Direct To Consumer (DTC)

Dallas – Michaels Stores Inc., which has been privately held since 2006, is planning to launch an IPO in 2014. According to a regulatory filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), private equity owners Bain Capital Partners and Blackstone Group will retain control of the retailer after the public stock sale.

Tucson, Ariz. — Metrocom-DBC doing business as Metro PCS is expanding with a new 1,380-sq.-ft. store in Tucson’s Northgate Plaza. The prepaid wireless service provider has 14 stores in California and two in Phoenix. Metro PCS is planning four new stores in Tucson. T-Mobile owns Metro PCS.

Commercial Retail Advisors represented the landlord, TNP SRT Portfolio I, in the transaction. The tenant was self-represented.
 

Seattle — Next fall, REI will open a 23,000-sq.-ft. store at Sun Center in Columbus, Ohio. That store will join a previously announced 23,400-sq.-ft. REI slated to open in the spring at Easton Gateway. The retailer opened its first Ohio store in Cincinnati in 2012.

REI is the nation’s largest consumer cooperative with 5.1 million active members and 132 stores.

Hampstead, Md. – The board of directors of Jos. A. Bank Clothiers, Inc. has unanimously rejected a non-binding acquisition proposal it received on Nov. 26, 2013, from The Men's Wearhouse, Inc. Assisted by outside financial advisors, the board determined the price of roughly $1.54 billion significantly undervalued the company and its near and long-term potential and was not in the best interest of the company's shareholders.

As Seen On TV — a multichannel distributor of products in such areas as kitchen, outdoor, electronics and clothing — is planning to acquire Infusion Brands International, the marketer behind the renowned "Dual" brand and the strategic partner of Ronco Holdings.

I’ll hold off on talking about the holiday shopping season in detail until all the numbers are in, but it’s clear that we’ve already learned quite a lot from 2013. In fact, the more I think about this past year the more I think that the holiday numbers aren’t even the most important takeaway. What’s far more interesting to me is what 2013 has to tell us about where we go next. With that in mind, here’s my early take on what 2014 might have in store (and in stores!) for us:

Slow, steady and sustainable growth

Holiday shoppers who order by 10 a.m. Christmas Eve can still receive same day delivery from online luxury goods retailer Net-A-Porter in the greater New York City area.

The retailer was offering customers shopping from, or sending gifts to New York City, and select areas of Bergen and Westchester counties on Tuesday, December 24th, the opportunity to receive merchandise the same day as long as orders were submitted by 10 a.m.

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.