Department Store

Ridgefield, Conn. -- Schimenti Construction Company breaks ground on a $15 million retail shopping development in the Deptford Town Center shopping center in Deptford, N.J. The one-story 100,000-sq-ft. building will be the first to include every Bed Bath & Beyond brand under one roof: Bed Bath & Beyond, Christmas Tree Shops, buybuy Baby and Harmon Face Values.

NEW YORK — Former Macy’s executive Michelle Bogan is returning to management consulting firm Kurt Salmon, as a partner in its retail and consumer products group.

Bogan develops and implements transformational retail strategies, including omnichannel, consumer analytics and localization, and has provided numerous department stores and specialty retailers around the world with her insights and expertise. At Macy's, she led omnichannel strategy and process development for Macy's and Bloomingdale's.

DALLAS — Neiman Marcus reported net earnings of $71 million for the third quarter ended April 27, a 13% increase from $63 million in the prior year. 

The company’s total revenues for the quarter were $1.1 billion, a 4% increase from $1.06 billion in the prior year. Comparable revenues increased 4%. 

New Orleans -- Stirling Properties and JCH Development have announced a joint venture to develop the first 6,000-sq. ft. building of Magnolia Marketplace Shopping Center in New Orleans at the intersection of South Claiborne Avenue and Fourth Street. A second phase of the development will commence this fall at South Claiborne and Toledano.

Dallas – Neiman Marcus had a strong third quarter fiscal 2013, reporting a substantial increase in net earnings as well as growth total revenues and same store sales.

Net earnings grew 13% compared to third quarter of last year, from $62.6 million to $70.8 million from $62.6 million.

Total revenues increased 4%, from $1.06 billion to $1.1 billion.

Same store sales grew 3.6%.

BOCA RATON, Fla. — Office Depot has reached an agreement to sell its 50% stake in Office Depot de Mexico S.A. de C.V. to its joint venture partner Grupo Gigante, S.A.B. de C.V. for roughly $690 million in cash.

Office Depot de Mexico, which was founded in 1994 as a joint partnership between Office Depot and Grupo Gigante, has more than 248 stores throughout Mexico and Central America and more than $1.1 billion in annual sales.

Brookfield, Wis. -- A joint real estate fund formed by Innovative Capital Advisors and HSA Commercial Real Estate recently purchased the 92,000-sq.-ft. Plaza 173 power center in Brookfield, Wis., in a competitive auction.

Tenants include Dunham’s Sports, Men’s Wearhouse, Famous Footwear and Kessler Jewelers.

New York – Law firm Harwood Feffer LLP is launching an investigation into claims against the board of directors of rue21 Inc. regarding the proposed purchase of the company by Apax Partners. On May 23, rue21 announced a definitive agreement for Apax to buy it, with stockholders receiving $42 in cash per share.