eCommerce

One of the nation’s largest outdoor markets is making room for some brick-and-mortar retail.   Berryessa Properties, a family-owned company that runs the San Jose Flea Market has sold a 6.5-acre parcel adjoining the open-air bazaar to Western National Group. The Irvine, California-based company plans to erect an apartment building with 560 residences in the space, including 37,000 sq. ft. of ground-floor retail in the fifth phase of its Market Park San Jose property.  

Skilken/Gold has announced the sale of six Neighborhood Market stores, one of which was a prototype of Walmart’s new design for its grocery store concept.   The Louisiana stores all average about 42,000 sq. ft., including the Baton Rouge location that emerged from Walmart’s “build-to-suit” program initiated in 2014.   The Hampshire Companies and a South Korean partner acquired the properties for $78 million.   

Dick's Sporting Goods has tapped a digital expert as its top marketer.    Dick's on Tuesday named Scott Hudler as senior VP – chief marketing officer, responsible for the company's overall marketing and consumer engagement strategy and implementation. He succeeds Lauren Hobart, who was promoted to president of Dick's in May.   

Gymboree Corp. is "right-sizing" its store footprint.  

Shoppers are buying more goods than ever online, but they also are increasingly picking the items up at — and returning them to — brick-and-mortar store.  

The remaking of Retail Properties of America is right on track, according to a financial review provided by the Oak Brook, Illinois company.   RPAI reported that it has completed $414.8 million worth of dispositions in the year to date, of which $367.2 million were non-target, multi-tenant retail assets.   In executing its strategic plan to focus on high-performing markets and properties, RPAI has exited multi-tenant retail operations in Alabama, Colorado, Louisiana, New Mexico, and Ohio.

Early indications are that competitors didn't give Amazon much competition price wise Prime Day.   The third annual shopping extravaganza, which kicked off on July 10 at 6 pm PST and was scheduled to run until the wee hours of the morning of July 12, was originally introduced as a way to reward existing Prime shoppers and attract new ones. With promises of new deals every five minutes, the company reported on Tuesday that customers worldwide are shopping at “record levels,” according to CNBC.  

One of the nation’s fastest-growing communities shows no signs of slowing down.    Amazon has selected the master-planned town outside Orlando as the site of an 850,000-sq.-ft. distribution center set to open in 2018. It will create more than 1,500 full-time jobs, according to Amazon’s VP of North America Operations Akash Chauhan.