Consumer Electronics

Total U.S. shopper traffic in retail stores and malls for September 2012

The end of back-to-school shopping in the U.S. led to a significant drop in foot traffic this past month. September saw a 13.1% decrease in retail foot traffic compared to August. However, this past month continued a streak of year-over-year improvements. September 2012 foot traffic increased 12.9% when compared with the same month last year.

Philadelphia -- Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust said Friday that new J.C. Penney stores have opened at two of its properties – both in Pennsylvania.

The stores, at PREIT’s Willow Grove Park in suburban Philadelphia and North Hanover Mall in Hanover, Pa, will feature the retailer’s new “Shops” format, encompassing 100 Shops that showcase apparel and home brands. As well, both stores will feature 1,700-sq.-ft. Sephora Inside J.C. Penney shop-in-shops.

Brentwood, Calif. -- RED Legacy and a fund managed by DRA Advisors have acquired The Streets of Brentwood, a 350,000-sq.-ft. lifestyle center on 60 acres in the Greater San Francisco Bay Area.

Tenants include a 14-screen Rave Imax Brentwood 14+ImaxTheater, DSW, REI, Loft, Banana Republic, Victoria’s Secret, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse, Ulta and more. In addition, Charming Charlie will open a 7,500-sq.-ft. store in November.

Li Ning, one of China’s largest marketers of sports apparel, footwear and equipment, has opened a flagship in Beijing with a bold design that  uses the theme of motion to attract and engage shoppers. A strong angular grid pattern is present throughout the store—in the ceilings, lighting and floor pattern — that creates an impression of non-stop movement. The theme is most visible on the sweeping lines of the four-story façade, which features a massive banner with changeable imagery.

San Francisco -- Uniqlo will open its first store on the West Coast, in San Francisco, on Oct. 5.

Lynnwood, Wash. -- Reporting ahead of most retailers whose results will be posted on Thursday, action sports retailer Zumiez said that same-store sales for the month of September rose 5.6%.

Total sales for the month increased 18.6% to $62.7 million, compared with $52.9 million for the same period last year.

Cherry Hill, N.J. -- Philadelphia-based Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust said that upscale salon Essensuals London has officially opened at its Cherry Hill Mall property in Cherry Hill, N.J.

The 1,530-sq.-ft. salon – the company’s first on the East Coast – joins the recently opened North Face and Henri Bendel. Pottery Barn is set to open this fall.

Rochester, N.H. -- Boston-based The Wilder Cos. said that Buffalo Wild Wings opened on Sept. 30 at Rochester Crossing, in Rochester, N.H., and will be joined by a 12,157-sq.-ft. PetSmart store in spring 2013.

Wilder Cos. is the owner and manager of the 304,500-sq.-ft. Rochester Crossing, which features Kohl’s, Lowe’s, Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft, Famous Footwear, GameStop and Tropical Smoothie.