Consumer Electronics

I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but it seems like you can’t pick up a paper or click a mouse lately without reading about some big box retailer rolling out its smaller store format. Target has its new 60,000-square-foot CityTarget concept, while Walmart has Walmart Neighborhood Market and Walmart Express stores. It seems like everyone is downsizing.

Brooksville, Fla. -- Jacksonville, Fla.-based Regency Centers said it has leased retail space to two new tenants in Brooksville, Fla., at Suncoast Crossing.

Sprint has leased 1,750 sq. ft., and Gia’s Cakes & Goodies has leased 1,400 sq. ft.

Both are slated to open this summer.

The 260,000-sq.-ft. shopping center is anchored by a 142,000-sq.-ft. Target and a 98,000-sq.-ft. Kohl’s alongside national retailers such as Supercuts and McDonald’s.
 

Willow Grove, Pa. -- Philadelphia-based Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust said that Jos. A. Bank has opened at Willow Grove Park, in Willow Grove, Pa.

The 4,465-sq.-ft. store is located next to Bloomingdale’s and joins other men’s fashion collection stores Men’s Wearhouse and Tux, Express, J. Crew, Banana Republic and Guess.

Las Vegas -- The Forum Shops at Caesars, in Las Vegas, announced that six new stores will be opening soon, joining the 11 new stores and restaurants that have come to The Forum Shops in the past year.

The new stores include Christian Louboutin, Rimowa, Panerai, Hublot and Coach Mens – a first in Las Vegas.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores is buying a minority stake in online company Yihaodian, which sells groceries, consumer electronics, clothing and other items. Terms of the deal and the size of the stake were not disclosed.

The deal will help expand the Wal-Mart’s reach into China, where it has 328 stores (as of Dec. 31, 2010).

St. Paul, Minn. -- Paster Enterprises announced that Whole Foods Market is opening a 32,000-sq.-ft. standalone location at the company’s Minnetonka property.

Construction on the project, a joint venture between Paster Enterprises and Shiner Capital Partners, a Chicago-based real estate investment firm, officially began on April 20.

Boynton Beach, Fla. -- Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group announced that its Boynton Beach Mall property recently welcomed eight new local retailers to its tenant lineup and has also announced the South Florida debut of CCS, a national skate and extreme sports concept store from Foot Locker, to open later this year.

Additionally, several national retailers are in the process of renovating and updating existing locations at the regional shopping mall.

Ann Arbor, Mich. -- Amazon.com was the top performer in a review of the Top 100 online retailers by ForeSee Results. The annual report, Top 100 E-Retail Satisfaction Index, includes individual satisfaction scores with the 100 top e-retailers for the past seven years, allowing for comparisons over time and between companies.