Mass Merchant

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Sears Holdings Thursday expressed support for S. 1832, the Marketplace Equity Act, introduced by U.S. Sens. Enzi, Alexander and Durbin. The legislation will level the sales tax collection playing field for local businesses by granting the states authority to enforce existing laws and require out-of-state, online-only retailers to collect and remit sales taxes on sales made to state residents.

WAYNE, N.J. — Toys"R'Us will be the exclusive retailer of an assortment of toys inspired by Happy Feet 2, RetailingToday.com learned Friday.

Toys available only at Toys"R"Us include talking plush dolls from Thinkway Toys. The 12-inch stuffed birds say phrases from the film when their left wings are pressed. Characters, which are sold separately include Erik, Ramon, Sven and Atticus.

Owings Mills, Md. -- Chicago-based General Growth Properties and Hyde Park, N.Y.-based Kimco Realty Corp. said Thursday that the two companies have formed a joint venture partnership to redevelop Owings Mills Mall, Md.

The new JV gives each company 50% interest in the 25-year-old, 1 million-sq.-ft. mall; GGP previously owned 100%.

"We're exploring a number of options to revive Owings Mills Mall and provide the shoppers of northwest Baltimore County a more viable center that meets their needs,” said Shobi Khan, COO, GGP.

Willow Grove, Pa. -- Philadelphia-based Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust announced that Bravo! Cucina Italiana has opened at Willow Grove Park.

The 7,500-sq.-ft. restaurant is the first of its kind in the region, according to PREIT.

Scarsdale, N.Y. -- Dallas-based SRS Real Estate Partners said that Athleta, a division of Gap, has signed a lease for 5,833 sq. ft. to build and operate one of its first suburban stores in New York at Vernon Hills Shopping Center in Scarsdale/Eastchester, N.Y.

A spring 2012 opening is planned.

Portland, Maine -- Brixmor Property Group announced a 11,002-sq.-ft. Dollar Tree recently opened at Pine Tree Shopping Center, in Portland, Maine.

Brixmor, based in New York City, is the owner of Pine Tree Shopping Center.
 

Medford, Ore. -- Jacksonville, Fla.-based Regency Centers announced the construction of Northgate Marketplace, an 80,900-sq.-ft. neighborhood center anchored by new-to-the-market anchors REI and Trader Joe’s. 

The grocery-anchored center is located in the regional retail hub of Medford, Ore. In partnership with Northgate, Regency Centers is developing the first phase of its first shopping center in Medford which will create more than 250 permanent jobs.

Charlotte, N.C. -- Atlanta-based Jones Lang LaSalle announced that USA Grande Promenade Management chose the firm to lease and manage Grande Promenade, a 202,000-sq.-ft., multi-level, mixed-use property in Charlotte, N.C.

The new assignment brings Jones Lang LaSalle’s retail portfolio in North Carolina to nearly 1.4 million sq. ft. of space.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart announced that it is starting its Black Friday promotions at 10 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 24), raising the question: "Should we just call it Black Thursday already?"

For the first time, Walmart will open its stores at 10 p.m. to offer customers special savings on top toys, home and apparel. Deals include Barbie dolls for $5 each, a $20 inflatable snowman, a 20-piece Paula Deen cookware set for $86.44 and kids character sleepwear sets for $4.47. 

MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis. — Jennifer Lopez' and Marc Anthony's split had little impact on sales of their respective brands at Kohl's, which reported its third-quarter results Thursday. According to Kevin Mansell, Kohl’s chairman, president and CEO, "the launch of [the] Jennifer Lopez and Mark Anthony brands during the quarter met [the company's] aggressive sales plans."