Mass Merchant

Columbus, Ohio -- Washington Prime Group announced Tuesday it will acquire shopping center REIT Glimcher Realty Trust in a deal worth $4.3 billion.

Washington Prime Group, a Bethesda, Maryland-based REIT, and Glimcher will combine under a new name WP Glimcher, with headquarters remaining in the current Glimcher offices in Columbus, Ohio.

The newly combined company will remain publicly traded.

New York -- Brookstone said its president and CEO, James M. Speltz, has resigned. The specialty retailer appointed Steve Schwartz, the company's chief merchandising officer, to serve as interim president and CEO.

Speltz helped Brookstone emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in June. Also in June,  a bankruptcy court judge approved its sale to to a consortium of Chinese investors, Sailing Innovation Inc., for $135.7 million.

The Men's Wearhouse board of directors has promoted Mary Beth Blake to the position of president and chief merchandising officer. She was previously EVP and chief merchandising officer, and will continue reporting to CEO Doug Ewert.

"Mary Beth has been an integral part of our management team since 2008 and has spent her entire career developing creative initiatives to drive sales, expand gross margins and build successful teams," said Ewert.

Longtime RadioShack adviser Holly F. Etlin has been tapped once more as interim CFO, replacing John Feray. Citing personal reasons, Feray resigned Sept. 12, just a day after the company posted its 10th straight quarterly loss.

Etlin, a managing director of AlixPartners, has already served as RadioShack's interim CFO, from July 2013 to Feb. 2014.

RadioShack warned in a regulatory filing it may seek bankruptcy protection, with a possible sale or third-party investment as other potential avenues to remedy its ongoing financial woes.

York, Pa. - The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. will close its Carson’s Fox Valley Furniture Gallery in the Heritage Square Shopping Center in Naperville, Illinois. The company will not renew its lease, which terminates Jan. 31, 2015.

Six of the nation’s largest food companies and the Walmart Foundation are appealing to Americans with an innovative digital campaign to direct $3.7 million in donations to food banks.

Green Bay, Wis. – Shopko is running a six-week Facebook giveaway. Now through Oct. 11, customers can enter to win prize packages from some of Shopko's most popular brands.

To enter, customers can “like” Shopko on Facebook, and then watch for posts on the featured brand of the week with more information on how to sign up. One winner will be randomly selected every Friday and announced on the following Monday.

Leading shopping center owner and operator DDR Corp. announced that CEO Daniel B. Hurwitz and the board of directors have decided not to renew his employment agreement, which expires December 31, 2015. It is anticipated that Hurwitz will remain CEO through 2015 to ensure a smooth leadership transition.