Consumer Electronics

Naperville, Ill. -- OfficeMax Inc. announced a strategic pilot with RadioShack Corp. whereby OfficeMax will pilot the RadioShack Mobile offering in the San Francisco market beginning in January 2012.

As part of this pilot program, RadioShack employees will offer mobile products and services, including prepaid and postpaid wireless products, accessories and service plans, as well as assist in selling OfficeMax consumer electronics products and services, in approximately 15-20 OfficeMax stores.

NAPERVILLE, Ill. — OfficeMax has announced that it has entered into an agreement with RadioShack whereby RadioShack employees will offer mobile products and services, including prepaid and postpaid wireless products, accessories and service plans, as well as assist in selling OfficeMax consumer electronics products and services, in approximately 15 to 20 OfficeMax stores in the San Francisco market. The pilot program will begin in January 2012. 

New York City -- Holiday sales growth will lag behind last year’s robust gains as consumers hold back in an uncertain economy. The roughly 3% growth will be driven by high prices due to inflation, rather than any increase in demand, according to a new report by Moody's Investors Service.

Washington, D.C. -- Retail sales rose more than projected in October, according to figures released Tuesday by the Commerce Department. The report showed that retail sales were up 0.5% in October following a 1.1% increase in September.

Excluding automobile sales, retail sales rose 0.6% in October — the best showing since March. And when excluding autos and sales at gasoline stations, sales rose 0.7%, also the biggest increase since March.

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. — Profits at Staples grew 13% to $326 million and earnings per share grew 18% to 47 cents as the nation’s leading office products company overcame weak revenue growth that saw sales advance half a percent to $6.6 billion.

Plano, Texas -- J.C. Penney Co. reported Monday a loss of $143 million for the quarter ended Oct. 29, compared with a profit of $44 million in the year-ago period. Sagging comps and shrinking margins led to the performance decline.

For the quarter, sales dropped 4.8% to $3.99 billion, reflecting the company’s exit from its catalog and catalog outlet businesses, which it sold off during the quarter. 

As previously reported, same-store sales dipped 1.6%.

Charlotte, N.C. -- Atlanta-based Jones Lang LaSalle announced that USA Grande Promenade Management chose the firm to lease and manage Grande Promenade, a 202,000-sq.-ft., multi-level, mixed-use property in Charlotte, N.C.

The new assignment brings Jones Lang LaSalle’s retail portfolio in North Carolina to nearly 1.4 million sq. ft. of space.

Willow Grove, Pa. -- Philadelphia-based Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust announced that Bravo! Cucina Italiana has opened at Willow Grove Park.

The 7,500-sq.-ft. restaurant is the first of its kind in the region, according to PREIT.