Direct To Consumer (DTC)

Toronto -- One of the nation’s most venerable department store brands, Saks Fifth Avenue, has given a big boost to the retail revitalization of Lower Manhattan. Saks’ parent Hudson’s Bay Company has signed a lease with Brookfield Property Partners to open two stores in downtown Manhattan: a 85,000-sq.-ft. Saks Fifth Avenue store in Brookfield Place (formerly called the World Financial Center), and a 55,000-sq.-ft. Saks Off 5th store at One Liberty Plaza.

Dublin, Calif. – DD’s Discounts, a division of Ross Stores Inc. will open a new store in Las Vegas on Sept. 27. The store is located in the Winterwood Pavilion.

Including this new location, DD’s Discounts will operate 150 locations in 14 states and is on schedule to complete its expansion plan to open approximately 20 locations in 2014. Together, Ross Dress for Less and DD’s Discounts currently operate over 1,300 off-price apparel and home fashion stores in 33 states, the District of Columbia and Guam.

Seattle -- Starbucks Corp. will acquire the remaining shares of its Japanese joint venture, Starbucks Coffee Japan, for $913 million to accelerate growth across multiple channels in the country, including the introduction of new concepts such as Teavana. The acquisition is the largest to date made by Starbucks. Japan is the company’s second-largest market in store sales after the United States.

“Full ownership in this market is the right approach for the future," said Troy Alstead, COO, Starbucks, in a conference call with analysts.

Peoria, Ariz. -- CBRE has completed the sale of Peoria Marketplace, a 25,481-sq.-ft. multi-tenant shopping center in Peoria, Arizona. The grocery shadow-anchored retail property was sold for $5.1 million.

The seller was G and T Retail Properties, LLC of Phoenix, and the buyer was Westlake Village, California-based Barstow Shopping Centers, LLC.

The property, which was 91% occupied at time of sale, features national tenants like Farmers Insurance, H&R Block, Panda Express, Little Caesar’s Pizza and Subway.

Lifestyle footwear and accessories brand Cole Haan has entered into a multiyear partnership with three ballerinas of the New York City Ballet for its Cole Haan Avery Ballet Studio Collection.

The collection re-materializes the classic Avery Ballet Flat, according to the brand, and features product inspired and co-created by Principal Dancers Sara Mearns and Megan Fairchild, as well as Gretchen Smith of the Corps de Ballet.

Following fourth quarter results that missed Wall Street expectations, Ascena Retail is looking ahead to fiscal 2015, which CEO David Jaffe said will see the continuation of a critical, multi-year investment to build the company’s omnichannel platform.

The company reported net earnings of $15.7 million, compared with $29.8 million in the year-ago period.

Dublin, Calif. – DD’s Discounts, a division of Ross Stores Inc., will open a new store in Orlando on Sept. 27. The store is located in the Century Plaza. 

Including this new location, DD’s Discounts will operate approximately 150 locations in 13 states and is on schedule to complete its expansion plan to open approximately 20 locations in 2014. Together, Ross Dress for Less and DD’s Discounts currently operate more than 1,300 off-price apparel and home fashion stores in 33 states, the District of Columbia and Guam.

New York -- Brown Shoe Company’s Sam Edelman brand has opened a 3,500-sq.-ft. store in Beverly Hills, California.

The space has a sexy, stylish and whimsical vibe that’s meant to reflect the essence of the brand. The design, by Dagnell Folger of Architecture + Information, embraces the juxtaposition between raw and refined, mixing materials such as reclaimed wood and raw concrete with rose colored brass and black leather.

St. Louis -- Brown Shoe Company has invested $9 million in Jack Erwin, an online men’s shoe brand that launched last year. It’s Brown’s first investment in a startup.

Founded by Ariel Nelson and Lane Gerson, Jack Erwin creates high-quality men’s shoes, selling them directly to consumers for under $200 a pair.