Discount Store

North Plainfield, N.J. -- Levin Management announced it has been awarded three new leasing and management assignments totaling more than 1 million sq. ft. in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The properties include two grocery-anchored shopping centers and a regional mall.

Huntsville, Ala. -- GBT Realty Corporation announced even more retail development in northern Alabama with The Shoppes of Albertville.  Just off the heels of two similar projects recently announced in the regional market, GBT is developing an $18 million, 135,000-square foot retail center along Albertville’s primary commercial corridor.  The company acquired the 13.2 acres on Dec. 29 and construction is currently underway.

Chesapeake, Va. – In the latest scene from the continuingly unfolding saga of the battle for Family Dollar, two proxy investment firms have switched their recommendation for Family Dollar shareholders to accept and $8.5 billion bid from Dollar Tree, rather than a $9.1 billion bid from Dollar General. Glass Lewis & Co. and Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) both cited Dollar Tree’s bid as offering a greater likelihood of success, despite being lower.

Dollar General issued a statement Thursday indicating the company is having trouble winning support from the Federal Trade Commission on a $9.1 billion bid for Family Dollar Stores.

Dollar General said it would “defend litigation” if necessary.

The statement could give new momentum to Dollar Tree's $8.5 billion cash and stock competing bid for Family Dollar. Meanwhile, two proxy investment firms have switched their recommendation for Family Dollar shareholders to accept the Dollar Tree offer, rather than the bid from Dollar General.

GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn. — Dollar General is still fighting to acquire Family Dollar, the retailer stated on Thursday, noting that it is in ongoing discussions with the Federal Trade Commission. "The FTC has reached no final conclusion regarding the number of divestitures that would be required by a Dollar General/Family Dollar combination," Dollar General stated. "Dollar General has also had discussions with various potential buyers who have expressed interest in acquiring stores that may be required to be divested."

Talk about ripping off the Band-Aid. Target Chairman and CEO Brian Cornell moved swiftly and decisively in deciding to exit Canada, however his actions aren’t without precedent.

Big Lots took similar action after it entered Canada and last fall, a month after Cornell took the helm, the prospects of Target’s exist from the market were explored in the third quarter edition of Retailing Today’s Target Supplier News publication. This is that story:

Seattle -- Nordstrom announced plans to open a Nordstrom Rack, at Chapel Hills East in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and one at Destiny USA mall in Syracuse, New York.

The 33,357-sq.-ft. Destiny Mall location is scheduled to open in fall 2015. The retailer recently announced new Rack stores opening in Buffalo and Albany, also in fall 2015.

The 31,203-sq.-ft. Chapel Hills East Nordstrom is scheduled to open in spring 2016. The property is owned and managed by DDR Corp.

Strong e-commerce growth and omnichannel contributed to a healthy holiday shopping sales season at Belk.

The nation’s largest family owned and operated fashion department store company reported a 5.2% increase in sales for the nine-week period ending Jan. 3. Same store sales for the same period increased by 4.8%.