Department Store

Alameda, Calif. — Carter’s, a children’s clothing and accessories retailer, has signed a 10-year lease for a 4,178-sq.-ft. store at Alameda South Shore Center in Alameda, Calif., according to Jamestown, a real estate investment and management firm.

The new store, located close to Kohl’s, is scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2014. SRS Real Estate Partners represented Carter’s in the transaction.

Beachwood, Ohio — DDR Corp. has announced he lease-up and construction of Seabrook Commons, a 380,000-sq.-ft. power center slated to open in the summer of 2014 in Seabrook, N.H.

Anchored by Wal-Mart, Dick’s Sporting Goods, PetSmart, Michaels, Ulta, Five Below and Panera, the center will open 95% leased.

The trade area has a population of 251,000 people and an average household income of approximately $90,000.

Fort Worth, Texas -- RadioShack has opened its newest Manhattan location as a pop-up concept store at Penn Station. The limited-time-only location is the third RadioShack pop-up store to open in Manhattan.

In addition, RadioShack has opened a total of eight concept stores in the Manhattan area. The newest pop-up opened five days after construction began.

Walmart dominated the airwaves this holiday season and the investment paid off, according to advertising measurement firm Ace Metrix which compiled a list of the most effective holiday ads.

Walmart topped the list with a heartwarming spot called Christmas Magic which featuring a selfless child donating a toy he desired to the Salvation Army only to discover he was the recipient of the same toy on Christmas Day. Walmart aired more than 40 unique pieces of holiday-themed creative this season, making it the most prolific advertiser of the season, according to Ace Metrix.

Brown Shoe Company-brand Sam Edelman, in partnership with leading apparel manufacturer Kellwood Company, has appointed Leslie Singer as president of Sam Edelman Apparel, a new division within Kellwood.

Singer joins Kellwood from NYDJ, where she lead sales and merchandising for women’s sportswear. Her responsibilities spanned all channels of distribution, including department stores, specialty stores and direct business outlets, such as Zappos and Amazon. Under her leadership, the company saw double-digit growth for more than three years.

Fort Myers, Fla. – Chico’s FAS repurchased approximately 6.7 million shares of its common stock, for approximately $125 million, during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2013, completing all but $55 million of its existing share repurchase authorization. The Chico’s board of directors has cancelled the remainder of its March 2013 share repurchase program and approved a new $300 million share repurchase authorization for the company's common stock.

New York – LLBean.com provided the highest-rated customer service of all major online retailers during the month of November 2013. According to the Stella Monthly Ranking from the StellaService customer service analysis firm, L.L. Bean was ranked number one for overall customer service and also in the email customer service area.

SierraTradingPost.com took top honors for phone customer service, Sears.com had the highest ranked shipping customer service and Bloomingdales.com has the best returns customer service.