Discount Store

New York — Backed by an improving economy, a recent surge in jobs and ten consecutive months of rising retail sales, a broad range of retailers are poised to fill up empty retail spaces over the next 12 to 18 months, according to Colliers International,  the third-largest commercial real estate services company in the world.

Las Vegas — The International Council of Shopping Centers has named Athleta, Smashburger, Aldi and Fossil as the 2011 Hot Retailer Award winners.

The annual awards, based on a survey of ICSC’s worldwide members, were presented Tuesday at the association’s global retail real estate convention, REConn.

Cincinnati — Macy’s Inc. said it will open two new stores near Chicago and Milwaukee, including its first-ever location in an outlet mall.

New York — Nordstrom Inc. is scouting out sites to expand into Canada, Dow Jones reported.

"We already know we have a lot of Canadian customers," Nordstrom spokesman Colin Johnson said in the report. Also, Canadians make up the biggest share of Nordstrom's international online customers.

Johnson did not give a timeframe when Nordstrom might make a formal announcement, but did say the company would start with its full-priced stores before opening any Nordstrom Rack outlets in the country, according to the report.

WASHINGTON — Target announced that it will provide new libraries for 42 schools in the United States as part of the 2011 Target School Library Makeover program.

Last week’s issue of Target News Now contained some inaccurate information relating to the level of promotional activity during April at some of the nation’s leading retailers. The correct information along with a link to a revised chart provided by research company Market Track is below.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. — Sears Holdings has named William Phelan as acting CFO, replacing Michael Collins, currently SVP and CFO, who resigned last week to pursue another opportunity, the company reported in an SEC filing.

Collins will remain with the company until June 10 in order to ensure a smooth transition, Sears noted in the filing.

Sharp pricing on an expanded assortment of food and consumables is one way for Target to get customers to shop its stores more frequently, but this week saw the company break out another type of trip generator with the cover of its weekly ad featuring tee shirts and shorts at an opening price point of $3.

At that price, moms have pretty low expectations of quality. Cut and color matter more than the finish work on seams, since the clothes only need to last for a couple months until summer. The garments will be outgrown by next summer and the cycle repeats itself.