eCommerce

If Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2010 numbers were any indication, retail may well be prepping for some measurable bounce in 2011.

But the road to recovery isn’t going to be without frustrations, according to Chicago-based Jones Lang LaSalle’s North America Retail Outlook report, released in November.

The inaugural report examined retail real estate fundamentals such as vacancy levels, rental rates and investment sales volumes -- and drew the conclusion that 2011 would see a “slow and arduous retail sector recovery.”

New York City -- Shareholders of J.Crew Group have approved a $3 billion deal to be taken private by two investment firms.

The $43.50-per-share buyout by private-equity firms TPG Capital and Leonard Green & Partners is expected to close on or near next Monday. J. Crew CEO Millard (Mickey) Drexler will remain with the company.

By Jason S. Baker

South Bend, Ind. -- Indianapolis-based Kite Realty Group announced that Urban Outfitters will open at Eddy Street Commons at Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind.

The retailer has leased 8,627 sq. ft. and is part of a newly developed mixed-use development that consists of a large book store, hotel, several unique restaurants and other apparel stores.

Urban Outfitters is scheduled to open late this summer.

 BOCA RATON, Fla.-- Office Depot announced that it has launched a new line of energy-efficient lamps under the “Realspace” brand. The full range of Realspace lighting is available at more than 1,100 Office Depot retail store locations across the country and online at www.officedepot.com.

According to the company, all Realspace lighting is California Compliant, with each lamp packaged with a low energy light-bulb. The Realspace Collection also offers an assortment of LED lamps, which are 70%more efficient than using incandescent bulbs.

Fort Myers, Fla. -- White House|Black Market, a division of Chico's FAS announced that Liz Edmiston has been named senior VP, general merchandise manager for White House|Black Market, effective Feb. 28.

Edmiston joins White House|Black Market from Tory Burch, where she served as VP merchandising. She has also served as VP merchandising for Victoria's Secret.
 

Target is set to report February same-store sales this Thursday and offer the first data point of the new fiscal year in which same-store sales are forecast to increase in the range of 4% to 5%. For February, the company has forecast a low single-digit increase and last week in conjunction with the release of fourth-quarter results confirmed it was on track to meet the low single-digit number.

SEATTLE -- Disney Consumer Products has partnered with Nordstrom to launch a new line of children's apparel, accessories and footwear in honor of the 45th anniversary of the "it's a small world" attraction at Disneyland.