tenant has leased the remaining space and plans to open soon.

New York — Famous Footwear has leased its second Manhattan location at 48-50 West 14th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues in Union Square, according to Winick Realty Group. The 7,800-sq.-ft. store is a block-through retail site with 50 feet of frontage on 14th Street and 25 ft. of frontage adjacent to the New School entrance on 13th Street.

Ripco represented Famous Footwear in the transaction. Winick represented the landlord, CB Developers.

Hampstead, Md. – Jos. A. Bank Clothiers Inc. reportedly may consider a hostile takeover bid for Men’s Wearhouse. According to Bloomberg, Jos. A. Bank chairman Robet Wildrick said he would prefer a friendly acquisition but his company is not ruling any options out.