Discount Store

New York -- Households with school-age children (pre-kindergarten through 12th grade) plan a big cut-back in back-to-school spending. Results of the 2013 Brand Keys Back to School Report Card show that there will be a year-over-year decrease of 10% in back-to-school spending, or an average spend this year of just more than $600 per household.

However, not every retailer will experience a decline in back-to-school profits. This year, the eight retailers showing the greatest increase in consumer intent-to-shop were:

1. Amazon

Dallas — CBRE’s National Retail Investment Group www.cbre.com has arranged the sale of Cottonwood Commons on behalf of Columbus Pacific Properties www.columbuspacific.com. The 191,893-sq.-ft. Class A retail center in Albuquerque sold to Cole Real Estate Investments www.colecapital.com.

Less than a year after Walmart International named Lev Khasis to the role of president and CEO of new formats, the former Russian retail executive is heading back to his homeland to lead a financial institution.

Fremont, Calif. -- Allen I. Questrom, who has held CEO and other senior executive positions at several major retailers in the past 40 years, has joined the board of directors of The Men’s Wearhouse. With the addition of Questrom, currently a member of the boards of directors of Sotheby's and the Glazer family of companies, Men’s Wearhouse has nine directors, seven of whom are independent.

City of Commerce, Calif. — Celebrating the grand opening of its newest Houston store — 11,490 sq. ft. — 99Cents Only Stores will sell Westinghouse 40-in. flat-screen TVs for just 99 cents to the first nine customers in line.

There will be additional prizes for the next 198 customers in line.

Purchase, N.Y. — Kicks USA has leased a 4,600-sq.-ft. store at CooperTowne Center in Somerdale, N.J., said National Realty & Development Corp.

The urban, family apparel and athletic footwear retailer will Join anchors Wal-Mart Supercenter, Cinemark Theatres and LA Fitness.

Target’s second quarter just ended and if the dourest of back-to-school spending forecasts proves correct the company’s expectations for same-store sale growth in the range of 2% to 3% could prove optimistic and its third quarter outlook could come under pressure.