Mass Merchant

Bismarck, N.D. -- Chicago-based Jones Lang LaSalle announced that it has been named as the new property and leasing manager for Kirkwood Mall, an 845,000-sq.-ft. enclosed mall in Bismarck, N.D., by an affiliate of Radiant Partners that recently purchased the mall from Metropolitan Life Insurance Co.

Kirkwood Mall was built in 1970 and contains 80 shops, anchored by Herberger’s, I. Keating Furniture World, J.C. Penney, Scheels and Target.
 

Union, N.J. -- A Seabra Foods and Koki Japanese Buffet opened at Galloping Hill Center in Union, N.J., according to Plainfield, N.J.-based Levin Management Corp., the property’s exclusive leasing and managing agent.

A Seabra Foods is a full-service grocer and will open a 30,861-sq. ft. space formerly housed by another supermarket tenant.

Koki Japanese Buffet leased 5,500 sq. ft., joining other retailers and services including Mandee, Memory Lane Hallmark, Citibank, Weight Watchers, Radio Shack and Manhattan Bagel.

CHICAGO ─ Faced with rising food costs, U.S. consumers are turning to the cost savings tactics they’ve mastered over the past few years, according to The NPD Group.

NEW YORK — TV star, entrepreneur and bestselling author Sandra Lee has entered into a direct-to-retail license agreement with Sears Holdings for home products. The exclusive collection of home products, Sandra by Sandra Lee, will be available in Sears and Kmart stores in spring 2012. The initial launch of the collection will include cookware, utensils, gadgets, bakeware, small kitchen appliances and tabletop items. 

NEW YORK — An overwhelming majority of Consumer Reports readers are highly satisfied with their independent pharmacy experiences, as compared with experiences at some of the national chains, a report to be published in the May issue found.

NEW YORK -- A good reputation -- whether warranted or not -- can do a lot for a company's bottom line. So those companies that found themselves at the top of Forbes' most reputable companies list have much to celebrate.

Chicago -- A report released Tuesday by The NPD Group said that U.S. consumers have emerged from the recession with a honed ability to stretch their dollars and, now faced with rising food costs, they are turning to the cost-savings tactics they’ve mastered over the past few years.

Menomonee Falls, Wis. -- Kohl’s Department Stores said Tuesday it has completed the transfer of its private-label credit-card portfolio to Capital One Financial Corp., effective April 1.

Capital One has acquired the more than 20 million existing Kohl’s Charge accounts and through the seven-year agreement will offer private-label credit cards to new and existing Kohl’s customers. According to the department store retailer, the credit-card business accounted for more than 50% of Kohl’s sales in 2010.

Deerfield, Ill. -- Walgreens said Tuesday that sales for the month of March rose 7.6% to $6.28 billion, compared with $5.83 billion in the year-ago period.

Duane Reade stores, acquired in April 2010, contributed 2.8% to the total sales increase for the month.

Same-store sales rose 3% in March, not including Duane Reade stores. Results topped Wall Street expectations.

Walgreens opened 12 stores during March, including three relocations, acquired one store and closed two.

Wheaton, Ill. -- Oakbrook Terrace, Ill.-based Mid-America Asset Management said that Yoga By Degrees and Smashburger recently signed leases at Rice Lake Square in Wheaton, Ill., a western suburb of Chicago.

The independently owned yoga studio is slated to open this spring in 4,598 sq. ft. of space. Denver-based Smashburger, a privately held gourmet burger chain, leased 2,200 sq. ft. of space, with plans to open this summer.

Rice Lake Square is a 251,313-sq.-ft. shopping center anchored by Whole Foods, Stein Mart, Borders and PetSmart.