Discount Store

Target ranked 25th on Fortune’s listing of the 50 Most Admired Companies, which is the lowest level in the past six years. The decline could be viewed as troubling, but only if you buy into the notion that the list is the definitive report card on corporate reputations.

It is not, at least as far as retailers are concerned. In 2011 and 2010, Target was ranked 22nd, down from 2009 when it was ranked 19th and considerably below 2008 when it nearly broke into the top 10 with a ranking of 11th after a ranking of 13th in 2007.

Fredericksburg, Va. -- Youngstown, Ohio-based Cafaro Co. announced that White House | Black Market will open a new store at its The Village at Towne Centre property near Fredericksburg, Va.

The 4,000+-sq.-ft. store is slated to open spring 2012 across from Coldwater Creek.

Houston -- Stage Stores Inc. reported Tuesday that profit for the fourth quarter rose 2% to $32.7 million, from $32 million a year earlier.

Revenue increased 6% to $479.1 million from $453.7 million, beating Wall Street's $468.2 million forecast.

For the year, Stage Stores reported net income of $31 million, down from $37.6 million in the prior year. Annual revenue climbed 3% to $1.51 billion.
 

Baltimore -- Atlanta-based Jones Lang LaSalle Retail announced that its president Greg Maloney has been appointed receiver of the Eastpoint Mall located in Baltimore County. Under Maloney’s leadership, Jones Lang LaSalle’s retail leasing and management team will assume immediate oversight of the mall and help stabilize the asset.

Cincinnati -- Mid-America Real Estate Corp.’s Investments Sales Group announced the recent sale of Stone Creek Towne Center located in Cincinnati.

The property was purchased by Oakbrook, Ill.-based Inland Real Estate for $36 million from a joint venture between Brandicorp and Trinity Development Co.

Alameda, Calif. -- Jamestown announced that DB Shoes and Bright Now! Dental have signed new leases at Alameda South Shore Center, a 594,000-sq.-ft., open-air retail center located in the East Bay community of Alameda, Calif.

DB Shoes has leased a 10,635-sq.-ft. retail space along the Park Street corridor. The new location is scheduled to open in April 2012.

Additionally, Bright Now! Dental, part of Smile Brands Inc., secured a 10-year, 3,805-sq.-ft. lease. The office is scheduled to open in May 2012.

Tustin, Calif. -- Present Value Properties announced Tuesday that Annette Kolb has been named director of real estate for the firm.

Kolb will be responsible for the real estate needs of national chain retailers including Pizza Hut, Long John Silver and Jack in the Box franchisees located in Phoenix, Dallas and Missouri. She will handle lease extensions/renegotiations, new locations and relocations and be based in Phoenix.

New York City -- Modell’s Sporting Goods said Tuesday it will celebrate the grand opening of three new locations in Brooklyn, N.Y., Fresh Meadows, N.Y., and Wayne, N.J., on March 8.

The Fresh Meadows store measures 13,000 sq. ft., the Wayne store is 16,700 sq. ft., and the Brooklyn store is 15,900 sq. ft.