Convenience Stores

Miami Beach, Fla. -- Terranova Corp. announced it has been awarded new leasing assignments for two south Florida strip centers.
       
Piper’s Glen Shopping Center in Boynton Beach and Shoppes of Ives Dairy in Miami Gardens have been added to the Terranova leasing portfolio, effective immediately.

New York City -- SRS Real Estate Partners said that Panera Bread has leased 6,926 sq. ft. on the ground-floor and basement levels at 120 E. 86th Street in Manhattan.
      
The lease was arranged by way of a termination with the current tenant, Walgreens, and a new lease execution with Panera.

Commack, N.Y. -- North Plainfield, N.J.-based Levin Management Corp. said that frozen dessert company D’Lites Emporium will open a new location at Mayfair Shopping Center, located in Commack, N.Y.

The 1,280-sq.-ft. store will join other food offerings in the center such as Outback Steakhouse, Ciao Baby, Good Taste Buffet, Bagel Boss, Kosher Market & Deli, and Original Brooklyn Pizza.

Given the performance of Costco and BJ’s during April, it’s a safe bet that same-store sales at Sam’s Club continued to accelerate during the first quarter and will meet or exceed guidance provided at the end of the fourth quarter that called for an increase in the 1% to 3% range.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Fred's on Thursday tallied $141.8 million in sales, representing an increase of 3% for the four weeks ended April 30, the retailer reported Thursday.

Comparable-store sales for the month rose 1.8%, versus an increase of 0.6% in the same period last year. Likewise,  Fred's total sales for the first three months of fiscal 2011 increased 3% to $484.4 million.

Walmart again topped the Fortune 500 list of America’s largest companies, and it doesn’t appear likely to relinquish the top ranking anytime soon. With annual revenues of $421.8 billion, Walmart easily outpaced such oil companies as ExxonMobil at $354.6 billion, Chevron at $196.3 billion and ConocoPhillips at $184.9 billion. Higher oil prices last year boosted the top line at those companies, but even the closest contender of the lot would need oil prices to increase dramatically from current levels for any shot at overtaking Walmart.

The Walmart Visitor Center in downtown Bentonville is set to reopen on May 21 after undergoing extensive renovations, which means the new facility will be able to accommodate the thousands of Walmart employees who will descend on the town for the company’s annual meeting on June 3.

New York City -- Retailers reported strong April sales that were boosted by the late Easter holiday, which fell on April 24, three weeks later than last year. Same-store sales rose 8.9% at the 25 retailers tracked by Thomson Reuters, compared with expectations for an 8.2% increase. But the good news was tempered as retailers acknowledged that shoppers are under increasing pressure from rising gas prices and other cost increases.