Department Store

Boca Raton, Fla. -- Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group said Tuesday that Tory Burch will open a new boutique at Town Center at Boca Raton. The new 2,600-sq.-ft. store is slated to open in early August.

It will be the company’s 53rd boutique.

New York City -- Robert K. Futterman & Associates said Tuesday it has arranged a long-term, 1,140-sq.-ft. lease for fine leather luggage and handbag retailer Ghurka at 781 Fifth Ave., located at 59th Street in the Plaza District. 

The new Ghurka flagship, which will augment an existing location at The Plaza Retail Collection, will occupy 915 sq. ft. on the ground floor and 225 sq. ft. in the basement at its new Fifth Avenue space. 

In the July 14 edition of SiteTalk, we asked you what you thought of
Best Buy's announcement that it would shore up its store size by
subleasing space to other retailers.  This is what one reader had to
say.

"Best Buy, in my opinion, is making the same smart move many other
retailers have made. They are trying to get it "right"!"

-- Patty Ernst
CASCO Architectural Engineering
St. Louis
 

Newark, Calif. -- NewPark Mall, in Newark, Calif., has opened an in-house cultural arts center, the NewPark Mall Cultural Corner.

The just-opened cultural center, located on the lower level near Sears, provides exhibit space for the work of local artisans, including painters, sculptors, photographers and digital artists.

NewPark Mall is anchored by Macy's, Sears, J.C. Penney, Target and Burlington Coat Factory. It is owned and managed by General Growth Properties, Chicago.

San Mateo, Calif. -- Hillsdale Shopping Center, located in San Mateo, Calif., is currently undergoing an extensive 80,000-sq.-ft. renovation to an area previously occupied by Mervyn’s.

The transformation will feature San Mateo County’s first Cheesecake Factory, a two-story Forever 21, and H&M as anchors of the center’s south end.

Youngstown, Ohio -- Shopping center owner Cafaro Co. said Wednesday that Books-A-Million will fill vacant and soon-to-be vacant spaces in a lineup of its malls around the country.

Beginning in August, new Books-A-Million stores will open at Spotsylvania Towne Centre, Fredericksburg, Va.; Millcreek Mall, Erie, Pa.; and Meadowbrook Mall, Bridgeport, W.V.

AMSTERDAM — The Tommy Hilfiger Group has announced the appointment of John Ermatinger to CEO of the company's Asia business, effective Aug. 1. In this newly created position Ermatinger will report to Fred Gehring, CEO of the Tommy Hilfiger Group. Ermatinger will be based in the Tommy Hilfiger Hong Kong offices.

As CEO of the Asia business, Ermatinger will oversee all business activities in Asia, including the subsidiary Tommy Hilfiger Japan, the joint venture Tommy Hilfiger China, and the various licensed businesses throughout the territory.  

New York City -- The Jones Group reported Wednesday that second-quarter earnings dropped almost 80% to $5.2 million, compared with $25.7 million in the year-ago period. The retailer and manufacturer, whose brands include Nine West and Anne Klein, cited expenses related to the acquisition of U.K. luxury footwear retailer Kurt Geiger for the poor earnings performance but results still exceeded Wall Street estimates.

Revenue for the quarter increased 3% to $887.4 million, just edging analysts’ expected $887.2 million.