Apparel

New York -- Jewelry sales are expected to grow more than 11% in the second quarter and 9% overall this year, according to a new IBM Big Data-based forecast.

According to the analysis, improved consumer confidence, lower unemployment and enhanced stock dividends from fourth quarter 2012 have combined to leave people ready to start spending on luxury items again, like jewelry.

New York -- Century 21 Department Store will unveil its expanded flagship location in downtown Manhattan on April 9. The retailer has added three new selling floors, for a total of six floors and over 225,000 sq. ft. of shopping.

NEW YORK — Century 21 Department Store is expanding its popular downtown Manhattan flagship store.

The new store, which will be unveiled on April 9, will featue three new selling floors to accomodate its expanded merchandise assortment. The store will now total six floors and more than 2250,000 square feet.

Total U.S. Shopper Traffic in Retail Stores and Malls for March 2013

Shopper activity increased last month with the Easter holiday and students on spring break. March retail foot traffic increased 25.8% compared with February 2013, continuing positive month-over-month retail traffic trends. Foot traffic for March 2013 increased 1.5% compared with the same month in 2012. 

San Francisco -- Jamestown said Wednesday it has acquired a real estate portfolio in downtown San Luis Obispo, Calif., comprised of 86% retail and 14% office space in open-air, multi-story settings.

The retail component, purchased from Copeland Properties, consists of seven assets, the most notable being Court Street Centre and Downtown Centre, and totals approximately 195,000 sq. ft. The portfolio also includes 28,000 sq. ft. of office space in three separate properties.

St. Clairsville, Ohio -- Youngstown, Ohio-based Cafaro Co. said Wednesday that MC Sports will debut in the area with a new store at Cafaro’s Ohio Valley Mall, in St. Clairsville, Ohio, in July.

The new store will be located next to Sears, occupying nearly 23,000 sq. ft. of retail space.

San Francisco -- Westfield San Francisco Centre will be home to the city’s first Microsoft retail store, slated to open on April 25.

Other mall additions include Samsonite, Color Me Mine ceramics studio, Amy’s Hallmark and pop-up store Celestine SF.

Beachwood, Ohio -- DDR Corp. announced Monday that, during the first quarter, it acquired two prime assets in Dallas and in Oakland, Calif., for $81 million.

Also during the quarter, DDR disposed of $46 million of non-prime assets, including $8 million of non-income producing assets.

Seattle -- Nordstrom announced plans to open two Nordstrom Rack locations, one in Oklahoma City, and the other in San Francisco.

Nordstrom Rack will open at Belle Isle Station in Oklahoma City. The approximately 34,000-sq.-ft. store, scheduled to open in fall 2013, and will be the retailer's first location in the state.

In San Francisco, Nordstrom Rack signed a 45,496-sq.-ft. lease for a space at the 901 Market Street property, which owned by Hudson Pacific Properties.

Exton, Pa. -- Philadelphia-based Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust (PREIT) said Tuesday that Francesca’s Collections has opened at its Exton Square Mall property, in Exton, Pa.

The arrival of the 1,300-sq.-ft. Francesca’s store will soon be joined by Teavana, which is set to open a 1,000-sq.-ft. store this summer.