Apparel

Ross Dress for Less opened a store in Sevierville, Tennessee, on March 5.

The 25,000-sq.-ft. store is located in Sevierville Commons, 20 miles southeast of Knoxville at the southeast corner of Winfield Dunn Parkway and Old Douglas Dam Road.

The opening is part of the retailer’s 2016 expansion program, totaling about 70 new locations during the year.

The Finish Line Inc. says its efforts to improve digital fulfillment rates are paying off, as the sporting goods retailer posted an increase in same-store sales in the fourth quarter.

For the fourth quarter ended Feb. 27, consolidated net sales at the Finish Line were $580.3 million, an increase of 5.2% over the prior year period. Same-store sales increased 4.6%. Non-GAAP diluted earnings per share, which primarily excludes the impact from the write-off of technology assets and store impairment charges, were 83 cents.

Under Armour’s two-story flagship in Chicago took home top honors in the A.R.E.’s annual Design Awards, which were presented Wednesday in Las Vegas.

Designed by Big Red Rooster, a JLL company, Under Armour won the Store of the Year award and also took top honors in the specialty store category (over 25,000 sq. ft.). The 30,000-sq.-ft. store features the sporting goods giant’s “Brand House” format, and blends merchandise and technology with accents of localization.

Signet Jewelers is already the world’s largest retailer of diamond jewelry and it plans to get even bigger in 2016 by accelerating new store and omnichannel growth.
 
Operating stores under banners such as Kay, Jared and Zale, Signet reported a 4.9% fourth quarter same-store sales increase, better than expected profits and said it would open more new stores in 2016 than it previously indicated.
 

Houston -- Thor Equities announced Lowe’s Companies will build a 100,000-sq.-ft. home improvement store at The Shoppes at Cinco Ranch located in Katy, Texas. The company is in the process of developing the 35-acre property, which will include retail stores and restaurant spaces. The property is anchored by Walgreens, with Kroger and Academy Sports + Outdoors located across the street.

Sportsman’s Warehouse Holdings announced plans for its most ambitious expansion program ever with 11 new stores planned for 2016 following a strong fourth quarter performance.

The Midvale, Utah-based operator of 64 stores focused on the categories of hunting, fishing and camping, opened nine stores last year which combined with its strong fourth quarter showing enabled the company to produce record results. The addition of 11 stores this year will give the company, which went public in April 2014, 75 locations in 20 predominantly Western states and Alaska.

Fenton Mo. -- Mid-America Real Estate Corporation’s Investment Sales team brokered the sale of Fenton Commons located in Fenton, Missouri. Colorado based GDA Real Estate acquired the 82,242-sq.-ft. property for $15 million.

Fenton Commons is anchored by Best Buy, Old Navy and Barnes & Noble with Chili’s and Bank of America.