Discount Store

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Look out Lane Bryant. An exclusive line of plus-size apparel is launching this month at Kmart under the LYS brand names, which stands for love your style and love your size. The LYS collection is said to feature trend forward separates that are designed to flatter plus-size women of all shapes and sizes including printed halters, skinny jeans and tunic dresses.

New York City -- A&P plans to close 32 stores in six states, including four in the New York City area, Crain’s New York reported.

Among the stores slated to close are 14 Pathmarks, seven Super Fresh shops, four A&Ps and three Waldbaums, according to the report.

A&P operates 395 stores in eight states and the District of Columbia under the banners A&P, Waldbaum's, Pathmark, Best Cellars, The Food Emporium, Super Fresh and Food Basics. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in December.

Boca Raton, Fla. -- West Palm Beach, Fla.-based American Commercial Realty Corp. said it has completed several new leases at the Shoppes at Boca Greens in Boca Raton, Fla.

Cosmetics and beauty retailer Harmon Face Values, a division of Bed Bath & Beyond, will open a new, 7,400-sq.-ft. store, the retailer’s first full store in Florida.

Children’s clothing retailer Denny’s Children’s Wear will relocate and expand to an 8,600-sq.-ft. location within the center.

New York City -- South Africa’s competition watchdog has recommended that Wal-Mart Stores’ proposed takeover of the country’s retail chain Massmart be unconditionally approved without conditions.

Wal-Mart made a $2.4 billion bid for Massmart in November, and a vast majority of the target company’s shareholders voted to approve the deal last month.

The deal now needs final approval from South Africa’s competition tribunal. A date for the hearing and subsequent ruling has yet to be set.

Wells Fargo retail analyst Matt Nemer put several leading retailers to the test this week with an innovative approach to research. According to Barron’s, he went on a $5,000 shopping spree on the websites of some of the largest Internet-only and traditional retailers. He said Amazon.com offered the best shopping experience, and he rated the retailer at outperform. Walmart.com was said to have higher prices than Amazon’s, but had strong customer service and didn’t showed up as well in searches.

Department stores and shopping centers malls are gaining market share for the first time in three decades, according to consultants Customer Growth Partners, and this month most will report their best annual earnings in years -- if not ever.

“Department stores from Macy’s to Nordstrom, and mall operators from Macerich to Simon, have used the recession not just to cut costs, but to reinvent themselves,” said Craig Johnson, president, Customer Growth Partners, a consulting and research firm serving retail and other consumer industries.

Crain’s New York Business this week reported on an interesting situation involving Walmart and the hype surrounding the company entry into the city. According to author Greg David, “as the opponents of Walmart continue their campaign to prevent the company from opening stores in New York, it remains a mystery how they intend to do that. David notes that the City Council has no power to intervene in leases signed at existing retail locations, and the company seems more determined than ever to take on the Big Apple.