Discount Store

One of the most exciting and rewarding things about being part of a tightly integrated national network of retail brokerages is the degree to which that network can serve as a resource unto itself. Fellow professionals from around the country and the world can engage in knowledge sharing about market-specific forces, industry observations and invaluable perspective about the changing face of the industry.

Off-price giant The TJX Companies attracted record numbers of bargain-hungry shoppers during the holiday period as the retailer reported record sales and profit sales for the fourth quarter.

For the period ended Jan. 30, net sales at TJX Cos. increased 8% to $8.96 billion, and same-store sales increased 6%.

Net income rose 2.8% to $666.5 million and diluted earnings per share were 99 cents, a 6% increase over the prior year’s 93 cents. Both income and sales exceeded expectations.

Shirley, N.Y. -- Heidenberg Properties announced that its Southport Shopping Center, located in Shirley, New York, marks its 25th anniversary. The center is 100% leased, anchored by Marshalls, Petland and Kohl's.

The center first opened to the public in 1990 with original anchors Caldor and Waldbaum's. Over the years, the retail mix has evolved and the center has expanded from 207,000 to 299,000 sq. ft. The first major expansion was the addition of a 33,000 square foot Sears Hardware in 1998.

Just a few weeks after reporting sales growth of 3.2% for 2015, Stein Mart is embarking on the first phase of its 2016 store expansion plan.

The Florida-based retailer plans to open 12 new stores this year, with five of those stores scheduled to open this spring.

Discount grocer Aldi will make its long-awaited California debut on March 24, with the opening of eight Southland stores. But that’s just the beginning of the company’s expansion plans for the market.

In all, Aldi plans to open approximately 45 stores in Southern California by the end of 2016. The opening of Aldi in California is part of the company's five-year strategic plan to open 650 new stores across the nation. By the end of 2018, the grocer expects to operate nearly 2,000 stores.

When it comes to making online customers happy, one well-known name stands at the top.

Fourth quarter data from the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) shows Amazon.com led all online retailers with a score of 83.out of 100. Compared to the prior year, overall Internet retail customer satisfaction slipped 2.4% to a score of 80 out of 100. This still leads all other retail categories in the Index.