Mass Merchant

Wayne, N.J. -- Toys "R" U widened its loss in the second quarter on lower sales at its stores in the United States and Europe. The company reported a loss of $113 million, compared with a year-earlier loss of $36 million.

Net sales for the quarter, ended August 3, dropped 6.9% to $2.38 billion. Same-store sales declined 3.5% in the U.S. and 3.8% abroad. The retailer attributed the decline primarily to decreases in the juvenile and entertainment (which includes electronics, video game hardware and software) categories.

Plymouth Meeting, Pa. — Kay Jewelers has opened a 1,400-sq.-ft. store at Plymouth Meeting Mall on the second level, just inside the mall nearest the restaurant plaza entrance.

Owned, managed and leased by Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust www.preit.com, the mall is anchored by Macy’s, Boscov’s and Whole Foods Market and Café.

Uncle Julio’s Fine Mexican Food Restaurant will also open at Plymouth Meeting Mall during the 2013 holiday season.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Holdings Corp. on Monday said it plans to obtain a senior secured term loan facility of up to $1 billion to help lower borrowings under its revolving credit facility.

The company said that the term loan would be issued under its existing credit agreement, which provides for a $3.28 billion revolving credit facility.

The term loan is expected to mature in June 2018.

Trick or treaters looking for a different type of costumer this Halloween will want to head to Target, a retailer that knows a few things about differentiation.

The company has teamed up with fashion and costume designer and former Project Runway contestant Chris March to create an exclusive line of larger-than-life Halloween wigs. The collection of wigs which retails for $20 or less is said to serve as a centerpiece of Target’s seasonal presentation merchandised under a large skeletal sign that says, “fright done right.”

Richfield, Minn. -- Sept. 16, is the final day of a four-day promotion Best Buy Co., Inc. is offering to customers who want credit toward purchase of an iPhone 5.

Best Buy will give a minimum $100 trade-in credit for an iPhone 5 to any customers who brings in a working smartphone. Best Buy says that will make the iPhone 5, currently available on several major carriers for $99.99, free. Customers will still have to pay any applicable sales tax and activation fees.

Evergreen Park, Ill. — Cole Real Estate Investments has acquired a 49,225-sq.-ft. portion of the 450,000-sq.-ft. Evergreen Marketplace in Evergreen Park, Ill., for $9.9 million. Mid-America Real Estate Corporation represented the seller, Sterling Bay Companies.

The center is located just north of the northwest corner of Western Avenue & 95th Street in the near Chicago suburb of Evergreen Park. Meijer, Menards, Michaels and Ross Dress for Less. Cole purchased the portion featuring Michaels and Ross.

Chattanooga, Tenn. — CBL & Associates Properties, Inc has announced that Burlington Coat Factory will locate its first and only store in Chattanooga at Northgate Mall. The new 63,000-sq.-ft store will stand between Sears and J.C. Penney. Shoppers will enter from the mall and from outside from the east parking lot.

Several stores will relocate to accommodate the redevelopment. Plans call for construction to begin in January with the grand opening scheduled for October 2014.

Sales at Target stores in Canada have been a little uneven since the company entered the market earlier this year, but at least the company can point to an unrivaled environmental accomplishment.