Department Store

Houston -- Mattress Firm Holding Corp. announced it has completed its acquisition of the outstanding partnership interests in Sleep Experts Partners.

With the acquisition, Mattress Firm expects to operate an additional 55 stores in the Dallas and Austin markets, two of Mattress Firm’s core markets.

Mattress Firm operates 1,400 stores across 33 states.

Washington, D.C. -- The National Retail Federation (NRF) has urged Congress to pass the bipartisan Save American Workers Act, which would change the Affordable Care Act’s definition of full-time employment from 30 hours per week to 40 hours. NRF sent a letter to the House saying all votes related to the bill, H.R. 2575, would be considered key votes for the association’s annual scorecard.

Boca Raton, Fla. -- Office Depot has appointed Troy Rice as executive VP of retail, effective April 14. Rice, who replaces Juan Guerrero, will also serve as a member of Office Depot’s leadership team and report directly to chairman and CEO Roland Smith.
 

York, Pa. -- The Bon-Ton Stores plans to open a 27,000-sq.-ft. Herberger’s Clearance Center in Maplewood, Minn. The store is scheduled to open May 2014.

“We are pleased to announce the opening of our fourth free-standing clearance center,” said Brendan Hoffman, president and CEO.

Bon-Ton Stores operates 270 department stores in 25 states in the Northeast, Midwest and upper Great Plains under the Bon-Ton, Bergner’s, Boston Store, Carson’s, Elder-Beerman, Herberger’s and Younkers nameplates.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recognized Sears Holdings with a 2014 Energy Star Partner of the Year – Sustained Excellence Award. Sears Holdings, an Energy Star partner since 1998, will be honored for its long-term commitment to energy efficiency.

The company's related accomplishments in 2013 included:

New York -- Modell’s Sporting Goods will open a store in midtown Manhattan, near Madison Square Garden, on April 4.

The store is the retailer’s 156th location.

Minneapolis -- Target announced plans to open a store in Westwood, Mass., opening in March 2015.

The 135,000-sq.-ft. store will be part of the new University Station development. It will be the 26th Target store in the Boston area.

New York — JLL has named Robert Gibson vice chairman of New York retail brokerage. He will be responsible for the growth of retail tenant and agency leasing in New York.

Most recently, vice chairman with Cushman & Wakefield Inc.’s Midtown Manhattan office, Gibson has more than 26 years of retail leasing experience in New York and nationally.