Mass Merchant

Washington, D.C. — The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has approved the rezoning application for Combined Properties’ Penn Da Plaza in Alexandria, Va. The project will completely redevelop the current retail center and replace it with a mixed-use project containing up to 400 new apartments, 41 townhomes and 35,000 to 45,000 sq. ft. of community retail. Combined Properties plans to anchor the retail component with a specialty grocer.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. – Sears Holdings has signed a sublease with Dick's Sporting Goods to occupy a portion of its second floor at the King of Prussia Mall in King of Prussia, Pa. The two-story anchor building will be renovated with Sears maintaining exterior entrances on both levels and the mall entrance on level one.  

Minneapolis – Target Corp. will reportedly testify about its recent massive holiday data breach in a Congressional hearing in early February 2014. According to Reuters, a Congressional commerce, manufacturing and trade subcommittee headed by Rep. Lee Terry (R-Neb.) will investigate large data breaches and their effect on consumers.

Columbus, Ohio — REI has signed a lease for a 23,000-sq.-ft. space in Sun Center in northwest Columbus, Ohio, according to Casto, Sun Center’s owner.

The space is part of an existing 60,000-sq.-ft. Hhgregg store. Hhgregg is downsizing its offering to 37,000 sq. ft., which is more typical of the Hhgregg’s prototype. Hhgregg will remain open during the redevelopment. REI expects to open in the fall of 2014.

Coty has announced that Brian Falcone will serve as SVP sales, overseeing all sales activities for Coty Beauty U.S. mass brands.

Falcone will be responsible for field sales, customer marketing, category management, wall strategy and fixture planning.

New York – LLBean.com was ranked No. 1 in customer service among all major online retailers during the month of December 2013. According to the Stella Monthly Ranking from the StellaService customer service analysis firm, LLBean.com snared this honor for the second consecutive month.

Chattanooga, Tenn. — CBL & Associates Properties has announced future redevelopment and replacement plans for J.C. Penney anchor locations in the CBL portfolio that are expected to close this year.

J.C. Penney intends to close four locations in the CBL portfolio. They include stores at Hickory Point Mall in Forsyth, Ill., Janesville Mall in Janesville, Wis., Wausau Center in Wausau, Wis., and Northgate Mall in Chattanooga, Tenn. CBL anticipates the closures to occur in the second quarter of this year.

In November of last year, Target opened a popup store featuring an exclusive collection of bath and body products by Sonia Kashuk in New York’s Grand Central Terminal. Now the retailer is preparing to launch an exclusive line of Sonia Kashuk makeup, beauty tools and cosmetic bags in March.