Discount Store

Atlanta -- Jones Lang LaSalle’s Capital Markets announced that the firm has closed the sale of Bethesda Walk in the Lawrenceville suburb of Atlanta, on behalf of DLC Management Corp., Tarrytown, N.Y.

Solon Mack Real Estate purchased the 68,271-sq.-ft. shopping center, which is anchored by a 44,271-sq.-ft. Walmart Neighborhood Market that opened in mid-2012.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

BOULDER, Col. — H&M is the fashion retailer that consumers reported visiting for the first time most often, followed by Kohl’s, Macy’s, Abercrombie & Fitch and Forever 21.

That’s according to a survey of 4,000 consumers by Market Force Information, a global customer intelligence solutions company, which found that 39% had tried a new retailer in the past three months, an increase from 32% in 2011 and 14% in 2010.  

GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn. — Dollar General announced that Susan Lanigan, EVP and general counsel, has decided to retire from Dollar General later this year after nearly 11 years with the company.

Oakbrook Terrace, Ill. -- Mid-America Asset Management said it has signed three furniture/home décor stores to retail locations in Chicago’s suburbs of Oak Brook and McHenry as well as downstate in Bloomington, Ill.

Ashley Furniture signed a lease for 31,573 sq. ft. at Colonial Plaza in Bloomington, Ill., with plans to open in spring 2013. Ashley Furniture will co-anchor the 236,460-sq.-ft. center along with Kmart and OfficeMax.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Kmart has launched its 30th annual fundraising campaign to benefit the March of Dimes. Donors can contribute in-store at any Kmart and online via a link at kmart.com/marchofdimes. M

Fourth quarter same store sales increased 3% at Dollar General as the company capped of another record year and indicated it would open 635 stores this year.

Total sales for the company’s 13 week fourth quarter ended February 1, increased 0.5%, to $4.21 billion compared to $4.19 billion during the 14 week fourth quarter the prior year. Excluding the extra week from the prior year’s fourth quarter, sales would have increased 8%. The company said its same store sales increase was driven by consumables and a mix of increased transaction size and customer traffic.

Matthews, N.C. -- Family Dollar Stores, announced that it has named Jeffrey Thomas senior VP-merchandise operations. He replaces Scott Zucker, who left the company at the end of May.

Thomas joined Family Dollar in 2003 as a director of vendor performance. He went on to assume roles with increasing responsibilities, and in 2013, was named VP-merchant services.

SUFFERN, N.Y. — Ascena Retail Group announced that Erin Stern has accepted the position of EVP and chief merchandising officer with their Maurices brand effective April 15. Maurices (based in Duluth, Minn,) is an 860-store chain serving a twenty-something female (sizes 0 to 24) in small- and mid-markets.

David Jaffe, president and CEO of the Ascena Retail Group, commented, “Erin is an outstanding merchant with a strong strategic vision and understanding of this customer. Erin is an exceptional hire for this role.”