Department Store

Triple Five’s American Dream project in the New Jersey Meadowlands got closer to the finish line today with the announcement that Nickelodeon would be attaching its name and entertainment brands to the retail-entertainment center’s theme park.   To be called Nickelodeon Universe, the 8.5-acre indoor amusement park — reputed by Triple Five to be the Western Hemisphere’s largest — will feature rides themed by Mutant Ninja Turtles, SpongeBob SquarePants, Blaze, and the Monster Machines.  

Boating goods retailer West Marine has leased 14,650 sq. ft. at St. Georges Crossing, bringing the Woodbridge, New Jersey, center to full occupancy.   Leasing agent for the center, Levin Management, reports that several other centers in its portfolio have reached 100% occupancy in recent months, indicating renewed strength in both the economy and retail in the Northeast. Levin handles a portfolio of 95 properties in that region and in Mid-Atlantic states.  

The real retailer winners are those that truly “listen” to their customers, and then use learned details to motivate consumers to shop.   By perfecting this practice, Amazon.com has earned the highest amount of mentions and awareness across social networks, and Tiffany & Co. was the most passionately and positively discussed brand.  

A new study from RBC Capital reveals that reversing Banana Republic’s ongoing sales decline is not going to be an easy fix for Gap Inc., reported thestreet.com.
 
In the survey, 48% of millennials polled said they disliked the chain compared to 22% who said they liked it. A majority of non-millennials also said they disliked the brand.
 

Coming to the local mall — Amazon?
 
Amazon plans to open dozens of pop-up stores in malls across the nation, according to Business Insider.
 
The temporary stores, whose total could reach 100 next year, will showcase and sell the company's devices, particularly its Echo home speaker, the report said.
   

Photo: Brian Woods

The Lands' End experience has arrived in the SoHo section of Manhattan.   Lands' End opened an 8,000-sq.-ft., two-floor temporary store, at 580 Broadway, featuring men's, women's and kids' apparel, footwear and accessories from the fall, holiday and winter along with a variety of personalization services and experiences.    

Grandin Road has made the leap to brick-and-mortar with a spooky in-shop at Macy’s Manhattan flagship.
   
The brand’s 1,400-sq.-ft. Halloween pop-up is elaborately designed to offer a bewitching immersive experience, complete with digital signage animated with spiders, a costumed witch and scary animatronic products (also available for purchase.) An on-site photo booth allows customers to create a fun memento of their visit.