Department Store

San Antonio, Texas - Tryperion Partners, a private real estate investment firm, has acquired Gateway Plaza, a 97% occupied, 138,510-sq.-ft. community shopping center anchored by Burlington Coat Factory that is located in San Antonio’s burgeoning metropolitan area. The acquisition, which is Tryperion’s second of a San Antonio REO property in less than a year, includes additional land for future development.
 

Chicago -- Mid-America Asset Management recently secured new retail leases on behalf of two shopping centers in Chicago’s northwest suburbs. DSW Shoe Warehouse signed a lease for 23,773 sq. ft. at Village Square of Northbrook located at the southeast corner of Lake Cook Road and Skokie Boulevard in Northbrook, Ill. The 334,995-sq.-ft. center is anchored by Nordstrom Rack, Marshall’s, The Container Store, PetSmart, Cost Plus World Market, and Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th. DSW, expected to open in spring 2015, is taking the space vacated by Loehmann’s.

Soft traffic and promotional activity have continued to put Guess’ North American stores under pressure, but the retailer said it is encouraged by its North American online business, which soared 50% in the second quarter.

The company reported net earnings of $22 million, a 50.5% decrease compared to adjusted net earnings of $44.3 million for the year ago period, which prompted the retailer to cut its fiscal year outlook.

Sales for the quarter decreased 4.8% to $608.6 million, from $639 million a year ago. Same-store sales decreased 5.4%.

New York – Macy’s Inc. has begun offering customers a digital wallet application called My Wallet. Available via mobile Web browser or the Macy’s mobile app, My Wallet automatically gives customers access to any credit cards already stored on their Macys.com account, according to the retailer’s MyWallet Web page. It also lets them add up to 10 new credit cards, including third-party cards, although it does not allow gift cards to be stored.

Destination XL president and CEO David Levin credited increased traffic and higher conversion rates for helping drive sales in the second quarter.

Although charges related to the decision by Destination XL to exit the Sears Canada Direct business resulted in the retailer’s net loss growing to $4 million in the quarter, from $1.6 million a year earlier, total sales fared better, increasing 6% to $103.7 million, compared with $98 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2013. Same-store sales rose 7%.

Canton, Mass. – Charges related to the decision by Destination XL Group Inc. to exit the Sears Canada Direct business resulted in the retailer’s net loss growing to $4 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2014, from $1.6 million a year earlier.

Total sales fared better, driven by increased traffic and higher conversion rates, increasing 6% to $103.7 million, compared with $98 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2013.Same-store sales rose 7%.

Chile is the top destination for emerging market retail expansion, followed by China, where retail sales totaled a whopping $3.7 trillion in 2013, according to the 2014 A.T. Kearney Global Retail Development Index.

With Uruguay, Brazil, Peru, Panama, Colombia, Costa Rica and Mexico also in the index of top emerging economies ready for retail expansion, Latin America continues to show strength as a regional retail growth market.

Express CEO Michael Weiss was optimistic about the retailer’s progress in the second quarter, especially considering the difficult environment the company has been dealing with in recent months.