Mass Merchant

Westlake Village, Calif. -- LLBean.com ranks highest among online apparel retailers with a score of 830 (on a 1,000-point scale), followed by LandsEnd.com (829) and Forever21.com (824), according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2012 Online Apparel Retailer Satisfaction Report. The study finds that satisfaction with online apparel retailers is significantly lower among online shoppers between the ages of 18 and 24 than among those 55 years of age and older.

Purchase, N.Y. -- Spending in most of the key holiday categories, for the first two weeks of the retail month of November was down on a year-over-year basis, according to a SpendingPulse report released by MasterCard Advisors, the professional services arm of MasterCard. Apparel and luxury (excluding jewelry) were particularly hard hit, both showing year-over-year declines in the high 7% range.

Jackson, Miss. -- WS Development announced that Whole Foods Market broke ground in early November on a new 31,000-sq.-ft. store at Highland Village in Jackson, Miss., marking the grocer’s debut in the state.

The new store will open in 2013, joining about 50 shops and restaurants at the 220,000-sq.-ft. mixed-use center, such as Mason Weiss, Talbots, Whitehead Street Clothiers, and Albriton's Jewelers.

Chicago -- Oakbrook Terrace, Ill.-based Mid-America Asset Management Inc. announced that Fitness 19 recently leased 10,977 sq. ft. of space at The Broadway at Surf retail center in downtown Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood.

The privately held health club is slated to open in early 2013. 

The Broadway at Surf is a 134,223-sq.-ft. multi-level urban retail center anchored by Walmart Neighborhood Market (coming soon), Bed Bath & Beyond and T.J.Maxx. 
 

New York -- Seventeen percent of consumers, or 41 million people, plan to take advantage of increased shopping hours on Thanksgiving hours to shop, according to the latest consumer holiday tracking survey by The International Council of Shopping Centers and Goldman Sachs.

Indianapolis -- Simon Property Group said that St. Louis Premium Outlets, located in Chesterfield, Mo., has moved up its opening date to Aug. 22, 2013, and will be joined by Nike, Cole Haan, Converse, Gymboree, Adidas, Wilsons Leather and Claire's Accessories.

Other previously announced tenants include anchor Saks Fifth Avenue Off5TH, Ann Taylor, BCBGMAXAZRIA, Brooks Brothers, Elie Tahari, J.Crew, Jones New York, Loft Outlet, Max Studio, Tommy Hilfiger, Van Heusen and Vera Bradley.

Corpus Christi, Texas -- IMI and Trademark Property Group announced that its La Palmera mall in Corpus Christi, Texas, will be joined by a 6,5000-sq.-ft. Longhorn Steakhouse in 2013, along with Papaya, which opened 6,350-sq.-ft. store, and Flip Flop Shops. Pandora will open a 1,703-sq.-ft. store before the holidays.

La Palmera is a 1-million-sq.-ft. super-regional mall featuring Dillard’s, J.C. Penney, Macy’s, P.F. Chang’s and Coach.

Memphis, Tenn. -- Fred's on Tuesday said third-quarter net income dropped 27% amid rising costs and declining same-store sales, as sales in its established stores dropped and its costs rose.

The company reported Tuesday that it earned $6.6 million in the three months through Oct. 27, compared with $9 million a year earlier.

Revenue rose 1% to $450.6 million. Same-store sales were down 2.5%.

General expenses rose 4% to $118.1 million, fueled in party by higher labor costs and new store opening costs.