Mass Merchant

By Greg Slusser, [email protected]

A case on the California Supreme Court’s docket questions whether or not a common law duty requires retailers to have automated external defibrillators (AEDs) ready to use in stores to treat sudden cardiac arrest, which strikes about 380,000 Americans each year and is the leading cause of death in the U.S.

Old Bridge, N.J. — The retail vacancy rate along central New Jersey’s major shopping corridors increased to 9.8% this summer, according to R.J. Brunelli & Co.’s 24th annual study of the central New Jersey market.

The disappointing upward spike follows a major decline from a 10-year high of 10.5% to 9.1% between 2011 and 2012. R.J. Brunelli attributed the change to growing closures of smaller ships overcoming progress in re-tenanting big-box spaces larger than 20,000 sq. ft.

MONTREAL — Dollarama has opened 93 net new stores in the past 12 months, including 22 during the second quarter ended Aug. 4, for a total of 828. This accelerated growth helped drive sales for the quarter, which increased 16% to $511.3 million from $441.0 million in the prior-year quarter.

Cincinnati — Phillips Edison-ARC Shopping Center REIT Inc. www.phillipsedison-arc.com has announced the acquisition of two grocery-anchored shopping centers: Stockbridge Commons in Fort Mill, S.C., a suburb of Charlotte, and Dyer Crossing in Dyer Indiana, about 30 miles south of Chicago.

Anchored by a Harris Teeter grocery store, the 99,473-sq.-ft. Stockbridge Commons is currently 96% leased.

Monroe, Mich. -- La-Z-Boy Inc. announced it intends to acquire three La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries stores located in the Las Vegas market, with combined revenue of approximately $11 million. Included in the transaction are two stores in Las Vegas, and one in Henderson.

MATTHEWS, N.C. — Family Dollar Stores has named Jeffrey W. Macak as the company’s EVP of supply chain. Macak will report to president and COO Mike Bloom.

Chicago — Jones Lang LaSalle recently appointed senior VP Larry Kilduff, a 25-year industry veteran, as head of the firm’s Midwest Retail platform, which is based in Chicago. Prior to JLL, Kilduff owned and operated two retail real estate development companies and worked with leading retailers including Wal-Mart, Target, Kmart, Sears, Bon-Ton, Kohl’s and J.C. Penney.

Columbus, Ohio – Employees at the Victoria’s Secret store in Herald Square, New York City have reportedly won concessions on pay and promotions from the retailer. According to CNNMoney, following a petition effort started by employees at the store in June of this year, Victoria’s Secret agreed to give them pay raises between $1 and $2 per hour and also start promoting employees at the location.