eCommerce

Columbus, Ohio -- DSW said Tuesday that it will acquire its largest shareholder Retail Ventures and turn it into a wholly owned subsidiary, helping to simplify its relationship.

According to the shoe retailer, the two companies signed a merger agreement, under which DSW will give stockholders 0.435 of a DSW share for each share they hold of Retail Ventures.

Retail Venture holds a 62% stake in DSW.

The companies are slated to hold a conference on Wednesday to discuss the deal with investors.

Grapevine, Texas -- Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group said that Kerri Bear has joined the management team at Grapevine Mills as director of marketing and business development.

Bear will be responsible for managing marketing, advertising and public relations programs, as well as selling in-mall media, securing sponsorships, coordinating promotional events and driving tourism.

NEW YORK-- Barneys New York has launched a new editorial site called "The Window," which will reside on Barneys.com. According to the company, The Window will give viewers "a unique and expertly cultivated view into the worlds of luxury, culture, beauty and the people behind the most celebrated design houses, through interactive features and exclusive content."

Atlanta -- A report released Wednesday by First Data Corp., which tracks same-store consumer spending by credit, signature debit, PIN debit, EBT cards and checks at U.S. merchant locations, found that more consumers opted to pay with credit cards in January.

According to the First Data SpendTrend report for January 2011, transaction growth on credit cards was at a 13-month high in January and year-over-year credit dollar volume growth was the second highest in over a year.

San Francisco -- Gap said Wednesday that it has expanded its Gap and Banana Republic online presence to eight additional European countries through its dedicated European e-commerce sites.

Gap debuted the dedicated sites in the United Kingdom in August 2010 and then expanded to include nine additional European countries in October 2010. The newest announcement brings the total reach of it European e-commerce business to 18 countries.

St. Petersburg, Fla. -- Jacksonville, Fla.-based Regency Centers said it has leased retail space in St. Petersburg, Fla., to Keva Juice, which will open at Marketplace Shopping Center.

Keva Juice has leased 1,302 sq. ft. and is slated to open this spring.

The 90,296-sq.-ft. shopping center is anchored by a newly opened LA Fitness. National retailers at the center also include Starbucks, The UPS Store, Jenny Craig, and BB&T.

New York City -- Robert K. Futterman & Associates announced it has secured a long-term, 2,725-sq. ft. lease with high-end apparel and accessories retailer Intermix in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District. 

This completes the first of three phases of leasing at the building, which is situated on the southwest corner at the intersection of Washington and Gansevoort Streets, where Intermix will have two entrances. 

Jakarta/Singapore -- Wal-Mart Stores is in talks to become a partner of Indonesian retailer PT Matahari Putra Prima to develop its hypermarts, according to Reuters.

South Korea's Lotte Shopping Co. has withdrawn from talks for a deal with Matahari, the report said. Matahari last month said it will seek a “global partner” to develop its hypermart business.