Department Store

When Macy’s announced in early September that it planned to close between 35 and 40 underperforming stores, the move certainly made headlines. Unfortunately for Macy’s, it also made sense. Because, as most analysts and industry observers can attest, it only reaffirmed a storyline that has been developing for many years now: department stores are in trouble.

Sarasota, Fla. -- Taubman Centers celebrates two milestones for The Mall at University Town Center in Sarasota, Florida.

Oct. 16 marks the one year anniversary for the property and it has recently been named “Best Retail Development, Florida” by the International Property Awards and on.

Sephora and Ulta are successful retailers in their own right, but Bluemercury founder Barry Beck wants to chart a different growth path for the company Macy’s acquired earlier this year.

When Macy’s announced in February it was buying beauty retailer Bluemercury, a lot of watchers wondered what the little-known niche retailer could offer the nation’s second largest department store chain. The answer to that question lies in something the founder of Bluemercury calls “exceptionalism.”

Aeropostale believes its brand is strong enough that shoppers at other retail outlets will want to buy licensed products bearing its name.

The teen specialty retailer and operator of roughly 800 stores signed a domestic licensing agreement for home textiles with Himatsingka America. Terms of the deal call for Himatsingka to design, manufacture and distribute bedding and bath linens using the Aeropostale label for department stores, big-box retailers and wholesale channels across North America.

There’s an artsy home linens player in town, and comes complete with a French accent.

French home décor and lifestyle brand Madura, best known for its artful and colorful decorative pillows, has opened a flagship in New York City’s Flatiron neighborhood. It’s the opening salvo in the family-run company’s expansion efforts in the United States.

J.C. Penney CEO Marvin Ellison contends the retailer’s turnaround plan is working and by executing three key strategies it will achieve a financial milestone that was unthinkable a few years ago.

Ross Dress for Less will open a new store in West Pembroke Pines, Florida, on Oct. 10.

The 26,000-sq.-ft. store is located in Westfork Plaza.

With this new location, Ross will operate 153 stores in Florida. The opening is part of the retailer’s 2015 expansion program, totaling approximately 70 new locations during the year.

Phoenix -- BIG Shopping Centers USA and RED Development announced the addition of five retail assets totaling nearly 1.5 million sq. ft. in Arizona, Nebraska and Wisconsin to their recently launched joint venture BIG RED Portfolio.

The joint venture was launched in late 2014 with the acquisition of Camelback Colonnade in Phoenix. With the recent acquisition the portfolio now consists of nine retail assets totaling nearly three million sq. ft. in three states.