Convenience Stores

Tucson, Ariz. — Gordon’s Dollar Plus Store has signed a lease for a 2,586-sq.-ft. apace at River Crossing in Tucson. Gordon’s Dollar Plus Store is licensed by Discount Dollar Store Services of Las Vegas. Plans call for the new store to open in mid-December.

Commercial Retail Advisors represented the landlord, La Cholla and River Road Associates in the transaction. DDSS Real Estate represented the tenant.

Seattle – The Second Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in New York has reportedly ruled that Starbucks baristas must share their tips with supervisors. According to the Associated Press, the ruling supports a lower court finding that baristas at Starbucks must share tips with shift supervisors, since the supervisors do much of the same work as the baristas.

Here’s something you may not have heard in a while: Competition from multiple buyers is causing a spike in the price of many shopping centers. This isn’t a minor bubble, either — it has become apparent to me that the extremely competitive nature of the current market has led to some dramatic overpricing. From my perspective, many of the price tags on power centers and grocery-anchored neighborhood centers (and, to a lesser extent, traditional malls and unanchored strip centers) are getting out of touch with reality.

The Fresh Market experienced an unanticipated sales slowdown across its store base, which it attributes to changing economic conditions and softening consumer confidence. Despite the slowdown, the company’s comparable-store sales grew and its gross margin expanded.

Chain Store Age posted a story about Chicago’s Northwestern Memorial Hospital opening a new 70,000-sq.-ft. retail store and restaurant development in the hospital and across the campus.

Atlanta — Jones Lang LaSalle has closed the sale of a portfolio of four grocery-anchored centers on behalf of Regency Partners II. Publix Supermarkets acquired the properties for $37.5 million.

The portfolio of shopping center includes:

Rockville, Md. — TitleMax, a title lending company, and Curry in a Hurry have signed leases in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, according to Divaris Real Estate, which represented both tenants in the transactions.

TitleMax took 1,850 sq. ft. in Manassas Park Center in Manassas Park, Va. TitleMax has more than 1,000 stores in 12 states.

Curry in a Hurry leased 1,706 sq. ft. in Southbridge Plaza in Dumfries, Va. Curry in a Hurry joins Quiznos, Five Guys, Pizza Boli’s and Mandrian Court.

Covington, La. — Walgreens has opened a new full-service drugstore in Gulfport, Miss., at the intersection of Pass Road and Interstate 49. The 13,650-sq.-ft. store has a drive-thru window and full service pharmacy and may serve as a catalyst for retail development in the corridor. Stirling Properties provided development services, including lease negotiation, financing and project management for the third party owner of the property.

Chicago — Northwestern Memorial Hospital has completed the first phase of “Shop & Dine Northwestern,” a 70,000-sq.-ft. retail and restaurant development. The new facilities feature Chicago-based healthy quick service, fine dining and specialty retailers throughout the medical campus, which stands just one block east of Michigan Avenue’s Magnificent Mile shopping district. Ranked sixth on U.S.