Department Store

Foothill Ranch, Calif. -- The Wet Seal reported Thursday that net income for the fourth quarter ended Jan. 29 dropped to $5.3 million, compared with $74.2 million in the year-ago period. Last year’s quarter included a non-cash tax benefit of $64.7 million.

Sales rose to $165.5 million from $151 million a year earlier. Same-store sales increased 2.3%. Same-store sales for Wet Seal increased 1.9% and for Arden B increased 4.8%.

Palto Alto, Calif. -- Personalization of the in-store customer experience will be a key objective for retailers over the next two years, according to two new Aberdeen Group reports sponsored by HP.

According to the 100 senior retail executives surveyed from industries such as apparel, grocery and department stores, 76% do not possess the technology tools or the business processes for executing web, catalog or special orders from stores. This challenge is being fueled by rising consumer expectations of rich, multimedia in-store shopping experiences.

New York City -- Robert K. Futterman & Associates said that it represented buyer The Georgetown Co. in the acquisition of 35 North State Street, a 60,000-sq.-ft. building in Chicago, for $23 million.

The building is currently net-leased to Old Navy and serves as the retailers’ Chicago flagship. 

Fort Worth, Texas -- Trademark Property Co. said Tuesday it acquired a vacant 67,000-sq.-ft. department store space formerly occupied by Mervyn’s in its Santa Fe Place mall located in Santa Fe, N.M.

The 571,238-sq.-ft. Santa Fe Place was acquired in the summer of 2010. Trademark is directing the remerchandising and redevelopment of the property, which is Northern New Mexico’s only regional mall, for its private equity partner.

Columbus,Ohio -- Limited Brands has expanded its public senior debt offering to $1 billion from the $750 million that it initially announced on Tuesday.

The company plans to use net proceeds from the offering to repurchase $500 million worth of shares under a new stock buyback authorized by company's board. The new program includes $31 million remaining under the company's existing $200 million share repurchase program. Limited Brands has priced the notes, which come due in 2021, at 6.625%.

PLANO, Texas -- JCPenney announced that has been named the number one retailer on DiversityInc's annual ranking of "Top 50 Companies for Diversity," which recognizes leading organizations for best practices in diversity management. This is the second consecutive year that the company has earned its place on the list, moving up 11 spots to No. 35 overall. The company also snagged the seventh position on DiversityInc.'s "Top 10 Companies for Latinos."

Columbus, Ohio -- Tarrytown, N.Y.-based DLC Management Corp. said that Shoppers World has signed a lease at Northern Lights Shopping Center in Columbus, Ohio. The 40,805-sq.-ft. apparel/variety merchandise retailer signed an eleven year lease and will join a dominant tenant lineup at this 361,000-sq.-ft. shopping center including Kroger, Marshall’s, Sears Outlet, and Citi Trends.

Shoppers World is expected to open in the summer.

Greenwood Springs, Ind. -- Jacksonville, Fla.-based Regency Centers said it has leased retail space in Greenwood Springs, Ind., to two new tenants at Greenwood Springs shopping center.

Cannoli Queen has leased 1,400 sq. ft. of restaurant space and Superior Discount Liquors has leased 2,800 sq. ft. of retail space. The businesses are slated to open in the spring.

The 292,827-sq.-ft. shopping center is anchored by Walmart and Gander Mountain alongside national retailers such as Sport Clips and Buffalo Wild Wings.