Department Store

Two private equity firms are “actively” exploring a buyout of Staples, according to a report by CNBC.   Cerberus Capital Management and Sycamore Partners have emerged as the leading frontrunners pursuing a deal, the report said. While other private equity firms, including Clayton Dubilier & Rice LLC, Advent International Corp and Bain Capital LLC, held discussions with the retailer include, they appear to be walked back and are less interested in the deal.  

Same property net operating income during the first quarter was up 3.2% at Brixmor Property Group thanks to aggressive redevelopment efforts, said the company’s CEO.    "While the overall retail environment brought an increase in announced retail bankruptcies and store closings, our portfolio continued to benefit from healthy tenant demand, resulting in 1.9 million sq. ft. of new and renewal leases executed in the first quarter at blended comparable rent spreads of 16.4%," said James Taylor in a statement.

Macy’s has put part of its iconic State Street store in Chicago’s Loop district on the selling block.   The top half of the building, floors eight through 14, is on the market, the Chicago Tribune reported. Altogether, the space for sale takes in some 650,000 sq. ft., the report said Macy's plans to continue owning the lower floors, which include retail space.  

Target Corp. is beefing up its presence in the Big Apple — and also testing a service to give city dwellers a break from lugging their purchases home.      The discounter announced plans to a smaller-format store on the city’s Lower East Side in March 2018. The 22,500-sq.-ft. store — one-fifth the size of a regular Target — will be on the second level of the Essex Crossing development, with more than 500 rental units above it. The mixed-use building will also include a Trader Joe’s.  

Madison Marquette’s transformation of the MarketFair center in West Windsor, New Jersey, will be complete with next week’s opening of the first Free People store in the Princeton area.   Free People has become a sought-after retail brand known for bringing new creative flair to women’s apparel retailing.  

A brand new women’s contemporary apparel and accessories brand with a French aesthetic is moving fast out of the starting gate.   

A veteran Nordstrom executive has been named COO of DSW.    The footwear retailer appointed Michele Love as executive VP and COO, effective May 1, 2017. With responsibility for marketing and digital, she will oversee all aspects of customer engagement, driving messaging across all touchpoints.  

As department stores trim their portfolios, the nation’s malls are being transformed.