Department Store

Target plans to carry on its Canadian expansion this year with nine additional stores, the majority of which will open in Ontario, although the retailer plans to open single stores in Quebec, Manitoba, Alberta and B.C.

Mississauga, Ontario -- Target Corp. announced that it will continue its Canadian expansion in 2014 by adding another nine locations to the 124 Target stores now open in all 10 provinces. The majority of the new stores will open in Ontario, with single store additions planned for Quebec, Manitoba, Alberta and B.C.

Owings Mills, Md. — Towne Centre at Laurel in Laurel, Md., has announced leases for 14 new retailers and restaurants. The $130 million, 400,000-sq.-ft. mixed-use redevelopment of the former Laurel Mall is now 85% leased and under construction. The first phase is scheduled to open in March with the reopening of a new 70,000-sq.-ft. Burlington Coat Factory.

The remainder of the project will open this fall, featuring Regal Cinemas, Sports Authority and the first Harris Teeter in Prince George’s County, along with the following 14 new tenants:

The beach community locale served as the inspiration for Liverpool's new store in Boca del Rio, Veracruz (Liverpool is Mexico's largest department store chain). The design of the 301,389-sq.ft. store, which took top honors in Chain Store Age's 2014 Retail Store of the Year design competition, utilized the natural surroundings as a reference for the interior's organic shapes, color, textures and patterns, creating a space that balances nature and modernism.

New York -- Chico's FAS will launch its namesake brand in Mexico, through an exclusive franchise with El Puerto de Liverpool, S.A.B. de C. V. ("Liverpool"), starting with a stand-alone boutique at Perisur Mall, Mexico City, in spring 2014.

Plans for the Chico's expansion in Mexico include the opening of stand-alone stores as well as branded shop-in-shops in Liverpool department stores. The second stand-alone boutique will open in Villahermosa, Tabasco.

Plano, Texas – J.C. Penney Co. is amending its stockholder rights plan as part of move to protect its ability to use certain funds that can be used for tax benefits.

Penney said its shareholder rights plan can now be put into effect if an individual or group acquires 4.9% or more of its outstanding stock, down from its previous 10%.

Atlanta -- Atlanta based retail design agency, Miller Zell, has expanded its design team and appointed Tom Ertler as as senior VP/design director leading environmental design initiatives. He joins the company from his most recent role as a founding partner with Authentic Retail Group, Pasadena, Calif., an integrated brand development firm. Prior to that, he was creative director at Envision, the full-service environmental design studio of Palladeo.

Dublin, Calif. – Ross Stores, Inc. has promoted Michael Hartshorn, 46 is being promoted to CFO, retaining his senior VP title, effective Feb. 2, 2014. Hartshorn will be responsible for the accounting, treasury, financial planning, tax, risk management and investor relations functions.